For TheARTI$t, the outfit has always started from the ground up.

“Footwear has always been the ‘it’ factor for me,” she says, describing it less as a trend and more as a foundation. A shoe has the ability to shift the entire tone of a look, to anchor it, or to push it somewhere unexpected. So when the opportunity came to collaborate with Marc Nolan, stepping into design felt instinctive.

IRIS., her debut footwear collaboration, launched on April 16 as a continuation of a creative moment already in motion. Just two weeks earlier, on April 2, she released her DND EP, a project rooted in love, emotional clarity, and self-definition. Together, the releases begin to speak to each other, forming a larger picture of where she is creatively.

Known for music shaped by emotional honesty and reflection, TheARTI$t approaches design with the same sensibility, building something that carries meaning as much as it carries >songstress says.

That idea sits inside every detail of IRIS. Inspired by the iris flower, the design draws from its symbolism of devotion and connection. Deep purple tones bring richness and depth, while gold accents, drawn from the flower’s center, introduce warmth and light. Feather detailing softens the structure of the loafer, adding movement and texture that feels intentional without overpowering the silhouette.

“Love is more than just being traditional,” she says. “It’s in the way you greet a friend, in the way you help a neighbor. It’s expansive.”

The silhouette she chose to rework, Marc Nolan’s Journey Loafer, carries a sense of familiarity and structure. Her reaction to it was immediate and unfiltered. “It was mind-blowing,” she says. “I called my people, did a few laps around the house, and thanked God.”

From there, the process became about reshaping that foundation into something reflective of her own perspective. She often returns to the phrase “softness with an edge” to describe how she moves through the world, a balance between openness and self-possession.

“It’s about being bold and standing out in any space,” she explains. “People stay within what feels acceptable. This pushes against that.”

That mindset has been present throughout her career. Before recognition and growing audiences, there were voice notes recorded in passing moments, fragments of ideas captured before they disappeared. Her breakout single “Sober” brought that private emotional world into public view, introducing listeners to a voice grounded in candor and feeling.

Projects like ARTchives and DND continue to build on that foundation, tracing growth, self-awareness, and emotional evolution. IRIS. carries that same current forward, extending the ideas explored on DND, particularly its focus on love as both an emotion and a guiding principle.

“Sound and color go hand in hand,” she says. “The translation came together naturally.”

Working with Marc Nolan allowed her to move through the design process with full creative access. She describes being deeply involved across every stage, from materials to packaging, supported by a production team that gave space for her vision to take shape.

“The production team was very hands on, which allowed me to be exceptionally involved in everything,” she says. “From the shoe paper to the packing in its entirety.”

Through the experience, her relationship to fashion became more defined. What had long existed as interest began to sharpen into something more certain.

“Fashion truly is a passion of mine,” she says. “I’ve always loved it, but now I know I’m going to step into the space fully.”

IRIS. marks a meaningful step in that expansion, reflecting both commitment and momentum. She speaks about the collaboration as a reminder of how far she has come and what she is still building toward.

“It was an eye-opener to how committed I’ve been throughout the years,” she says. “It inspires me to keep reaching for the stars.”

There is also a sense of closeness to the moment itself. Launching the shoe in New York places her just across the bridge from New Jersey, where her story began, allowing family and loved ones to share in the moment.

“I’m near home, and my loved ones are able to be here in support of me,” she says. “New York in itself is a staple. It’s an honor, and I look forward to how much things will grow from this point on.”

Looking ahead, she speaks with a steady sense of direction. More collaborations are already in view, along with the eventual development of her own line. The vision feels both expansive and grounded, shaped by instinct and lived experience.

“This is the start of forever for me,” she says.

When asked what she hopes people feel when they step into IRIS., her answer comes without hesitation.

“I want them to feel like luxury,” she says. “I want them to feel like they’re wearing a shoe that feels just right for them.”

That sense of alignment runs through everything she creates. The music, the design, and the emotional world between them all point back to the same place—where feeling becomes form, and intention becomes something you can wear.

With IRIS., TheARTI$t offers not just a shoe, but an invitation into that world.

Purchase the collaboration here.

The post EXCLUSIVE: TheARTI$t Turns Love Into Design With IRIS. Loafer appeared first on Essence.