People.com Lifestyle Style 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 By Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico Brittany Talarico is PEOPLE's Deputy Style Director, where she oversees the brand's digital Style and Beauty coverage. This includes running lead on the Met Gala, which is among PEOPLE.com's top-trafficked red carpet events every year, interviewing the industry's top influencers (including all the Kardashian-Jenners), and breaking A-list celeb news (a New Jersey shore native, it is no surprise that her favorite interview ever was with Bruce Springsteen). Brittany is a style contributor to People Every Day Podcast and has represented the brand on national TV programs including Good Morning America and The CW's two TV specials on the British Royals. She joined PEOPLE from Cosmopolitan in 2013, where she was an Associate Editor. People Editorial Guidelines Published on May 5, 2022 02:26 PM Share Tweet Pin Email 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. Shop the latest Katy Perry Collections drop, now! Katy Perry Jokes About the Fit of Her Met Gala Dress: 'Don't Ask Me How I'm Going to the Restroom' 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." Katy Perry Is Saving All Her Looks for Daughter Daisy Dove in a Temperature-Controlled Warehouse 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.