Atlanta, GA — Nagast Footwear, a Black-owned sneaker company, was launched in late 2015 by entrepreneur Tarik Edmonson to honor and celebrate African heritage. Drawing inspiration from the Pan-African flag created by Marcus Garvey in 1920, Tarik created the classic African Pride Canvas sneaker.
The combination of red, black, and green is more than just a color scheme; It is a political movement that calls for African control of African communities. These shoes are collector’s items that capture a moment in time back in December 2015 when Tarik made history by becoming the first to create an internationally successful sneaker line of this kind.
Since then, Nagast Footwear has launched countless other custom sneakers to commemorate the legacy of powerful Black leaders. These sneakers are released in limited numbers and have consistently sold out since the first pair debuted. Upon the release of the Nat Turner Max, named after the Rebellion that is said to have expedited the coming of the Civil War, the shoe sold out within minutes.
“Our mission is to educate and inspire our people through fashion, our goal is for our brothers and sisters to walk in power with sneakers that represent our culture,” Tarik explains.
In honor of their 5 year anniversary, Nagast Footwear is launching an exclusive apparel line of “teachable wear”. This collection will feature innovative clothing that brings awareness to the power of Black history. The brand honors one of the greatest Black leaders Marcus Garvey, the revolutionary Huey P Newton, and the legendary MLK Jr. just to name a few.
