Name: Wendy Franklin
Instagram: @wendella_
Location: DTLR Wheatland– Dallas, TX
Occupation: Blogger + Stylist + Entrepreneur + Co-Founder of SneakHer Summit
Photographer: @ir_shoots
Sneakers: Air Jordan 1 “Shattered Backboard”
Style & Sneakers is a COSIGN original series where we focus our lens on the style and sneakers of our favorite entrepreneurs and creatives’.
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Wendy Franklin aka Wendella is a blogger, entrepreneur, sneaker enthusiast, and co-founder of SneakHer Summit. She’s currently based in Dallas, but is originally from Houston. Over drinks (non-alcoholic strawberry lemonades), we chatted with Wendy about style, sneakers, and where her love for kicks is derived from. “Me not liking girly shoes because they were uncomfortable,” she says, “I really got into sneakers in first grade when I fell in love with Air Forces. I remember begging my mom for some, but she never got them because they were too expensive. But I finally got my first pair of forces in seventh grade, from there I was like, ‘I like this sneaker thing, f*** all that cute s***.'” Fast forward a few years, Wendy would save up her birthday money to finally buy her first pair of sneakers with her own cash. Forces, right? Wrong! “The first pair of sneakers I bought with my own money were some Pastrys. I saved up my birthday money for those shoes. I wish I never sold them,” she says. (Pastry is a sneaker line designed in 2007 by celebrity fashionistas, Angela and Vanessa Simmons, along with their father and hip-hop icon, Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons.)
Below we discuss Wendella’s personal style, Houston sneaker culture, the female sneaker influencers she #COSIGNs, and more.
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is definitely comfortable but stylish, I’m not too laid back, but I like to be cute at the same time.
Tell us about your outfit today.
I’m wearing an oversized white dress shirt that I found in my Uncle’s closet, paired with a black leather miniskirt from Nordstrom’s and Jordan 1 Shattered Backboards.
If you could only wear one pair of shoes for the rest of your life what would they be?
Probably my 1’s. These Shattered Backboards are really comfortable; they feel like pillows on my feet. They’re so classic, I’m wearing them with a skirt, you can dress them up, dress them down, wear them with sweats, shorts, jeans, anything.
You’re originally from Houston, tell us about Houston sneaker culture.
Houston sneaker culture is alive! Sneaker Summit makes Houston live, it’s been going on for 16 years now. Since I was young, I’ve heard about Sneaker Summit and when I was in high school, I begged my mom if I could go. I finally went when I was in the eleventh grade and it was a great experience.
Who are some female sneaker heads or influencers that you #COSIGN?
DJ Shante, she’s a huge influence, her sneaker game is out of control. Teyana Taylor was my first sneaker role model and Aleali May. She’s doing her thing creating a lot of female sneakers. Yeah, I #COSIGN all of them females!
Check out our street style photo shoot with Wendy Franklin below, all captured by Ian Ribail. A huge thank you to DTLR for the hospitality. #COSIGNLife #COSIGNKicks #COSIGNStyle
SN: Join us and Toast For Charity for the inaugural “Giving From The Sole” Sneaker ball on June 22nd, 2019 at Gilley’s Dallas, for more info or to get tickets click here.
