When I first came across TOMS incredibly comfy shoes, I was quite smitten. They make you feel good in every way: buy them and a kid somewhere, with nothing, also gets a pair of shoes; you get to pavement pound without a single blister. Sure, they may not be the height of glamour – they are flat and made of canvas – but I dare say that my tai-tai-city-chic image that I only manage to trot out about once a month (it’s way too much effort for me really) can just about survive.
Perfect for the UK too, where you walk everywhere and cover proper distances doing so, it’s not surprising that TOMS have been especially huge over there.
Anyway, what has prompted me in to bashing this all out this now is that after flicking though a Singapore glossy in the early hours this morning, I spotted an advert for BOBS – the Skechers copycat.
Now, there is nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition. I scanned the ad to see if they had also copied the ethics which would, frankly, be applaudable. There was no mention of anything in the advert but after about a minute of googling, I was very pleased to see that for every bob they make selling a BOB, a child in needs gets a shoe. Copying fashion may not be commendable, but copying charitable giving can only be a good thing.
Or is it just a shameless marketing campaign, reeking of disingenuous social concern? Does it even matter?
Now, I just hope I don’t bump in to the man at Ghim Moh market I spotted last week selling GREGS. It doesn’t have quite the same ring to it…and for every shoe he sells, I am sure his family get an extra pair, but that’s not quite the deal is it?
I will be shopping TOMS sunglasses range when I am back in the UK this Christmas; they not only look fabulous but promise a similar deal you simply can’t argue with: for every pair of glasses you buy, they will give someone the gift of sight.
TOMS image courtesy of amazon; BOBS image courtesy of UK Fashion Mag
