Australian born and New York-based for the past 12 years, Grace’s work as a brand strategist begins and ends with culture. Given her previous in house gigs at big dogs including Nike, Netflix and Apple, she has a first-hand understanding of the challenges companies face when attempting to understand niche cultures to make authentic connections with their customers.
Grace’s own story is rooted in a mash up of Goth and skate culture, a weirdo outsider DNA that’s not only at the basis of a lot of her takes on sneakers and fashion, but also keeps her open minded and receptive to the non conventional (as reflected by her No. 1 shoe!)
For her No. 1 shoe, Grace was inspired by New Balance‘s 1906L, a sneaker/loafer mash up that shook the table and garned as many fans as haters. “The 1906L felt like a genuine bit of fun this year. It delivered innovation and a twist on a classic while staying true to brand codes. I bought the silver the day they dropped (shout out Concepts!) and I’ve worn them equally dressed up for dinner with my girls, and super casual after a pilates class. Versatile and iconic.”
Check out Grace’s top five sneakers of the year for 2024 below.
