Teens kicks will be in the 2023 Oscars gift bag

This year’s gift bag for the 2023 Oscar Awards will feature an item from a young rising fashion designer. 14-year-old Amira-Dior Traynham-Artis’ shoe brand, Lane 1 will be a featured item in this year’s gift bag after her online store went live just last year.

Traynham-Artis expressed her shock and excitement during her interview with Good Morning America. It was reported that 75 pairs were ordered by the Academy so they could be distributed to the Oscar nominees. According to the young fashion designer, her management company knew people within the area and she was informed that someone was “inspired by her story” and asked if she wants to be involved in this year’s gift suite.

Out of all the celebrities she’d like to see wearing her shoes, Zendaya is the one she’s most excited about. She also noted other celebrities, such as Skai Jackson, Jenna Ortega, and Marsai Martin, and that she looks forward to seeing a photo of them wearing her sneakers. Fingers crossed that these actresses are also invited to this year’s award event so they’re able to receive these gifts.

“Definitely, definitely Zendaya. I want to see Zendaya so bad. Also, someone who I’ve been thinking about is Skai Jackson, Jenna Ortega, and… I’m not sure I’m saying her name right. Marsai… she was the girl on Black-ish…

“… She’s really cool. She’s an inspiration to a lot of people, including me.”

According to the young fashion designer, her mother influenced her interest in shoes. She was around age 6 when she was first interested in fashion, and after seeing her mother’s interest in shoes, she wanted to emulate that. Later, her mother gave her access to the computer so she could design sneakers.

“My mom, she was just like ‘do you want to make sneakers?’ and I was like ‘sure.’ And she gave me the computer and she was just like ‘okay, go make sneakers.’ And I was just like ‘huh?’ And she was like ‘go make sneakers and come back with a shoe.’

The Oscar gift bag contains a lot of high-valued products that are worth around the six-digit mark. Asides from these shoes, this year’s gift bag also contains skin-care products, tequila, soaps, and so many other cool items. These gift bags tend to spark debate on social media, especially since it showcases a “wealth divide” between those with extravagant lifestyles and the everyday working class. Last year’s bags sparked outrage since people believed that the money spent on those gifts could have gone to Ukranian refugees.

This year’s Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on ABC on March 12, at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET. 

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