BEAT THE BIAS - Meet Angelee Kholia - Editor at Sheaker Mag

Ahead of International Women's Day on the 8th of March , I thought there's no better representation of women beatingthebias currently in the sneaker game than the female collective at sheaker magazine. 

This group of female sneakerheads/enthusiasts got together with one common goal, being dedicated to women's sneaker culture and ensuring women are seen and represented in the scene.

I had the opportunity to catch up with the editor Angelee Kholia to discuss how Sheaker magazine got started, and why its so important in todays culture/community for women to be represented. Read the full interview below. 

How did Sheaker magazine/ collective get started? 

The magazine started as my final year university project, because I wanted to create a publication that catered towards the interests of girls in the sneaker industry. Now it’s grown into massive community project where I can showcase the talents and skills of so many girls in the scene. 

Who is part of the Sheaker magazine? 

I (Angelee) am the editor in chief and I look after the production of the mag from start to print. Ikechi handles our partnerships, and we have 2 permanent contributing editors, Stephanie and Lucy. Krishma is our graphic design whiz and does illustrations for the mag and socials. 

How are sneaker brands receiving the magazine? 

When we started, I think brands were more apprehensive to work with us because we were, and still are, very small. Unless you are a massive brand or publication it can sometimes be hard to get the attention of retailers and brands. But it’s all about selecting those who understand the mag and our vision, and who ultimately want to help us grow. 

How are sneaker heads receiving the magazine? 

I think the female sneakerheads in the scene are obviously very appreciative of what we put together, and there are girls who will buy the magazine as soon as it comes out- which means so much to us all. But also, sneaker heads have been keen to work with us and get their story out there, on something that isn’t social media or a digital platform. It’s very interesting to see especially since the sneaker industry is fuelled by instagram and twitter.

What is the magazines purpose? 

The magazine’s main purpose above all is to give women easy access to all the information they need regarding sneaker drops, special releases, sizing- it’s why I started the mag! But we are also dedicated to shining a light on new artists, writers, designers and innovators with interviews and features in the magazine. The more we grow, the more we want to contribute to the women’s scene!

Why now more than ever do you think Sheaker magazine is needed? 

Despite the increasing representation and consideration of females in the industry by bigger brands, I think the Sheaker mag shows that there is still a lot that these brands are missing out on. This goes from inclusive drops to female innovators and female brand owners. There is so much to cover- and we always have a surplus of content.