Fashion Diary: Toasting Toms Shoes
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Gossip, first impressions, trends in the making, celebrities and style setters. A regular feature by fashion critic Booth Moore.
All the leggy, blond girls and wild-haired surfer boys were out Wednesdaynight at the Viceroy in Santa Monica to celebrate Blake Mycoskie’s birthday. The founder of Toms shoes may be turning 33 (the actual date is next week, when he’s going to be in New Orleans on a shoe drop), but he can still part-ay, as demonstrated by the gun-shaped flasks of tequila he was sporting in a waist holster made out of two open-toed Toms canvas shoes.
Mycoskie’s business is going great guns, thanks in no small part to his AT&T commercial, which is in heavy rotation on TV. Turns out the folks from AT&T called the Toms 800 number to offer the gig to Mycoskie who was, ironically, out of touch, traveling in Chile. He went to check his e-mail at an Internet cafe, and finally got word of the commercial. And since it’s started airing earlier this year, he says shoe sales have increased 600%.
John Whitledge, the designer for Newport Beach-based Trovata and one of Mycoskie’s best pals, was there, recently back from his wedding in Buenos Aires. Trovata and Toms are teaming up to host an event Sept. 10 for Fashion’s Night Out. (Los Angeles will play a part in the global initiative being spearheaded by Vogue magazine and the Council of Fashion Designers of America in New York, and featuring special events and designer appearances in efforts to help restore consumer confidence.)
At the poolside soiree, ‘Mycoskie’ tequila cocktails were served, and there were artists on hand to customize pairs of Toms shoes. Theo Hetherington painted palm trees on mine, and Cheech Marin (sans Chong) made a smokin’ pair for Mr. Rage with puffy clouds, a star and a sun.
Of course, for each pair of Toms that guests bought last night, another pair of shoes will be donated to someone in need. Happy birthday indeed!
Top photo: Blake Mycoskie, left, and John Whitledge. Photo credit: Toms Shoes
Bottom pPhoto: Artist Theo Hetherington. Photo credit: Toms Shoes
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