Founder Interview With NiK Kacy, NiK Kacy Footwear
NiK Kacy is an LGBTQ+ community leader, advocate, and entrepreneur. They are known for founding NiK Kacy Footwear, a pioneering brand that champions gender equality and inclusivity through its designs. As a gender nonconforming, transmasculine, nonbinary individual, Kacy's designs directly reflect their experiences and struggles with finding clothing and footwear that resonated with their identity. Frustrated by the binary restrictions the traditional fashion industry imposed, they embarked on a journey to create their gender-free footwear collection. This determination led to a successful Kickstarter Campaign in 2015, which helped launch NiK Kacy Footwear.
NiK’s advocacy work is broad, involving mentorship, fundraising for LGBTQ+ non-profits, and using their platform to raise awareness and support for the community. Their activism and community building are exemplified by the creation of Equality Fashion Week, the first LGBTQ+-focused Fashion Week in Los Angeles, California. This event showcases the work of LGBTQIA+ fashion designers, promoting inclusivity and visibility within the fashion industry. Pre-sale tickets are available until April 14th (full price afterward). Buy tickets here!
Video Credit: Mortasay Vision
Can you share the inspiration behind NiK Kacy Footwear and how you got started?
My journey began shortly after traveling throughout Europe, searching for masculine-styled shoes that fit smaller, petite feet. For most of my life, I could not find a proper pair of comfortable and fitting shoes for my identity.
So I decided to learn more. I talked with manufacturers about why shoes have traditionally been divided between men and women. I was repeatedly told that the market was niche and, therefore, “not worth it”.
After identifying a gap in the market, I took on the challenge of designing shoes without any background in shoe or fashion design. With my artistic background and a consumer-focused approach, I dove into researching, designing, and prototyping for over a year. A successful Kickstarter campaign helped launch the first collection, which confirmed the demand for these products. The positive response was overwhelming, with so many people expressing that they had waited their entire lives for something like this.
I designed my collection of gender-equal shoes in a range of genderless sizes but created a unique shoe mold (called the last) for my shoe designs. In addition to footwear, I design gender-neutral accessories, such as the modular gender-free utility holster.
What does your creative process look like when considering new products or campaigns?
My creative process for the first collection involved taking inspiration from traditionally masculine shoes that I loved but couldn't find in my size. It's about modernizing classical designs without reinventing the wheel, enhancing them with personal touches like the red stitching for good fortune from my Chinese heritage or the equality sign as a nod to our LGBTQ+ community and gender equality.
Photo Credit: Victoria Craven
What is one challenge you have faced as the Founder of NiK Kacy Footwear, and how did you navigate it?
Tackling the entrenched gender binary within shoe manufacturing presented a serious challenge. I experienced significant resistance from factories that hesitated to break away from their traditional molds and gendered views. This resistance was not just about industry norms; it often veered into outright misogyny and bullying. I was frequently talked over and dismissed, a reflection of deeply ingrained societal stereotypes towards individuals assigned female at birth, and further compounded as an Asian person, which stereotypically paints us as submissive, along with transphobia and homophobia.
This forced me to tap into my inner strength, channeling my trans-masc energy and feminine power to assert my presence and demand the respect due to me as a client. It was a moment of awakening to the necessity of having a voice in business, particularly when confronting deep-seated biases. Asserting my vision and standing firm in the face of misogyny was transformative, compelling those around me to finally listen and take me seriously.
If you could give one piece of advice to future LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, what would it be?
My advice is not to take no for an answer. Believe in your vision and challenge the status quo. The most important thing is never to regret not trying.
When you think about the long-term vision for NiK Kacy Footwear, what does that look like?
My vision is to make gender-equal fashion accessible to everyone, allowing individuals to express themselves freely, regardless of gender identity. I dream of seeing my brand expand globally, with flagship stores in major cities, but more importantly, I want to contribute to a world where everyone can wear whatever they feel best in. That is part of the reason why Equality Fashion Week is so important to me. It allows me to elevate the visibility of other brands that believe in the gender-equal fashion movement!
Tell us about one of your values and how you’ve incorporated it into your brand?
A core value for me is “give more than you take.” This ethos is not just about being of service to others but about changing my perception of reality. It drives me to design for the community, create inclusive events, and ultimately, find meaning in making a difference for others.
I've been starting to vocalize this value to many other people because I'm seeing that in our society and culturally, it's easy to be in this mindset of scarcity because we're always in survival mode. That's the way it is, especially in our marginalized communities.
However, this value for me and my brand was born from a blend of necessity and empathy. It has transformed into a mission beyond the mere transactional aspects of business. It's about crafting products and experiences that resonate deeply with those often marginalized, creating spaces where people feel valued and seen.
Photo Credit: Kelly Balch
What LGBTQ+ owned brands are your go-to and why?
My favorites include Sharpe Suiting, THÚY Custom Clothier, and Dapper Boi. We've shared the journey of challenging norms and growing our businesses from the ground up. Supporting each other and wearing their creations brings me joy and pride. I support and love so many queer-owned businesses out there, but those are my definite tops.
How do you take care of yourself, especially during this moment in history (a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being passed, an increase in violence against our community, etc.)?
It’s been hard, especially given my recent community-building and advocacy work. It can take a toll, and you can feel like you're just filling other people's cups all the time and no one's filling yours. And so that's something we need to learn to reach out our empty cup to people and say, help me. That's hard for me, honestly. That's something I'm continually learning now to do. I spend a lot of time asking for help in order to help others, but rarely for myself directly.
There's something really powerful about letting someone hold you and hold space for you, letting someone care for you in a way I've never done before. And I'm happy I'm learning that before it’s too late.
I'm working on letting myself take a day off, spending time with my loved ones, and hanging out. Sometimes, I just sit on my couch, put on a face mask, watch TV, eat takeout or comfort food, or do whatever I need to do just to soothe myself. And it's good because I used to pressure myself not to do those things, and now it's okay.
Who is your favorite LGBTQ+ celebrity and/or icon, and why?
I’m totally going to age myself and say that George Michael, and Madonna have always inspired me. They embraced their identities and pushed societal boundaries, which provided a sense of validation and courage for me to be myself when fewer role models existed while I was growing up.
Can you share one fun fact about yourself?
I love racing cars and motorcycles. Participating in a California to Vegas car race, similar to the Cannonball Run, was one of the best experiences of my life. It taught me the thrill of gaining control, something I apply in both my personal and professional life.
