Toms is a shoe brand derived from the Shoes for Tomorrow, a non-profit program that intends to provide shoes for all kids in South America. Through its online store, the shoe store sells slip-ons that come in a unisex canvas, available in 18 colors and patterns.
Blake Mycoskie, a 30-year-old designer from California, created them after the Argentine alpargatas, a kind of inexpensive, lightweight and comfortable shoes locally popular. So far, so good, his shoe models spark the attention of mainstream trendsetters, like Karl Lagerfeld or Sienna Miller.
But the biggest innovation here is the Toms’ business model. For each pair of Toms purchased, a pair is given to a child in need. It’s the “two for the price of one” technique put at a higher level. And up to now, Toms drops about 200 pairs in a village called Los Pilatones, close to Buenos Aires. With the traction coming from mainstream media, the next one is expected to be about 10,000 pairs in various places of Argentina. If you want to make a cool shoe purchase, think about this one. (more at Playgreen)
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