Taylor & Thomas – We Met The Shoe Designers In Their Studio And Factory In Downtown Los Angeles

The female-founded luxury vegan shoe line Taylor + Thomas founded by Jessica Taylor Mead and Elizabeth Thomas James is winning over the hearts of vintage enthusiasts and animal lovers. Made in Los Angeles and inspired by muses from the 70s, the future-orientated brand places great importance on the health of our planet, animals, and people without compromising high quality and design. They invited us to visit their design studio and shoe factory in Downtown Los Angeles.

Design Inspired By The Roaring 70s

Taylor + Thomas curated a capsule collection of 3 iconic styles in homage to 70s babes Jane Birkin, Talitha Getty, and Patti Smith. We think the shoes carry their names rightly so. Available in the colors dark marine blue, vintage brown, ivory or mustard, the retro looks revive rebellious times and the self-actualization of women. At the same time, Taylor + Thomas creates shoes that are only as pretty as the production and materials behind them. The two co-founders Elizabeth and Jessica met in a footwear design class at Otis College of Art and Design. “We both recognized the need for the fashion industry to adopt more sustainable and cruelty-free practices,” says Elizabeth.

Sustainable & Vegan Materials

Thomas + Taylor uses only sustainable & PETA-approved cruelty-free materials from the US and Italy. They use chemical-free microsuede which looks and feels just like soft leather for uppers, FSC-certified sustainably harvested beech wood for the heels, recycled rubber for the outsoles, castor beans and recycled rubber for the insoles, and 50% corn / 50% PU for the linings. We simply love the signature tumbled brass T+T rivets that give the shoes a cool vintage look.

Ethically Manufactured In DTLA

The curated shoe collection is locally crafted by expert artisans in a small factory in Downtown Los Angeles. The factory is 15 min. drive from their studio so they can easily visit the factory at any time. “Each stitch and silhouette pay homage to generations of craftsmanship, while simultaneously pushing the construct of modern luxury itself.”

Sustainable Packaging

The nylon sock is made from recycled nylon, the cotton bag is made from organically-grown cotton, even the carton is made from recycled cardboard. Each and every detail is thoughtfully designed and produced.

T + T donates 1% of their sales to the charity 1% For The Planet each season. Together with NativeEnergy, the company also attaches great importance to off-set their carbon footprint.

We hope to see some more new styles in the near future. We are just wondering which female icon from the 70s could inspire the next shoe design? What do you think, any ideas?