AFM: Although your shoes aren’t sold in stores just yet, how would clients go about purchasing them?

DH: Right now I am working on some contracts with large department stores. We have samples of the sneakers for our executive club, but not a full fleet of them as yet. Definitely by the end of this year we will be able to broadcast to the world where they can purchase this unique footwear.

AFM: How important is it to you to be the first African-American woman to be designing men’s high-end footwear?

DH: It is important to bring my project to life as of being an African-American woman. A recent independent analysis stated that woman in the field of men's footwear is at four percent, and even a smaller percentage (0.2) of that is minority. As menswear begins to climb, there are a few men designers being recognized for their work which include Thom Browne, Rag & Bone, and Marcus Wainwright & David Nevill are all nominated and awarded as the best men designers of the year at the CFDA. The list continues on with great men designers and what you don't usually see is a woman within those nominations, especially in the field of menswear or men’s footwear.  It's the woman's turn to dress the man.

AFM: Where do you hope men’s fashion footwear will take you?

I hope that it takes me into my own lane and higher heights to make history in the fashion world. Because this field is dominated by males, I would like to pave the way for females to be among the top in men’s fashion—a woman who can hang with the boys.  The responses I would want to hear are that "She's the only girl that can compete with the big boys and actually win.”  

For more information on the Dianne Halloway Collections and what she’s up to next visit www.diannehalloway.com.