TOMS Black Glitters : The ethical shoe
The weather's warming up, the sun's shining a little brighter and
those shoes are looking a little tatty. It's time, then, to invest in
some cool seasonal footwear - but where to look?
Our collective gaze tends to cross the Channel where fashion's concerned, and the French have come up trumps once more in the casual shoe department.
Enter the espadrille. No longer the reserve of the older generation or those with fields for back gardens, these rope or rubber-bottomed flats are very much back in fashion.
Having emerged as de facto plimsolls for Pyrenean peasants, canvas or cotton espadrilles took the UK by storm last summer. Why? Their comfort is unrivalled, they're breathable and they're one of the only shoe types that suits men as much as women.
Furthermore, they're available in a range of shoe styles - flats, heels or wedge (an attribute that may appeal to the ladies more than the men) - and despite being lightweight, they're remarkably durable. So much so, in fact, that French farmers wore them back in the day, undertaking manual hard labour in the fields.
Ethics may not be our immediate concern when buying shoes - after all, it's easy to fall in love with a pair and make a purchase on a whim - but what if you could 'make a difference' when choosing your shoes?
Thanks to TOMS, you can. The brand, which was established in 2006, gives a pair of shoes to a child in need every time a pair is purchased.
It's an issue close to TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie's heart. During his travels in Argentina in 2006, he noticed that many children had no shoes to protect their feet - putting them at risk of contracting soil-transmitted diseases.
It's not just about disease, though. If footwear is a compulsory part of their school uniform, it means they can't get an education.
Investing in a new pair of espadrilles is no longer something only beneficial for your feet - now, you could help a child to reach their potential.
It is this approach that's helped reinvent the espadrille as the ethical shoe for the discerning fashionista.
Our collective gaze tends to cross the Channel where fashion's concerned, and the French have come up trumps once more in the casual shoe department.
Enter the espadrille. No longer the reserve of the older generation or those with fields for back gardens, these rope or rubber-bottomed flats are very much back in fashion.
Having emerged as de facto plimsolls for Pyrenean peasants, canvas or cotton espadrilles took the UK by storm last summer. Why? Their comfort is unrivalled, they're breathable and they're one of the only shoe types that suits men as much as women.
Furthermore, they're available in a range of shoe styles - flats, heels or wedge (an attribute that may appeal to the ladies more than the men) - and despite being lightweight, they're remarkably durable. So much so, in fact, that French farmers wore them back in the day, undertaking manual hard labour in the fields.
The espadrille's reinvention as leisure shoes has encouraged leading shoe designers to jump on the bandwagon. toms black glitters
has established itself as something of an espadrille pioneer - from the
classic plain black slip-on and French-style blue and white stripes to a
glittered-up statement look.
Ethics may not be our immediate concern when buying shoes - after all, it's easy to fall in love with a pair and make a purchase on a whim - but what if you could 'make a difference' when choosing your shoes?
Thanks to TOMS, you can. The brand, which was established in 2006, gives a pair of shoes to a child in need every time a pair is purchased.
It's an issue close to TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie's heart. During his travels in Argentina in 2006, he noticed that many children had no shoes to protect their feet - putting them at risk of contracting soil-transmitted diseases.
It's not just about disease, though. If footwear is a compulsory part of their school uniform, it means they can't get an education.
Investing in a new pair of espadrilles is no longer something only beneficial for your feet - now, you could help a child to reach their potential.
It is this approach that's helped reinvent the espadrille as the ethical shoe for the discerning fashionista.
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