Keep

Twilight's Kristen Stewart in Keep's Guerras shoe.

Keep is more than a shoe and apparel company, it is a fusion and a way of living. Although the company mainly designs shoes for women, males are also seen donning Keep kicks in bigger sizes.

Launched in May 2006, Keep Shoes is the brainchild of Margot Jacobs and Una Kim. What’s interesting and unique about this brand is that it creates shoes the way the it thinks it should be done. The inspirations are drawn from a variety of things, including personal experiences and skateboarding culture. Most importantly, the designers pay keen attention to detail, making sure that you get the best kicks for your feet.

Keep’s patrons include those “who have their game tight, who work hard to make things happen, who spread positivity and energy around them, who take care of their loved ones and most importantly take care of themselves.”

Kim, who earned her BA and MBA from Princeton and Stanford, respectively, says in her CNNblog.com interview, “I was skateboarding a lot because I was living in New York, and I hated all the girls’ shoes on the market.”

So what inspires Kim? “Every day things. Books, music, films, traveling, meals. Whenever I see something or interact with something that I connect with, I always put a little note in my head to hold onto it. I also think about the things I loved from my childhood. Those things are classic and timeless,” she said in her Legend magazine interview.

Besides these things, LA-based Keep also takes pride in supporting the people who also serve as their inspirations and muses. These forces behind the line are designer Molly Ackerman-Brimberg, Henry Evans, BMX rider Dave Young, skateboarder Luis Solis, Rich Charnosky, Coan Nichols, Gigi Guerra, Melissa Ip, Ashley Thayer, Brendan Fowler, Ashley Macomber, Jill Nussbaum, Bella Pilar, Wendy Yao, Ulrika Lofgren, Daniel Rehn, Becca Albee, Deanna Templeton, Amy Yao, Steve Bailey, Tobin Yelland, Ray Potes, Isaac Ramos, and Jerry Lim.

Heroes' Hayden Pannettierre browsing for her own Keep shoe.

Keep’s trademark shoes include the vibrant and funky models of Homer, Elias, Shaheen, Tatum, Dorian, Ramos, Guerra, Nuss, Benten, Juniper, Tobin, Duke, Kid’s Ramos, and Kid’s Guerra. Keep also specializes in hoodies, jackets, and tees, as well as pins, bags, mugs, sunnies, mosley tribes sunglasses, and super sunglasses.

True to its “cruelty free” philosophy, Keep veers away from leather. CEO Kim herself monitors the condition of the workers  to make sure the production lines are safe and adhere to the law.  Also apparent in its shoes is the staff’s camaraderie, cooperation and hard work. After all, Keep takes pride in working “with people we respect, love and who make us laugh.”

Keep has been featured in print and online fashion magazines such as In touch Weekly, Elle, Glamour, MTVnews.com, Dailycandy.com, LAMag.com, CNN.com, and Today at MSNBC.com.