TOMS Blog

We recently ran a design competition at the University of the Arts London Freshers Fair (freshman orientation week), where students were invited to design their own pair of TOMS Classics. With the help of Dilys Williams, the Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion, we are proud to introduce our winner, Liseth Amaya! Liseth’s intricate detail and inspiration was simply moving.

“I first heard about TOMS from my sister, Lesly, in Los Angeles. Lesly sent me a photo of her first pair,told me about the One for One mission, and how it started in an apartment in Venice, CA.

Instantly inspired, I researched the story and was really moved by how it all began, what TOMS tries to achieve, and how the team takes strides to achieve these goals. First shoes, then sunglasses, what tomorrow?!”

The inspiration for Liseth’s hand-drawn pair of TOMS Shoes draws on a mixture of styles: from the 1663 French Baroque tapestries, to patterns from El Salvador, Mexico and Japan. Living in London, despite being born in Los Angeles to Central American parents, has encouraged Liseth as an artist to explore and mix her various inspirations. 

The design may seem complicated but fine detail underpins much of my style - I like to make artwork in which people can see a variety of ideas and appreciate the effort which has gone into it.”

Liseth created 30 pairs of her limited edition shoe and they were sold in our TOMS London Pop-Up Store, and they have nearly all sold out!

Having a shoe on sale at the TOMS UK Store has been a fantastic experience and opportunity. I was so surprised when my design was chosen. To know that people have been buying it is such a great feeling not only because they like my design but because of the One for One movement, every time they buy a pair of shoes I have painted, a child benefits. I believe that’s the most rewarding part of it all. 

Get inspired by other equally styled soles here!