Out sneaker designer Scott Willman helps LGBTQ+ youth step out in style

In his teenage years, Scott Willman, the out founder of Freshy sneakers, admits he struggled to find his way.

“I didn’t quite fit in with my peers,” he reflects. “I wanted to be colorful when everyone else was wearing neutrals.”

He admits allowing his peers in the Midwest suburb where he grew up to dull his shine, something he regrets today.

“We are all unicorns and we need to embrace what makes us unique,” he says.

This past year, he launched Freshy sneakers as a lifestyle brand with the idea that customers aren’t mere transactional figures but valued members of a vibrant community. The company embraces diversity, strives for equality, and fights for social change.

Freshy kicks aren't just footwear; they’re a celebration of fun, designed to be a canvas for the individual. Collections are mild to wild. Some contain fun, colorful fuzzy textures. Others offer casual sophistication and luxury; all with the brand’s unique twist. They are crafted with precision and attention to detail, because “from the stitching to the materials, every element is chosen with care,” Willman adds.

Care is fundamental for Willman and his brand. This summer, through the company’s newly formed 501c3 FRESHYcares Foundation, they are launching their “Brite Future” campaign, donating a pair of Freshy Brites to LGBTQ+ youth in need.

They are donating 100 pairs of sneakers to San Francisco Pride’s Youth Stage event on June 29 at San Francisco’s Civic Center. And next week, on Wednesday, June 5, Scott Willman will visit the Harvey Milk High School in New York City’s lower Manhattan, gifting all graduating seniors new kicks to ensure they step into their futures with their best foot forward.

OT: How did growing up gay influence your sneaker company?

Williams: Growing up gay in the mid-west in a conservative family, I wasn’t encouraged to be out and proud. I was very artistic and eager to express my colorfulness, but because I was afraid to embarrass my family, I played the straight role, hid my true self, and blended in. It wasn’t until I was 26 when I moved to California, away from my family and from everyone I knew, that I finally mustered up the courage to be my true self. It’s sad that I dimmed my shine for so long and I regret it today. I built Freshy to encourage people to be bold and confident and to let your colors shine.

How did you launch the brand?

I started by creating a fictional world in the metaverse called FreshyWorld. It was a magical world with a host of characters who led customers on a journey to find their individuality through shoes. The first sneakers that I designed were the blue Brites. I created it to have the vibe of Superman’s shoes. It was also important to me that the shoe leaves its mark in the dirt, snow, rain, and sand. It has eye-popping raised letters on the bottom of the sole so that when walking around, the wearer leaves something special behind.

Leaving your mark is important to you.

We should all strive to leave our mark in the world. That’s why it’s important to celebrate our individuality. It’s what makes us unique and what we will be remembered for. Never change for the world. Let the world come around and change for you.

Is that the motto of Freshy’s “Brite Future” campaign?

Yes! Through our FRESHYcares foundation, we’re donating shoes to young people in need like the graduating seniors of NYC’s Harvey Milk High School. We are also donating shoes to young people in San Francisco and we’re reaching out to youth who are aging out of foster care and stepping out on their journey toward college or adulthood. It’s our little way of letting the young people in our community know that we see them and we support them.

Visit FreshyWorld.com and follow on IG @FreshyWorld.