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Men’s footwear has donned some genius male designers throughout the years. Trying to break the mold is up-and-coming men’s footwear designer, Dianne Halloway. Born and raised in Arizona, Halloway is making a name for herself. As the first African-American woman to venture into men’s shoe design, she is confident that her brand will transcend the stereotypes. With a keen eye for what men deem fashionable and comfortable, Halloway and her collections are one of a kind and the rest of the fashion community are beginning to realize her potential. Dianne sat down with AFM and shared her story and why her designs are perfect for men of sophistication.

dianne pics

AFM: How did you get started in men’s fashion with a focus on footwear?

DH: I got started in 2010 after seeing the lack of women in the men's footwear industry. I pursued in college and I was an athlete at the time. Changed my major to industrial design and found a great mentor. I've always liked men’s footwear and creating them was just a huge stepping stone and challenge that I've wanted to accomplish.

AFM: Why did you choose Spain as the location to manufacture your footwear?

DH: Spain is such an epitome of authentic goods and materials. Not discrediting the other gorgeous places, but choosing my footwear to be manufactured in Spain brings the rich culture and accents that I believe make my designs stand out.

AFM: Tell us about the idea behind the concierge service and the briefcases? Do all the shoes come in briefcases?

DH: The idea of the briefcase was to bring a different marketing and packaging approach. Not all the footwear comes in a briefcase; they are for our executive club fans—celebrities, high-profile personal shoppers, athletes and fans who we consider part of our executive members club for our brand. I believe it allows the consumer to feel individual and special. The idea of the footwear is luxury. If the client has the money to splurge on the package, then the client should be rewarded. People buying expensive footwear should be gifted with more perks because not only are you spending $500-plus, there’s not much that comes after that. So to spice up the Halloway collection we provide extra perks for our buyers. The thing with our footwear is that it isn't for everyone. So it allows us to have rewards. And the concierge service would be the delivery method for the executive club fans.

AFM: Will you be appearing at any Fashion Week shows this year?

DH: I'm definitely participating in a few fashion shows. My team and I will be attending Magic in Las Vegas and NOLCHA Fashion week in New York City for the Mercedes Benz Fashion week. We will also be appearing in two European fashion shows. The first one is for Brighton Fashion Week in England. We’re doing a collaboration with Phoenix clothing designer GetKinged in September. The second is in Paris, France in October for the “Who’s Next” as a stand-alone designer. I also have plans to be debuting my newest collection (NOIR BOLIVON) for the first time in Tokyo this year.  Being involved in collaboration with GetKinged in the Brighton Fashion Show I think will be epic because it's more of live runway show.  The others will take place in a more private showroom. Overall, I'm definitely planning to have my own sneaker fashion show that people will see as if they were seeing designers presenting their clothing lines at one of the biggest fashion shows so be on the lookout for that.