THE STYLISH STUFF: AND THE AWARD GOES TO…

8th March 2018

The last few weeks has seen red carpets in LA and London hosting the glamorously shod feet of actors poised to be fêted for their achievements on screen. Yes it’s been awards season and the blogger-sphere and newspaper headlines have celebrated what they won, wore and where they partied. In stark contrast, yesterday I learnt some shocking figures of just how many children worldwide go about their lives barefoot and living in abject poverty, that includes 115,000,000 (Unicef) in India alone! Today’s post can’t promise Hollywood happy endings BUT it does celebrate one company making a very real difference to children’s lives around the globe.

If you haven’t heard of TOMS already, meet a brand that literally gives back ‘One for One’. For every pair of shoes they sell, they give a pair to a child in need; for every pair of sunglasses they sell they help give sight to a person in need; for every purchased TOMS Roasting Co.(coffee) product they will help provide safe water to a person in need. Pretty phenomenal right? It’s an inspirational story and began in 2006 when TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie returned from a trip to Argentina where he’d witnessed the hardships faced by barefoot children first hand. He went on to create TOMS from his living room in Venice Beach, LA with the simple and straightforward goal of wanting to help improve lives. Now in 2018 over 75 million shoes have been given to children in need, and thanks to the launch of TOMS Eyewear in 2011, sight has been restored to over 500,000 people and with the birth of TOMS Roasting Co in 2014, over 450,000 weeks of safe water has been given. Mind-blowing figures that prove that good business really can benefit a wider populace.

TOMS founder & chief shoe giver – Blake Mycoskie

Working with ‘Giving Partners’ that are non-profit organisations with experience and expertise in the fields of poverty alleviation and international development, TOMS work with the charities to ensure the right shoes are provided for the right terrain and environment and that, through these larger programmes the shoes will be given with other vital services like health care, hygiene education, school assistance or basic necessities. It’s a positive step in helping people lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty.

One such partner is Magic Bus who has been working alongside TOMS since 2013 – it’s a wonderful charity that works to initiate a more promising passage from childhood to livelihood. Founded in Mumbai in 1999 Magic Bus works with nearly 400,000 children across 23 states in India. Their work has had positive impact already with 99% of children attending the sessions going to school regularly and 70% going on to college. The programme teaches the children through play; in local communities they deliver a sports programme which teaches life skills and resilience; at school they work to ensure regular attendance and the best chance of a good education and finally with carefully chosen mentors from big business, they help young adults to enter the workforce, continue their education or start a business.

Why is a pair of shoes so important? Because they help give a sense of confidence, ownership, pride and of course comfort.

Positive steps in poverty stricken communities

Do you remember that sense of pride and excitement when you got your first pair of school shoes? I do.

“The most important step of all is the first step. Start something.” Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS

THE SHOES – for summer 2018, The Venice Collection revisits the iconic Alpargata shoe. Updated, it comes in a plethora of limited edition rainbow hues inspired by the boardwalk stalls and sunset skies of Venice Beach. At £38 a pair it’s a feel good price alongside positive consumerism. Available to shop online from March12th.

The feel good striped shoe – definitely chicer that a Breton top…

The EYEWEAR -from vintage inspired to classic, prices start at £60. One great pair of sunglasses = someone getting the help they need to restore their eyesight. It’s win win.