Awkward Souls Vegan Sneakers: Recapturing That Teenage Feeling

Created by an anonymous woman in New York, Awkward Souls has launched a lifestyle brand with a “single, perfected, vegan sneaker.” This single sneaker is named ‘The Scoop’ and the brand’s original silhouette is made of high-quality, vegan-friendly materials and is available in seven different colours.

With a mantra of ‘This is Awkward,’ the brand espouses community and the celebration of all that makes us different yet brings us together. When we received details about this new vegan runner, our immediate response was ‘Wow, teenage me would have loved these!’ How does that old saying go?  Youth is wasted on the young. As a full-fledged adult, these runners rock and we cannot wait to get our order in!

Driven by Oscar Wilde’s time-honoured quote and very shareable meme, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken,” the brand balances the importance of self-expression, inclusion, and community through its product and stunning creative direction. To use established brands to describe Awkward’s vibe it would be Vans meets Balenciaga. Even the name Awkward Souls is a whimsical play on the physical product and the emotional intent, and we love a great play on words!

Why Anonymity for the Founder?

Awkward Souls is the brainchild of a longtime shoe designer with over 20-years in the footwear and apparel industry. The founder has chosen to remain anonymous to create a community of kindness that joins together people with a like-minded approach to fashion and a passion for celebrating what is unique about each of us. They are not the face of the brand, but rather their fellow awkward souls are.

“I wanted to build something that had a voice; that actually said something. This brand is quintessentially me: I am awkward. My language has always been “fashion,” both personally and professionally and through embracing my own experience of being an awkward soul, I could create a product that not only acknowledged my own vulnerabilities, but instead celebrated them and brought people together. I always felt that being awkward was not unique to me, but a part of a bigger conversation,” notes the founder.

How Do They Fit?

The Scoop offers the ease and the comfort of a slip-on coupled with the lacing of a fully constructed sneaker. With a padded footbed for extra underfoot cushioning as well as soft padding around the top of the foot and back collar, get ready for all-day comfort. Their signature moulded logo piece is soft and squishy for extra fun. For half sizes size down for best fit.

With the massive shift to globally conscious practices of sustainability and veganism, we love that Awkward Souls hits the market at an opportune time and that it’s competitively priced ($85! USD) with direct-to-consumer expertise.

Check out their IG at @awkwardsoulsofficial. It is time to embrace your inner awkward teenager and rock these sweeties!