Courtesy of Reebok
What does Discwoman, a femme-empowerment agency and cultural movement for the dance music world, have to do with Reebok? Well, the classic show company’s latest Sole Fury line breaks from tradition with a split cushion insert designed to be more comfortable aesthetically futuristic. It’s a shoe, to be sure, but Discwoman has spent the past four years breaking from the industry’s mainstream process in order to create a better future for all DJs, producers and creatives, so when Reebok approached them about a sponsorship team-up, how could they say no?
“What we’re doing feels bigger than our living rooms when a major brand approaches us,” says co-founder Emma Burgess-Olson in an emailed statement. “It’s a stamp of approval from the outside world to be recognized by a household name. Hopefully it can show a wider audience what we do and inspire others that you can create your own jobs if you push hard enough against all odds.”
Founded in 1958, Reebok has become more than just a shoe company. It’s a lifestyle brand, an active institution, which presents Discwoman’s message of inclusivity and taking your power into your own hands with a serious platform.
“We’ve been wearing Reeboks since we were kids, and to have a global brand amplify our story is something we’re really grateful for,” says co-founder Christine McCharen-Tran in an emailed statement. “To see women and femmes creating a business our own way and working together to build creative economies is powerful. It shows people that it’s possible to disrupt and change the industries you’re in.”
“Its important for brands to incorporate these aggressive messages within what they’re doing,” says co-founder Frankie Decaiza Hutchinson says. “There are so many criticisms around that, I’m very aware of it, but I also think its very important.”
Since Discwoman formed in 2014, its mission and message has evolved with the times. At first, it was just about getting more women on lineups and talking about women in the industry. That conversations has been dutifully spotlighted, incorporated into the minds and acclivities of so many people throughout the industry. Today, Discwoman looks to the future, building the infrastructure within which women can continue to succeed and climb through those lineup ranks. It isn’t simply a collective or a party brand. In 2018, it’s a full on talent agency.
“If anything, we have become more radical in our politics and more critical of the existing infrastructure,” Burgess-Olson says. “We’re less concerned with outside approval now that we’ve found some success doing things our own way. We have adjusted our mission and verbiage in hopes to be more inclusive to women and non-binary folks, and we really want to support artists from more of a branding and business perspective. I don’t think any of us thought we would get so serious with the project.”
Life for the founding trio is a constant barrage of emails and tour dates. Less time is spent at home, and less people understand quite everything it is that they’re doing, but they’ve also brought more people onto the team who love the mission as much as they do. Hopefully, the Sole Fury campaign with Reebok brings that inspiring message to the masses.
“I hope that by seeing our work with Discwoman, it empowers them to question the industries they are in,” McCharen-Tran says. “We started Discwoman to encourage inclusivity in the dance music space, and we are lucky enough to have people support, listen and continue to engage with us.”
“I hope they walk away with a normalized view of who’s creating stuff these days,” Hutchinson says. “We wanna set an example with how this can be done, whatever your expectations are of the music industry and how it can be run.”
The Sole Fury sneaker drops Thursday, Nov. 8. Check the video exclusive out below to hear more about how Discwoman and Reebok #SplitFrom the mainstream pack to push boundaries in their respective industries, and learn more about Discwoman online.