Meet NiK Kacy | Non-Binary Activist, Executive Producer, Designer & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with NiK Kacy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi NiK, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I grew up in the 80s as an immigrant who had to learn English and got bullied often for being a tomboy. I never felt right in my body that I was born in for as long as I remember. I knew from a very early age that I should have been born a boy. Growing up, I always wanted to wear men’s shoes and clothing but could never find them in my size. When I started my company, NiK Kacy Footwear, it was the first genderfree footwear and accessories brand, created to help everyone to express themselves through fashion without the limitations of the gender binary. My business helps not only the queer or trans community but instead we are revolutionizing the way people look at fashion and gender. Many people often think I’m making men’s shoes for women, but that’s not the point. I design shoes and accessories for anyone who doesn’t want to be confined to the gender binary or the mainstream traditions of gendered fashion. This gives all spectrums of individuals a chance to express themselves in whatever fashion they feel comfortable without the industry or society dictating how or what they should be styled in. This liberation and freedom to be who we are meant to be is the point. Besides, shoes and products are just materials. They do not have gender. It is us humans, the wearers of these products that can define what our gender and identities are.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
My passion has always been art and design. Since I was a child I would design cars and men’s clothing. I would design elaborate 3D greeting cards for my mom because she traveled a lot. I guess I’ve always had “an eye” for things. In college, I double majored in Fine Arts and Advertising with a minor in International/Intercultural Communications. After graduation, I went into Advertising and worked at RPA for over 9 years, trying several different roles in the Ad cycle. From QA analyst when the internet first started taking off and testing some of the first websites developed, to Media Buyer for markets throughout the US for TV and radio, to finally settling into Producer and Project Manager roles for industrials, commercials and interactive digital content. After that I moved to Google, my dream company, and was a Senior Producer there for 3 years before I left to start my own business. In addition to creating NiK Kacy Footwear at the end of 2013, I also created Equality Fashion Week, the 1st LGBTQ-focused fashion week in LA, in 2018. After having done fashion shows for most of 2015 as a new brand, I realized how challenging it was for queer fashion brands and models to get the exposure we deserved. Not only are mainstream fashion shows often out of reach due to financial capital but there was an incredible lack of representation on the runway back then. Of course in the last 2 years, that has changed and we’ve seen a lot more representation and diversity on the runway. However, I wanted to create something that not only created visibility, but also build economic development for our community of queers and BIPOCs. Honestly, when I started my journey, I knew that if I failed in any way, at least I would have a new wardrobe of shoes that finally fit me. I didn’t expect it to affect so many others’ lives. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to take this path and make a difference. Starting my brand led me to also creating an event which I hope to take nationally and ultimately internationally because Equality should exist everywhere. I’ve never been afraid of risks but the one thing I’ve really learned from this experience is that you never know what to expect. So just stay true, have integrity, be transparent, kind and giving and the rest will be an incredible adventure you won’t ever forget!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
(Note: This is based on if we were not in a pandemic.)

I live in Los Angeles, where the weather is always beautiful and you can experience the water, the mountains, the forest and the desert. I’m a fan of architecture so I would drive my bff all around town to check out the art deco buildings to the old historic homes or the fancy modern houses built more recently. I would drive them north to Malibu and beyond to experience the beach and grab some lobster rolls at Malibu Seafood. We would go to the Santa Monica Pier and have a little fun and then go to my favorite sushi spot, Tsuri on Melrose Ave. and eat my favorite dishes. We’d go to the Griffith Observatory, go hiking at Griffith Park, maybe horseback riding and then get some grub at Pine and Crane. If my bff loved shopping, I’d take them to South Coast Plaza just because every shopper should check out that massive mall at least once. If they preferred shopping small or vintage, I’d take them to Melrose and La Brea to all the thrift stores. One of the evenings I would want to take them to DTLA and check out local bars and eateries. Maybe go for a show at the Disney Concert Hall and see a few museums like MOCA. Finally before their trip came to a close, we would spend one night out in West Hollywood to experience the queer nightlife by getting drinks at the famous Abbey. No queer should ever come to LA and miss out on partying in West Hollywood at least for one night. 😉

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that have made an impact on my journey that I want to shoutout to but there wouldn’t be enough room so I’ll limit it to the big 4. First I owe so much to my chosen queer family in LA who showed up in large numbers when I first started my brand and ran a Kickstarter campaign. People I knew and those I didn’t showed up to model for my first campaign. It was really a family affair and it represented all of us who had been under-represented for all our lives as beyond the binary. Second, I owe all the Kickstarter campaign supporters who donated to the campaign and bought shoes from a brand they never heard of. All 267 of them from all over the world. I would not be here without them. Third shout out goes to two men in Europe who helped me get my foot in the door of the shoe industry. Coming as a no name, new brand, Asian American, most of the european factories did not even want to talk to me. It took an old, seasoned gentleman named Giovanni who resides in Florence, Italy to show up and walk me through an international shoe fair in Italy to get these manufacturers to sit down and chat with me. It was so pivotal because the shoe industry is incredible archaic in their relationships with clients. When I finally decided to manufacture my shoes in Portugal, it was an agent named Fernando who helped me search for the best factories in Portugal. His family became my family because I would live in Portugal for months at a time. He taught me so much about the shoe industry. I’m forever grateful to these two men. Finally, I want to shoutout to my family – my mom who is my biggest fan, my late Aunt who lost her battle with cancer and my Dad who also passed during my Kickstarter campaign. They were big supporters who believed in me and gave me encouragement when I first took the jump to quit my job and start my company. When everyone else thought I was crazy, my aunt would brainstorm with me on ideas on shoes and encourage me to do what I believe in. Obviously, there are so many more people and organizations I want to shoutout to like the Translatina Coalition and the LA LGBT Center. Both of these organizations have been such huge support for me. There are also fashion brands like Stuzo Clothing who let me use their storefront for my first photoshoot and Sharpe Suiting who was more established and offered to collaborate with me on shoots and even at the DapperQ fashion show during NYFW. The list goes on… and the gratitude I have is endless.

Website: nikkacy.com
Instagram: @nikkacyfootwear / @equalityfashionweek / @nikkacy
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/nikkacy
Twitter: @nikkacyfootwear
Facebook: facebook.com/nikkacyfootwear
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/nikkacyfootwear

Image Credits
JimmyZ Rob Eves Victoria Craven Ottavia D’Alelio Vonyse Reeder