Footwear Brand Birdies Announces Limited Edition 'Game Changer' Shoe in Collaboration with Angel City Football Club

As Founding Fashion Sponsor, the Female-Founded Company Designed an Exclusive Style to Represent the Shared Vision of Uplifting and Inspiring Women

SAN FRANCISCO, May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Birdies, the female-founded, direct-to-consumer footwear brand out of San Francisco, has launched a new, limited edition, slip-on sneaker designed exclusively in collaboration with Angel City Football Club (ACFC), appropriately named Game Changer. As part of their ongoing partnership as a founding sponsor of the newest National Women's Soccer League team, based in Los Angeles, CA, the two organizations joined forces to champion all women, building a community centered around inspiring, supporting, and empowering one another to live with purpose.

The Game Changer shoe reflects ACFC's official colors - sol rosa, asphalt and armor - while the soles of the shoe feature thoughtful detail in the form of the ACFC crest. This includes the slope of the shield's top line being 22 degrees off the horizon, representing the year of ACFC's inaugural season (2022). The pink-to-orange color gradient symbolizes the team's optimism, and the base of the shield pays homage to traditional soccer crests and the trailblazers who came before them. The silhouette of the Game Changer is a new colorful version of Birdies' sought-after "Swift" style, built with cloud-like comfort and a removable cushion insole so you can power through your day.

"From the moment we welcomed Birdies to the Angel City family over a year ago, the team has been unbelievable in executing with our shared values in mind," said Julie Uhrman, ACFC Founder and President. "First, we rolled out the SOAR Internship Program that gave young women an opportunity to intern with ACFC and Birdies and present to our collective leaders at the Birdies HQ in San Francisco. Now, they designed and produced a bespoke Angel City FC Birdies shoe that will be available for purchase. Visibility for women's sports, with products available for our fans, is something we are passionate about, and we have found a true partner in Birdies to ensure our fans can represent their fandom in style." 

With a roster of high-profile owners and investors that includes Natalie Portman, Alexis Ohanian, Eva Longoria, Glennon Doyle and Mia Hamm, ACFC highlights those who have changed the games in their respective fields. Bianca Gates, CEO and Co-Founder of Birdies, spoke to the meaning of this launch, saying, "Our long-term partnership with ACFC brings both of our organizations' missions of uplifting and inspiring women with authentic stories to life. As entrepreneurs who took a leap and paved our own unique path, Marisa and I felt Birdies' immediate natural alignment with ACFC, and we are excited to introduce the Game Changer to dynamic women everywhere."

In addition to launching the Game Changer, Birdies and Angel City have created the Soar Internship program, announced last year (2021), to provide high school students from historically underserved communities with the guided opportunity to discover their interests and uncover their personal strengths. Each awarded participant receives a $3,000 grant to ignite their own journey. ACFC and Birdies will be announcing the 2022 program launch very soon.

"As a brand that prioritizes not only style and comfort but also the importance of championing women and breaking the mold, we're excited to partner with Angel City on this game-changing collaboration in support of strong women," said Marisa Sharkey, President and Co-Founder. "Together we are giving fans of both brands a tangible way to get involved in this powerful collaboration."

The Game Changer, made with suede and a combination of tumbled and metallic tumbled leather, is available for purchase for $140.00 starting today, May 10th, on Birdies.com and at Birdies' LA Store. This new style follows the launch of Birdies' first integrated brand campaign, "What Are You Running?", which celebrates the lace-up's essential place in the everyday hustle of women.

ABOUT BIRDIES
In 2015, Birdies founders Bianca Gates and Marisa Sharkey knew they had a great idea: a line of stylish, comfortable slippers designed for entertaining at home. What they didn't know, however, was that Birdies fans would wear their favorite pair more and more places, from work meetings to weekend getaways. So the San Francisco-based duo extended their original slipper to a whole family of flats, slip-ons, and sneakers designed to take women everywhere. Today, Birdies is a direct-to-consumer brand that promises comfort, style and versatility in every shoe we hatch. We're on a mission to support women+ on all kinds of journeys, and we make good on our word through product collaborations, charitable giving, and responsible actions.

ABOUT ANGEL CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
Angel City Football Club is a member of the National Women's Soccer League in the United States and will take the pitch in Spring 2022. The team is founded by Academy Award-winning actress and activist Natalie Portman, technology venture capitalist Kara Nortman, media and gaming entrepreneur Julie Uhrman, and venture capitalist, 776 founder & Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Other founding investors, mostly female and with ties to Southern California, include Serena Williams and daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., Sports Icons Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, actors Uzo Aduba, Sophia Bush, Jessica Chastain, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner, and Eva Longoria, actor and late-night host James Corden, late-night host Lilly Singh, Latin Pop Superstar Becky G, fourteen former US Women's National Team players representing Southern California including Julie Foudy and Mia Hamm, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and FIFA World Cup Champions Lauren Cheney Holiday and Abby Wambach, MLS/US Soccer legend and sports broadcaster Cobi Jones, NFL All-Pro Ryan Kalil, WNBA Legend Candace Parker, Gold Medalist, and Alpine Skiing Legend Lindsey Vonn, Gold Medalist and NHL-All Star PK Subban, author and activist Glennon Doyle and entertainment and media executives Cindy Holland, David Nathanson, Brian Weinstein, Brian Sullivan, and Ben Grossman. Learn more at www.angelcity.com and follow the team on social media @weareangelcity.

SOURCE Birdies