Why the Sneaker World Needs She Kicks
There are books that your coffee table needs, there are books that the world needs, and then there are books that exist at the intersection of all these spaces. That is where you’ll find , the first-ever title that’s solely dedicated to championing women in the sneakerspace. Authored by , in partnership with Sanne Poeze, aka and published by Studio 96, She Kicks shines a light on women at all levels and in all facets of sneakers, from household names to those you need to know! We had a chat with Gill, who took SF through what she hopes the book will achieve and much more.
It would be so difficult not to have the book be a million pages long! How did you decide what people or moments needed to be included in the book and which wouldn’t make the cut?
This was one of the most challenging things throughout the process, and honestly, if I had it my way, the book would have gone on forever. To ensure that we could cover as much ground as possible without compromising on the narrative, we split it into sections that covered design, collaboration, history, and the future. Interestingly, the sneaker industry has only really caught up with archiving its products, campaigns, and marketing materials recently. So, unfortunately, some stories we’d like to have shared from the past few decades just didn’t have imagery or information available at the quality we would need for print. But those stories that didn’t quite make it into the final edit this time are definitely banked for the future 👀
A more personal question: What’s your relationship with sneakers?
I’ve worn sneakers for as long as I can remember. At first for practicality and comfort, but then as a form of self-expression as I grew older. There’s no other piece of footwear that allows you to share your identity and personality in the way that sneakers do. No matter what else you’re wearing, sneakers have the ability to show off a bit of what you’re about to the world.
What are some ways that people can support women in the sneaker industry?
Hire more women in the sneaker industry at every level :)
To purchase your copy of She Kicks, visit Studio 96 Publishing at the link below.
This feature was first published on December 20, 2022.