Dr. D'Wayne Edwards just made history with the founding of the first black-owned footwear and shoe factory in the United States.
He has been a footwear designer for almost 40 years, most notably for Nike. During his career, he’s won the Mercedes Benz Fashion Award 3 times, had his designs worn in 6 Olympics, accumulated more than 50 patents, and created over 500 styles, including for celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Biggie, and Michael Jordan.
Dr. Edwards is also the president of Pensole Lewis College, Michigan’s only HBCU which he reopened recently as the first academy in the U.S. dedicated to footwear design. His goal is to help diversify the fashion industry by creating a pipeline for more Black footwear designers, guiding them through the whole process at the school and his new company.
The company, Jan Ernst Matzeliger Studio (JEMS), is named for the Black inventor who revolutionized shoe manufacturing with his 1883 patent of the lasting machine.
JEMS shoes will be available exclusively at DSW. Read more about Dr. Edwards and the company's amazing story here at Because of Them We Can.
& Remember to always celebrate your magic! xo