Meeks | Sneaker Designer & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Meeks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Meeks, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The thought process behind starting my own footwear company was simple…. I wanted to design a sneaker that I could wear with different outfits and make them exclusive with that high quality look. So many sneakers today are either retros, knock-offs, have cheap materials that they take away from the art of a dope ass sneaker like how it used to be back in the day.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It started at an early age for me. When I would buy sneakers as a kid, I really enjoyed the story behind them. Whether it was Penny Hardaway and the Lil Penny commercials, the Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson’s cross-trainer shoes, or the luxury and exclusiveness of some of the more high-end brands all caught my eye. I would really study the craftsmanship more than anything too. For example, I can go into a Neiman Marcus and tell you which shoes are truly high quality. Some shoes are selling for over $1k but have areas when the glue wasn’t placed on properly or pieces of the shoe are not stitched that well. With my brand high-quality craftsmanship is the top priority. Every pair a customer purchase will feel like they got their money worth from the quality alone.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Well I am definitely a foodie and love the art of cooking. I would take them to all local restaurants. I do not really eat at chain restaurants. I would show them the Atlanta nightlife. Atlanta is unlike any other city when it comes to the nightlife. We have a special vibe here that can be contagious. Why do you think so many people move here? lol.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family and friends. I have received so much positive energy and support from my core group of friends and family. They have continued to help push me along in this journey. There are so many ups and downs as an entrepreneur, especially in the high-end fashion industry due to all of the trends made popular by celebrities, but you have to keep going and working to develop as a brand. Like Nipsey always said ” it is a marathon!”