Blending Fashion, Tech, & Art: Stacey Samedi’s Vision for Her New Label
Stacey Samedi, the dynamic founder of Samedi Label and Samedi Sneakers, is determined to make her mark in Atlanta. Having established herself at the intersection of fashion, technology, and entrepreneurship, Samedi’s journey has taken her across the country.
Samedi attended Boston University, where she earned a degree in Computer Engineering. Her career took off during her freshman year with an internship at Microsoft in Seattle as a software engineering intern. While building her career and honing her technical skills at Microsoft, she also explored her passions in art and design.
The Birth of Samedi Sneakers
Stacey’s entrepreneurial spirit was unlocked when she posted her custom-designed sneakers on Instagram. The custom-made Nike Air Force 1’s she posted generated such positive feedback and overwhelming response that she decided to start Samedi Sneakers. With daily promotion, consistent posting, and more people being online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Samedi was able to build a loyal customer base.
Her initial designs were custom-made by hand, using leather paints to create unique and personalized sneakers. With the help of promotions of the business using her personal social media accounts, demand quickly grew. She eventually had to end up using money she was making at Microsoft to hire an assistant to manage the influx of orders. This move marked the beginning of a successful venture in the e-commerce industry.
Collaborations & Viral Success
Stacey’s knack for seizing opportunity led to several viral moments and high-profile collaborations. Her work with Moon X Cosmetics marked a significant milestone as it was Samedi Sneakers’ first bulk order. In addition to her sneaker brand, Stacey has added a candle collection to Samedi Sneakers, gone viral for hand-painting a Telfar bag, contributed to an Anima Iris holiday collection, and participated in an Art Basel Miami installation. Each of these projects amplified her brand’s visibility and solidified her as an innovative designer, entrepreneur, and player on the scene.
Samedi Label
Upon the success of the sneaker brand, Stacy created Samedi Label to focus more on curating the future of client consumer products through a blend of design and engineering expertise. Samedi Label collaborates closely with brands to refine and enhance product concepts, create functional prototypes for visualization, and ensure optimized manufacturing processes for efficient production and sustainable brand growth. Samedi Label is the combined result of all of Stacey’s learned experiences through Boston University, Microsoft, and her own entrepreneurial venture with Samedi Sneakers.
The Road Ahead
With a keen eye for design and a deep understanding of technology, Stacey continues to push her own boundaries. Being relatively new to the city, she sees a lot of growth opportunities for herself and Samedi Label in Atlanta. She actively participates in various events offered in Tech Square, ATDC, and other parts of the city, and is excited about the possibilities in the Atlanta tech scene.
“ Coming off of Atlanta Tech Week last month, I hope to develop cutting-edge AI-powered design tools that will make design creation more accessible for everyone.”
Written by Neema Tavakolian