We should always support each other instead of being jealous or even envious of someone else's success. The rule here is: more is more! The more diverse the negotiating table, the better. The more clever, creative and ambitious minds working together, the better. So we follow the idea of @sneakersbywomen, who presents the up-and-coming generation of women in the sneaker industry in a series on her Instagram channel.
That's exactly what we want to do today and introduce you to six talented women who are currently on their way into the sneaker world.
1. Tran Ngoc Yen (Eliška)
24-year-old Tran Ngoc Yen is a Master's student in Footwear Design at Thomas Beta University in Zlin, in the Czech Republic.
Studying product design in high school gave her a solid foundation in design and a good overview of materials, but it did not fulfil her passion for fashion. Shoe design was then the perfect balance for her. "I have spent my whole life in the Czech Republic, but I would say that my design style is strongly influenced by my Vietnamese roots."
"Learning and understanding the depths of the footwear and fashion industry and realising the immense environmental problems it causes has made me change my fundamental views. In the future, I want to be involved in promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion."
Tran Ngoc Yen
2. Genevieve Gholizadeh
Genevieve Gholizadeh is a master's student in industrial design at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. In her Instagram profile she stands for "SHOES FOR SHORES".
The American grew up with basketball. So she was interested in shoes from an early age. But the thought that she could be the one to design these sneakers never crossed her mind. "I didn't know there were shoe designers, and I definitely didn't think there were female shoe designers," she said. "Besides playing basketball, my family's annual beach trips were the other constant in my life."
"Over the years, I have witnessed first-hand the growing litter problem in my state. These two passions, which I have nurtured for nearly three decades, are the driving force behind my senior thesis, which will focus on designing and manufacturing beach running shoes from waste found on the North Carolina coast. I plan to launch my project after I graduate from NC State in May 2022."
Genevieve Gholizadeh
3. Pauline Streissel
Pauline Streissel is a Bachelor of Industrial Design graduate from the Design University Pforzheim.
During her studies, she said, she was passionate about drawing sneakers and wondered how shoes were made. She wanted to understand the process. To see what could be improved or what the next type of footwear could be.
She researched and developed different shoe concepts to challenge the future of FTW innovation (for that you can take a closer look at her portfolio). "Exploring new technologies and putting the consumer at the centre of my process drives me every day."
"In the future, as a shoe designer, I want to work with athletes to help them achieve what they thought was impossible. You want to know why I love to create? It's about the challenge: every project is a new challenge for me, where I have the opportunity to learn and discover new things."
Pauline Streissel
4. Gloria-Rose Mackaya
Gloria-Rose Mackaya completed her Bachelor's degree in Footwear Design and Innovation at the London College of Fashion.
She has always been interested in shoes and started personalising old shoes in high school. At some point, she felt the need to create her own design from scratch. So she started learning about the industry.
"I taught myself how to sketch, render and make prototypes before I finally went to university." Last June, she had the chance to win a design competition that gave her the opportunity to get her very first pair of sneakers. That was due to be launched in June 2021.
"Hopefully it's the first of many because I really want to gain more work experience and learn from experts. My goal for the future is to work for a sports brand like Nike and a high fashion brand like Louis Vuitton etc. and maybe start my own brand when I feel the time is right."
Gloria-Rose Mackaya
5. Gwen Courtney
Gwen Courtney is a Bachelor of Design (Honours) student at the Australian National University. The Australian is particularly interested in combining classic sneaker silhouettes.
"There are so many things I love about classic cult sneakers, from the shape and material to the branding, that together make them iconic. I love combining different brands and styles because it creates something new while keeping the iconic history associated with these sneakers."
She hopes to work in the product design industry in the future and it would be her dream to work as a sneaker designer.
6. Margot Mason
Margot Mason is an undergraduate industrial design student at Brunel University.
"I've always been obsessed with sneakers." Her hobby of collecting shoes began at the age of 16. But it soon turned into a design project when she realised that she no longer wore half of her shoes. This was because she was no longer enthusiastic about her original designs.
"Since then I have been deconstructing and recycling old shoes and other items with the aim of designing new, experimental and sustainable sneakers. In the future I'd love to work for a big brand like Nike in their 'innovation kitchen', but I'd also love to work with smaller brands that focus on niche and experimental designs, like Studio Hagel and Helen Kirkum."
Margot Mason
Do you like this content? On our WMNS Instagram Account @sneakerjagers_wmns but also in our Sneaker News we highlight, discuss and question the role of women in the sneaker industry.