Tod’s Collection
[pt_view id=”7a68926crt”]
Articles on Tod’s
[pt_view id=”43d617bjkm”]
What fashion seems to not get often is that comfort is still very much. Designers and labels get caught up with how it looks, so much so that they may forget about the comfort of the wearer at times. Because of this, the responsibility of providing easy and wearable clothing went to fast fashion brands—ones who frequently copy high fashion designs and sell them at a lower price. This then created a conflict amongst the industry that is still going on to this day. Fortunately, however, there are brands that focus on everything: design, quality, and comfort. One such is Tod’s.
Tod’s offer items with the highest quality. Although they started as a footwear brand—and to this day it’s still their main line—they’ve ventured into selling bags, eyewear, ready-to-wear, and other accessories. They’ve become one of the most well-known brands in the entire world, opening multiple stores in various different countries across all continents. Throughout the years, their products helped them rise through the ranks, now rivaling the likes of Louis Vuitton and Fendi in terms of prestige and quality. Similar to such houses, the label still dedicated to their craft of creating luxury goods handmade—so that every detail can be given attention.
Driving Shoe: Where It All Began
The company was founded by Diego Della Valle. During the 1920’s, Filippo Della Valle, Diego’s grandfather, owned and ran a shoe business. During his youth, Diego tried to stray away from the family business—studying Law in Bologna, Italy rather than learning his grandfather’s craft. Eventually, he went to New York City where he discovered the driving shoe—a rubber soled-pair of slippers used for race car driving. As he went back to Italy, he redesigned the driving shoe and gave it to Giovanni Agnelli, one of the most famous businessmen at the time. Agnelli wore the pair during a TV interview, which helped Della Valle and his company gain more awareness.
By the 1980’s, Della Valle had become the official chairman of Tod’s. He subsequently released other lines to further expand the brand. These are Hogan—a sportswear and sneakers brand, and Fay—a ready-to-wear line dedicated to functionality. In 1997, the company released their line of handbags and purses—their first venture into luxury leather goods. Soon, Tod’s became one of the most prominent luxury labels in all the markets it had a presence in. Various other fashion designers were eventually hired by the company to broaden their design ranges, such as Derek Lam and Bruno Frisoni.
What People Love in Tod’s
Part of what made Tod’s a success today is their many signatures, a lot of which have been embraced by clients and consumers. Their house signature is the Il Gommino—the softer and more comfortable version of the driving shoes Della Valle discovered in New York in the 70’s. Although it was initially for men, a lot of women have embraced this iconic pair, transforming it into a unisex product. From their luxury leather goods line, there’s the D-bag, wide handbag that is big enough to fit a lot of items. Because of its design and functionality, it has become a favorite bag of many busy women. Additionally, there’s the famous four-hooked coat from their Fay line. Similarly, because of the garments comfortable fit, sleekness of design, and functionality during harsh weather—it has become a favorite of many consumers.
A-list Tod’s Fanbase
Adding more prestige to their name, the company has amassed a following of famous personalities. From Hollywood celebrities to even political figures, the brand’s fanbase of famous people is of a wide range. Although what is more interesting is that a lot of these celebrities buy their Tod’s products similarly to how everyday consumers do—through their retail stores. Tod’s is not known to lend or custom-make pieces for high-profile clients. They give all their consumers, whether famous, rich, or neither, equal attention and superb service. Although there may be very few instances where certain clients are given special attention, those are completely rare.
A-list stars such as actresses Julianne Moore, Diane Kruger, and Jessica Alba have all been spotted with a Tod’s bag, specifically their famous ‘D bag’. Singers Celine Dion, Taylor Swift, and Selena Gomez have also been seen wearing a Tod’s bad on the street. Meanwhile, actress Gal Gadot and models Karlie Kloss, Liu Wen, and Lily Aldridge have all worn Tod’s shoes and slip-ons when out and about in New York City. Beyond the entertainment industry, political and historical figures have also become fans of the brand. During the 1990’s, one of the most prominent customers of Tod’s was Princess Diana of Wales. She was spotted many times with the label’s bags and shoes. Following in suit is her daughter-in-law, Duchess Catherine of Cambridge—more commonly known as Kate Middleton. She has also become a fan of the brand’s bags and own a few of them.
Branching Out Into The Rest of the World
To this day, Tod’s is one of the few brands that have branched out into almost every part of the world. Currently, they have 137 stores in Asia and the Pacific, including in the Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. They also have 65 shops across Europe and 16 establishments in the Americas.
Comfort and luxury need not be separate according to Tod’s. Their philosophy of providing high-quality items with design, functionality and comfort is what makes them a retail giant today.
