Sneaker culture often sidelines women, especially Black women, but Melissa Carnegie decided to make space for a community where Black women could talk kicks, style, and culture.

Kicks & Fros is a thriving community, a lifestyle brand, and a storytelling platform that started as a personal passion project for Melissa in 2017. In celebrating the overlap of two cultural identities often underrepresented in mainstream narratives, Kicks & Fros has become a national sisterhood of sneakerheads, based out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Melissa’s journey into the world of sneaker culture began like many others, rooted in personal nostalgia. With a background as a lifestyle content creator, she built an audience around people’s natural interest in her style. As she immersed herself in the sneaker space, it became clear how much of that world was dominated by men and how few stories reflected the experiences of Black women who loved kicks.

With that vision, Kicks & Fros was born. It started as a blog and Instagram page featuring curated sneaker content and spotlights on Black women with swag. But Melissa, with her background in marketing and media, knew the brand could be so much more.

At its core, Kicks & Fros is about visibility. Through community activations, curated events, and brand partnerships, Melissa has expanded Kicks & Fros into a multidimensional brand.

“Women really dominate this space when it comes to sneakers and personal style; we give that style and that fashion. And I felt like we weren’t being catered to or talked about as we should be, especially Black and Brown women. I wanted to change that.” (Black Enterprise)

The platform has grown into much more than stylish photos and now offers hands-on customization and accessorizing experiences where you can design your own unique pair of sneakers at a Kick & Sip or accessorize your kicks at The Kick Bar, which Melissa operates out of a cutesy branded mobile unit.

The impact of Kicks & Fros has been powerful. The brand has hosted events like “Kicks Over Brunch” that offers safe space where Black women can gather, talk sneakers, and connect with one another over a shared love of the culture.

One of the most revolutionary aspects of Kicks & Fros is its unapologetic celebration of beauty in all forms. Melissa often pairs sneaker content with natural hair inspiration, beauty editorials, and lifestyle photography that affirms Black women in all their styles, textures, and tones.

She’s also launched her own Kicks & Fros merch line featuring apparel and accessories that allow supporters to proudly represent the brand.