Salehe Bembury Declined Nike To Bet on Himself

Summary

• Designer Salehe Bembury declined a lucrative “multi-pronged partnership” with Nike to launch his independent brand, SPUNGE
• The Nike deal would have included collaborations with both LeBron James and Converse
• Bembury stated he passed on the offer to gain “full agency” over his creative vision and build his own community

Footwear designer Salehe Bembury has made a decisive move, announcing the launch of his own independent sneaker company, SPUNGE, just a few years after turning down a high-profile, multi-pronged partnership with Nike. The decision is a powerful testament to Bembury’s conviction that achieving his full creative vision requires complete agency over his process.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Bembury revealed that a few years ago, he was invited to Nike’s headquarters in Oregon, where the company proposed a major collaboration. The offer was not limited to a single shoe; it included projects with both LeBron James and Nike-owned Converse. However, Bembury ultimately passed on the “attractive keys” because the terms didn’t allow him to fully execute his unique vision.

Bembury, known for his work with Versace, Crocs and New Balance, decided the only way forward was to build his own platform. “My own brand will be 100% my vision,” Bembury stated. “I will get to build the community that I want to build, and have the conversations that I want to have and tell the stories that I want to tell.”

SPUNGE is now set to directly compete with the very companies Bembury once collaborated with. Its debut model, the Osmosis, is a performance-lifestyle runner that channels his signature organic aesthetic. The brand, which launched via a raffle on October 13, signals a new era for designers who want to own their creative output without corporate compromise.