If you saw ESSENCE’s epic February 2016 cover featuring Yara Shahidi, Teyonah Parris, and Johnetta Elzie then you know Ade Samuel’s work. Currently styling Shahidi, Jhené Aiko, Big Sean and Kelly Rowland, to name a few, Samuel has also worked on styling projects for Beyoncé, the Kardashians, Rihanna, Big Sean and Nicole Richie. But long before she styled celebrities, the FIT graduate was a boss in her own right.
Since breaking into the industry five years ago as a fashion assistant at Teen Vogue, Samuel easily flawless navigates between being a stylist and a designer. In 2016 she launched her namesake shoe line with one goal in mind: create luxury footwear for women, designed by a woman.
“All the shoe designers that we all love and bow down to are [made by] men! Men that don’t wear the shoes,” she told the Coveteur. “They’ve just seen a vision and they create it for women, and it’s not the most comfortable at times. Where are the women making women’s shoes that they can actually wear and walk in?”
Samuel’s shoes are made in Italy with the finest Italian leather and she couldn’t be prouder. For starters, the line took almost two years to complete. She collaborated with an amazing illustrator and consultant to get the ideas from her head onto paper and then eventually into the factory in Florence, she tells ESSENCE.
Samuels has 25.5K Instagram followers waiting and willing to walk in her shoes, and that fuels her inspiration. From the red carpet and editorial to everyday street style looks, Ade Samuel’s motivation is endless, and her dreams are realized. Indeed, a woman can have it all: style, comfort, class, and edge.