Twins for Peace (CLOSED)

For every pair of shoes you buy at this innovative fair trade boutique, another pair is donated to one of various handpicked charities. Twins Alexandre and Maxime Mussard launched the first ‘Twins For Peace’ range back in 2009, with a strong emphasis on classy streetwear and luxury materials like silk, pearls and leather. Since then, they’ve brought out two new collections every year. The focus has always been on trainers (both low- and hi-top), but other accessories available include baseball caps and backpacks. All are made in Hungary and Portugal (except the swanky pearled shoes, which are handcrafted in India), and many are the product of collaborations with designers like Côme Editions. Prices range from €59 for the most basic shoes to €375 for a pearled pair (remember, over 50 hours of handwork have gone into each shoe).

Their ‘buy one, give one’ initiative means the business shares its profits with various charities which distribute shoes to the needy: for example, 4,431 pairs of trainers went to Indian charity Magic Bus in 2012. An important detail: all donated shoes are made in situ in order to better suit the specific needs of the habitants and to boost the local economy.

TRANSLATION: HUW OLIVER.