Celebrating Black Women is our mission, but this month we wanted to give a few women in the sneaker community their flowers and celebrate their amazing accomplishments. We are so proud of these women and what they have accomplished.
Black History Month is all about celebrating the achievements of Black people, past and present. While Kicks & Fros celebrates Black women all 365 days of the year, we wanted to take this month to highlight some incredible accomplishments from some of our favorite sneaker Queens. We are so proud of you, ladies! We see and celebrate you!
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The Notorious Kia x Amazon
Photos from @thenotoriouskia
Kia, who is known for her style, signature fro, and love for kicks, can now add designer to her growing list of accomplishments. Kia recently partnered with Amazon ‘The Drop’ to design her collection that dropped on Feb 20th. The collection included a jumpsuit, blazers, cargo pants, jackets and bodysuits. The pieces are versatile and can be taken from day to night. Kia, who has an immaculate kick game, also showed us how well the pieces pair with dope kicks. Most pieces from the collection sold out within 10 minutes which could be an Amazon ‘The Drop’ record. Be sure to check back - sometimes pieces will become available if there are returns- and cross your fingers for a surprise restock. Congratulations on a successful drop, Kia!
.SWOOSH x Sydnee Thompson
Recently .SWOOSH (pronounced Dot SWOOSH), the official home for Nike’s virtual creations, held the “Your Force 1 Challenge.” Participants were tasked with visually telling their story for the chance to win $5K and have their concept transformed into a .SWOOSH virtual creation. The winner’s design could also become part of .SWOOSH’s “Our Force 1” collection and earn them royalties. Over 500 people entered the contest and four winners were selected. Our Sole Sister, Sydnee Thompson, was one of the four winners, making her the only woman to win. For the contest, Sydnee shared her story of surviving cancer. Not only did Sydnee survive, but she also thrived and is now a CEO, a Digital Strategist, a wife, and a mom. We are so proud of you, Syd. We cannot wait to see what she creates!
Nike x Premium Goods Collab
Jennifer Ford is the owner of Premium Goods, which is a sneaker boutique located in Houston, Texas. The H-Town staple has been open for 18 years and is widely known for being the first sneaker boutique in Texas. Jennifer recently collaborated with Nike and designed two pairs of Air Force 1’s. ‘The Bella’ and ‘The Sophia’, named after Jennifer’s daughter and niece, dropped in January and are still available at Premium Goods. In addition to owning a successful business, Jennifer also gives back to her community by empowering young women and other minorities to achieve their dreams.
Sacramento Kings Community Art Exhibit featuring Keia Kodama
Photos from @keiakodama
Keia, a designer, artist and a true sneaker girl, was recently given the opportunity to be one of a few local artists for the Sacramento Kings Community 916 Amplified Basketball Art Exhibit: “PROJECT: streetBALL COURTure” for Black History Month. Her piece, “It Was All A Dream,” paid homage to Martin Luther King Jr. and all those who made his dream a reality. When depicting her artwork, the black ball represents Black America and the white net represents oppression. Keia explained that they both represent a quote she loves, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Earlier this year, Keia was honored by the Sacramento Kings as a Culture Creator, Artist and Sneakerhead during a home game. Sis is beyond talented! We are so glad to see her getting the recognition she deserves.