Who Is the Mastermind Behind the SIA Collective Shoe Brand?

The Black-owned, independent shoe and apparel brand SIA Collective carries a fascinating acronym: "Somewhere in America."

The company kicked off with a solitary shoe style in 2019, and today, it flourishes as a hub for sneakers and casual footwear, spanning across men's, women's, and kids' domains.

SIA Collective has gained followers primarily for its unique sizing standards, which are available only in whole sizes.

The shoe brand, which is the brainchild of visionary entrepreneur Devlin Carter, saw a surge in popularity following the suspension of Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving.

Following the deal he lost with Nike, word began to spread that Kyrie and Devlin were working on a deal together. According to an exclusive report from Black Millionaires, the deal was making headway.

“Kyrie Irving’s agent and managers have met with designer and owner of the Black-owned shoe company SIA Collective discussing a potential partnership after Irving’s departure from Nike’s shoe deal," the outlet tweeted.

James Hill, the CEO of Black Millionaires, publicly spoke on the partnership via his YouTube page as well.

Devlin even showed off the sample pair of Kyrie's shoe, telling Tribe Era Worldwide, "We didn't design this or make this to be a basketball shoe, but it does look like one."

Before SIA Collective caught the attention of Kyrie and R&B icon Musiq Soulchild, Devlin had a fascination with footwear — a link that would shape his future.

His mother was a skilled seamstress, so he had a unique opportunity to craft his shoes; however, social ideas about sewing and masculinity prevented him from pursuing the creative outlet, but that didn't hold him back for too long.

After getting mentored by Augusto Cerrone, owner of American Shoe Repair, he became re-inspired.

Devlin then decided to work as a U.S. Coast Guard member in New York. He used this time to leverage the power of social media to showcase his portfolio of out-of-the-box shoe designs. His confidence in his craft also grew as the likes and follows piled up.

In 2014, he pursued formal education at the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising in San Francisco. This move would be the catalyst for honing his skills and creating the SIA Collective.

In a conversation with Black Enterprise, Devlin shared that going above and beyond was the catalyst for his brand's success.

"The way to stand out was to produce more than anyone else," he said about competing with other independent brands looking to break through. "So, when my competition was doing one shoe a month or every week, I was creating new shoes every day, sewing materials on shoes, something no one else was doing."

With such a massive following and the success of his brand, it is safe to say Devlin is doing quite well for himself financially. Several outlets have reported that the fashion designer is worth an estimated $5 million; however, others report a range between $1 million and $5 million.

According to reports, SIA Collective rakes in an annual revenue of over $25 million, and according to Devlin, this has been achieved solely through word-of-mouth and zero advertising.

The company's sales funnel is single-handedly fueled by social media outreach and the power of customer satisfaction. The shoes, which come in various vibrant designs and sizes, range from $39 for kids to upwards of $200 per shoe.