Katy Perry Talks About Buying Back Her Footwear Brand: 'It's Time to Swing Bigger'

The pop superstar opens up to PEOPLE about building her shoe empire and how her style has evolved

Katy Perry campaign images
Photo: Christine Hahn

Katy Perry recently pulled off the ultimate fashion industry flex.

The superstar singer and American Idol judge, who is also fronting her own Las Vegas residency right now, bought back the entirety of her Katy Perry Collections footwear label from Global Brands Group — stepping into the role of CEO. The line, which first debuted in 2017, is celebrating a relaunch with Perry at the helm — and the new spring/summer 2022 collection shows she's just getting started.

With complete ownership of Katy Perry Collections, the star says it's "time to swing harder, bigger and better" with footwear designs as the brand hits its five-year mark.

"I'm excited to take it to the next level," Perry tells PEOPLE in this week's issue, noting that the relaunch collection gives "real personality for the price point." The line features everything from gingham pumps to jelly sandals (her favorite for playdates) priced from $39 to $129.

Katy Perry campaign images
Shop the latest Katy Perry Collections drop, now!

Perry says that she continues to find design inspiration from "all over."

"I get the opportunity as a musician to travel the world and see all the different places in the world, and people and cultures and textiles and things — and I'm just a sponge," she tells PEOPLE. "I'm an absorber and an observer. And in my music, I do the same thing. And I wrap up everything I absorb and a product comes out of it. It's either a song or a shoe."

The star adds that from a young age, she knew fashion would be part of her future.

"Everyone always asks me, 'What would you be if you weren't a pop star?' and I'm always like, 'Well, I would've worked in fashion in some capacity.' And I'm doing that now."

<a href="https://people.com/tag/katy-perry/" data-inlink="true">Katy Perry</a> campaign images

In this week's issue of PEOPLE, Perry also reflects on her fearless fashion choices over the past decade.

"When it comes to dressing up, I always take the road less traveled," she tells PEOPLE. "I was born with a fearlessness that put wind in my sails with fashion. In the beginning [of my career], everything was on a shoestring budget. I got a lot of my stuff on Etsy. It was a mishmash of crafty and kooky pieces that no one else had. The fashion world didn't take me seriously. But I think it's become more playful in the past few years."

For more on Perry's style evolution and CEO boss moves, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on stands everywhere, Friday.

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