TOMS Shoes by Blake Mycoskie
TOMS, slip-on shoes available in vibrant colors and prints, are inspired by the traditional, rope-soled Argentine “alpargata.” Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS in 2006 following a trip to Argentina, where he was struck by the poverty and health issues of the country. During the first year of business alone, TOMS sold 10,000 pairs of shoes and Mycoskie returned to Argentina to lead the company’s first shoe drop. In November, Mycoskie will travel to Africa, where he will be delivering more than 50,000 pairs of TOMS.
“I’m delighted that for the second year in a row, the public has chosen a socially conscious design that not only looks great, but helps the lives of less fortunate people around the world,” said Cooper-Hewitt director Paul Warwick Thompson.