Photos and interview by Stacie Joy
At the recent Art Bodega pop-up inside the CLLCTV space on Third Street near Avenue B, Laurice Fox is surrounded by shoes that are equal parts sculpture and statement.
The East Village native, who now splits her time between the neighborhood and Mexico, created her brand Big Foot Energy for people with larger feet — and to challenge an industry that often overlooks them.
Here, Fox talks about growing up in the neighborhood, finding confidence through creativity, and turning what once felt like a frustration into power.
As someone who grew up here, how has the neighborhood shaped your artistic perspective?
I was born and raised in Stuyvesant Town and grew up between the East Village and Alphabet City in the 1990s and early 2000s. It was such a mix of grit and creativity — you had drag queens, punks, club kids, finance guys, and artists all existing side by side.
That raw, eclectic energy definitely shaped me. It taught me that style is about individuality and expression, not rules. That influence is at the core of my design choices: shoes that are bold, unapologetic, and powerful, but still wearable for real life.
How did Big Foot Energy come to be? What's its origin story?
Big Foot Energy is my brand, and LAURICE FOX's tagline. It is a play on BDE/Big Dick Energy, which is a term generally referencing men who carry themselves/act like "they're packing," and therefore move on confidence.
The term can apply to anyone, really. I reappropriated the term for people with big feet to own their power, despite being neglected by the footwear industry. I started my brand as a personal frustration: I wear a size 12, and for years I struggled to find shoes that were stylish, high-quality, and made to fit properly. The options were either nonexistent or felt like an afterthought.
I realized that women and gender-expansive people with larger feet deserved more — shoes that made them feel confident, sexy, and seen. So I created the brand around that idea, turning what used to feel like a "problem" into power. Big Foot Energy is about reclaiming space, not shrinking yourself.
What challenges do you face designing and creating shoes for larger feet?
The biggest challenge is scale — literally. Most footwear is designed around a standard sample size, usually a 6 or 7, and then scaled up. But that doesn't work for larger feet. Proportions, balance, and structure all change, and if you don't design intentionally, the shoe won't look or feel right.
I work closely with my manufacturer to make sure the last [the mold the shoe is built around] is created specifically for extended sizes. It takes more time and resources, but the result is a shoe that actually flatters and supports larger feet.
Who is the typical Big Foot Energy customer?
My customer is someone who's bold, self-assured, and not afraid to stand out. They range from women who've never had access to luxury shoes in their size to gender-fluid and nonbinary individuals who want pieces that affirm their style. What they all have in common is a desire to express themselves fully — they're not settling for "good enough," they want shoes that match their energy.
What's next for you and the brand?
Right now, my shoes are available through my website, and I occasionally do pop-ups around New York.
What's next is growth: expanding the collection, collaborating with artists and creatives who embody Big Foot Energy, and continuing to push representation forward in fashion. My goal is to make it so that when someone with a size-12, -13, -14, or -15 foot wants luxury shoes, they don't have to compromise — they know exactly where to go.
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