Product release reinforces commitment
to further the representation of people of color in the
design and footwear industries
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 15,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Designer Brands Inc.
(NYSE: DBI) (the "Company" and "Designer Brands"), one of the
world's largest designers, producers and retailers of footwear and
accessories, today unveiled the FIRST JEM, the inaugural shoe from
the JEMS by PENSOLE brand. This momentous occasion marks the first
shoe to roll off the assembly line at one of the first Black-owned
footwear factories in the U.S. Based in Somersworth, NH, the factory opened earlier
this year as part of a partnership between Designer Brands and JEMS
by PENSOLE focused on creating opportunity for underrepresented
Black designers in the footwear industry.
The FIRST JEM, available exclusively at DSW.com, is a shoe with
a story unlike any other. While many sneakers are designed for or
inspired by consumer lifestyle insights, trends, influencers, and
professional athletes, the FIRST JEM is inspired by American
history through the lens of a Black man who changed an entire
industry over 140 years ago: Jan Ernst Matzeliger.
"The FIRST JEM celebrates Matzeliger's little-known
legacy," said legendary footwear designer Dr. D'Wayne Edwards,
founder of JEMS by PENSOLE and Detroit-based Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, the only
design-focused Historically Black College & University in the
country. "His invention of the Lasting Machine in 1883
revolutionized the way shoes are made and is still used today.
We're celebrating his legacy and embodying that same revolutionary
spirit, seeking to bring opportunity to new design talent and
influence the face of the footwear
industry."
To truly memorialize Matzeliger's impact, the FIRST JEM
launches on his birthday, Sept. 15.
With a hand-crafted leather finish and rich history in every
stitch, this one-of-a-kind sneaker is a celebration of the past and
a look at the future. The Lasting Machine is shown on the sock
liner, while the JEMS badge logo represents the most valuable gem
of all — a diamond — symbolizing the gem that Matzeliger was, and
the future gems that JEMS by PENSOLE will foster. Even the acronym,
JEMS, stands for Jan Ernst Matzeliger Studio.
"Diversity drives innovation and brings new thinking, designs
and products to consumers, yet Black representation sits at less
than five percent across all design industries," said Designer
Brands President Bill Jordan. "We're
excited to partner with Dr. Edwards on the JEMS by PENSOLE line.
FIRST JEM is just the beginning step in our goal to forge
entrepreneurial opportunities for underrepresented footwear
designers and make their vision and designs accessible to our
customers at DSW stores."
Designer Brands and JEMS by PENSOLE plan to utilize the new
Somersworth factory to roll out
future lines of athletic footwear by new brands and
underrepresented designers in the coming years. JEMS by PENSOLE
will be sold exclusively at DSW.com and future drops will be
available at select DSW stores.
About Designer Brands
Designer Brands is one of the
world's largest designers, producers and retailers of the most
recognizable footwear brands and accessories, transforming and
defining the footwear industry through a mission of inspiring
self-expression. With a diversified, world-class portfolio of
coveted brands, including Keds, Lucky Brand, Crown Vintage,
Vince Camuto, Topo Athletic,
Jessica Simpson, Le TIGRE and
others, Designer Brands designs and produces on-trend footwear and
accessories for all of life's occasions delivered to the consumer
through a robust direct-to-consumer omni-channel infrastructure and
powerful national wholesale distribution. Powered by a
billion-dollar digital commerce business across multiple domains
and nearly 640 DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse and The Shoe Company
stores in North America, Designer
Brands delivers current, in-line footwear and accessories from the
largest national brands in the industry and holds leading market
share positions in key product categories across Women's, Men's and
Kids'. Designer Brands also distributes its brands internationally
through select wholesale and distributor relationships while also
leveraging design and sourcing expertise to build private label
product for national retailers. Designer Brands is committed to
being a difference maker in the world, taking steps forward to
advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the footwear industry
and supporting a global community and the health of the planet by
donating more than seven million pairs of shoes to the global
non-profit Soles4Souls. To learn more, visit
www.designerbrands.com.
About Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design
(PLC)
Pensole Lewis College of Business &
Design is the pipeline for career education and professional
development in the design industry. We are the source for creative
vision and progress; bearing the torch to push the culture forward
— beyond what's visible. At Pensole Lewis College, we offer a new
path to break into the world of product creation. We prepare the
largest talent pool of designers to enter the industry empowering
them to make it better for the next generation, leaving our
industry better than when we entered it. For more information,
please visit www.pensolelewiscollege.com.
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SOURCE Designer Brands Inc.