I recently had the honor of interviewing the very talented Erica M of AskEricaM Celebrity Shoes. Erica M hails from Baltimore, Maryland and has been a fashion guru in her own right since the age of 10. The celebrity shoe stylist pays homage to her very fashionable grandmother that planted a fashion seed in Erica’s mind at a very young age while always playing in grandma’s shoes. Erica states “Well, I’ve always loved fashion all my life. I grew up with a very fashionable grandmother. I use to play in her shoes from the early age of 9. I realized then, I loved shoes.” It wasn’t until 2012 where that fashion seed would blossom into more than a thought of passion filled longing. Erica followed her passion and dream opening an online women’s shoe boutique called Goddess Couture along with her sister.
Since 2012, Erica has been styling celebrities ranging from reality stars to receiving celebrity endorsements! When asked who did she absolutely love working with out of all the celebrities she has been in connection with, she wasted no time giving that answer! “I really loved working with Love Majewski from VH1 Mob Wives. She’s been more like a sister to me than just a client. She has always encouraged me to keep grinding, stay prayed up, remain focused and humble.” It’s no surprise that Love Majewski is one of Erica’s favorites because Erica is very close knit to her family. With Majewski being more like a sister than a client, it hits home for Erica because family is a big factor in her life. Erica opened up about her own family stating “The women in my family were my role models who inspired me to be my own boss. My grandmother, my mom and my auntie. None of them were entrepreneurs, but they motivated me and so many others. They showed me that if you put your mind to it, it can happen. The epitome of Black Girl Magic.”
Of course Erica was asked about her focus on creating such stylish footwear. “The main focus on designing shoes for my client is CUSTOM CREATIONS. We focus first on what the client wants and what story they want to tell with their shoes. Once we have the vision, from there we create!” Below is a sample of a client’s Zeta Phi Beta vision birthed to reality. This shoe gives all types of “Simple yet showstopping” vibes!
I asked Erica what is her most comfortable go to shoe, I gave her the options of heels or flats. She chose both! It’s just something about a woman who confidently and comfortably tackles the whole day in heels with no problem! I was more intrigued than ever because as much as I would love to go the whole day in heels I just have not found a comfortable heel to get me throughout the day..until now. At this point I had to know the secret of these, in my mind, magical heels. “The Buckle Me Up” Shoe! Ladies, let’s be honest we can always find a hot shoe but it may not always be the most comfortable, so to have found one that is stylish AND comfortable courtesy of AskEricaM, I was sold! One of Erica’s other comfortable go to shoe is the “Bow Tie” slide. This shoe is very stylish and again, it’s all about the comfort! Both the Bow Tie and the Buckle Me Up shoes are ready for whatever adventure you have planned for the day!
Although Erica loves working with different celebrities, and looks forward to the opportunity to work with Oprah and Angela Basset sometime in the future, Erica makes sure that she equally acknowledges her fans/customers. “My fans/customers keep Erica M. going. All the sharing, shopping, and reactions, it keeps me going. It keeps me motivated and humble.”
Not only a successful entrepreneur but someone who fought to reach her dreams, Erica shared encouraging words of wisdom to other aspiring entrepreneurs and dream chasers. “First, pray. Tell God what you want. Second, do research. I think we as entrepreneurs put too much focus on allowing others to dictate what’s right for the vision we have for ourselves. Lastly, focus and stay positive! Don’t get discouraged based on visuals of what people want you to see. Focus on your brand and your goals.”
Make sure you follow Erica on Instagram @ ASKERICAM to keep up with the hottest shoe game around! Also, make sure to visit her website @ https://www.askericam.com
