Vegan brand Løci to launch Nicki Minaj sneakers, UppFirst to handle ordering

Not so much a simple collaboration, but more of a business partnership. Celebrity rapper and singer Nicki Minaj has teamed up with vegan luxury fashion brand Løci to release 11 pairs of her signature sneakers, launching on 12 April.

In an Instagram post, she announced her collaboration with Løci would be her first-ever sneaker collection. But she also announced the association “isn’t a sponsorship. I’m an owner and partner.”
 
And reflecting the power of social media-backed celebrity it created a major spike in traction for Løci. According to Forbes, the company’s website initially crashed after claiming a 3,500% surge in traffic.

To ensure similar problems don’t occur in the ordering process, Løci said it has selected UppFirst as its product ordering technology platform “to power the release of [the] exclusive sneaker collaboration”. The UK-based start-up is backed by Net-a-Porter co-founder Carmen Busquets.

UppFirst’s ecosystem “will facilitate the journey from pre-launch sign up to purchase”. Fans can register their interest for the collection through its registration page so “when the collection goes live, sign-ups will receive a notification to proceed to the Løci site… to make their purchase”.

Before crashing, the Løci website had announced: “Minaj has meticulously curated a collection that blends street-cool aesthetics with high-fashion chic… along with her “bolded vibrant style”. 

Minaj, who is currently touring North America with her Pink Lady 2 show, told her fans of her collection: “4/12 = 11 new pairs of my own sneaker,…11 completely different designs for you to choose from. An absolute dream come true. I can’t wait for you guys to see my 1st collection!

According to Pitchbook, the fashion website has yet to update its status to reflect the 41-year-old celebrity as an ‘owner’, but includes Mark Quaradeghini, Philippe Homsy, Emmanuel and Frank Eribo as co-founders, and lists Leonardo DiCaprio as an investor.

Launched in 2021 in London, the brand was created “to champion sustainability through cruelty-free shoes using recycled plastic bottles and bio leather”.

In a release Løci said: “Partnering with Nicki is a humbling moment for us all. Having Nicki Minaj place her faith in us as an owner, and her determination to elevate our brand on a global scale is a testament to our shared vision of challenging conventions and making a meaningful impact.”

In 2022, the company raised a £4 million in seed funding while also and securing an investment from DiCaprio. Additionally, in 2022, Løci announced it had “removed over 982,000 plastic bottles, land and ocean-bound, that are spun into a premium, durable material” used for its sneakers.