By Anna Bediones for UNBOXED
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I didn’t intend to bring up this release again but the raffles started some chatter in the SoleSavy ladies channels. A lot of us were skeptical about the brand’s promise to “put women, especially black women first,” especially after seeing many men being seeded, alongside very limited geographical criteria to qualify for the in-store only raffles. But in the days since, more pairs have landed in the hands of deserving black women creators – a refreshing change of pace from the usual influencers who get seeded everything.
As for the in-store raffles, the SoleSavy ladies shared some of their experiences and the overall response was positive. The women who were able to participate shared that some entries were disqualified because it was evident that some women were entering for others, presumably men. It sounds like A Ma Maniére is actually getting it right so far, and while many of our members didn’t qualify, they were still Sneaker releases are tricky as it is, but ensuring women’s sneakers actually go to their intended audience presents even more challenges. Most have missed the mark but this is a promising – albeit small-scale – solution to address this.
In the first episode of our new podcast, Triple Stitch , our host L sits down with A Ma Maniére owner James Whitner to discuss his mission and of course, his upcoming Air Jordan 3 collaboration inspired by his mother.
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SoleSavy recently launched it’s new women’s only sneaker community. Learn more at solesavy.com/womens.