After several shoe collaborations, designer Salehe Bembury is venturing into ownership and launching his own independent sneaker company.

The Syracuse University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in industrial design has spent over a decade in the footwear space, with his first role tracing back to 2009 as a footwear designer for Payless Shoesource, according to his LinkedIn profile. He went on to secure various roles, including innovation designer for Cole Haan, men’s footwear designer for Yeezy, senior director of sneakers & mens footwear for Versace, and more.

As AFROTECH™  previously reported, Bembury has collaborated with several companies, including Crocs, after he was named 2020 Designer of the Year by Footwear News. He most recently partnered with New Balance, according to an Instagram post shared by Bembury.

Several years ago, Bembury’s talents caught the attention of Nike, who suggested a “multipronged partnership,” according to The Wall Street Journal. That opportunity was attached with a chance to work with LeBron James. However, Bembury declined the offer.

“It’s always an honor to work with brands, but I don’t necessarily get to bring to fruition exactly what I’d like,” Bembury told The Wall Street Journal.

So, Bembury started his own company, Spunge, an independent sneaker brand that has launched the “Osmosis” shoe in four colorways with the help of LA-based company, Violet St.

“For 15 years, I’ve worked across every corner of the footwear industry; learning, observing, absorbing. Each chapter taught me something different, how shoes are made, how brands are built, and how culture moves,” he wrote in a post shared on Instagram.

“SPUNGE is the result of it all. Everything I’ve taken in, finally expressed in my own language. This brand exists to create the kind of freedom I was always searching for. A space to explore, experiment, and evolve. A shoe to do stuff in,” he continued in the post.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Violet St CEO Luke Wood, who held roles at Beats Electronics and Apple, commented:

“We fell in love with Salehe very early on. I think of it a little bit like: Tom Ford was at Gucci, but then he’s Tom Ford. Or Frank Ocean was in Odd Future, but then he’s Frank Ocean. We really want this to be that moment for Salehe Bembury.”