One of the reasons I love canvasing the scene in Dallas is that at (almost) every event I attend, I meet someone new and interesting. I recently attended a swan song for the iconic Nana at the Hilton Anatole which closed after 20 years of service to make way for a new steakhouse call Ser coming this Fall. At this soiree I was introduced to Jayne Chobot, a New Yorker who has recently moved to town. She mentioned that she had a 4-year old daughter and is a blogger in her own right, so when an invite came across my desk the next day to attend a preview of the Fall collection for CHOOZE shoes, I thought Jayne would be the perfect person to cover this for me. I hope you enjoy her take on this extraordinary company located right here in Big D:
Kofi Annan said “To live is to choose. But to choose well,you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.”
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Kofi Annan said “To live is to choose. But to choose well,you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.”
Dallas-born and raised Sharon Blumberg understood this when she created her shoe line, the cleverly named CHOOZE, with the mission of inspiring children to dream big and impact the world in a positive way. An artist, designer, and (most creatively) a mother of three, she designed a line of children’s shoes that embraces the powers of choice and individuality. A fun and colorful (and 100% vegan) pair from her collections will compliment each other but will never match.
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| Jayne's 4-year old daughter loved the CHOOZE shoes her Mom brought home from this event! |
The line brought to mind the Little Edie Beale-esque result of letting my own 3-year old dress herself the first time, and I was delighted to attend a showcase of the Fall 2012 collection last Friday at the CHOOZE HQ in North Dallas. We may be months away from bouquets of freshly-sharpened pencils, but the stores will soon be stocking the new designs, including the “Dig” cooler weather-friendly boots and “Speak Up” lace-up high-tops.
The mission of CHOOZE goes even deeper and further than self-expression. Inspired by a TED talk by Salah Boukadoum, Sharon Blumberg has committed to investing CHOOZE profits inanti-poverty programs as a Good Returns Company. The investments provide training, support, education, and loans to women so they can start their own businesses and lift themselves out of extreme poverty, defined by the UN as "adenial of choices." The program is “a hand-up, not a hand-out” as Blumberg and her team passionately explain.
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| Shiloh Pitt is a fan of CHOOZE |
The delightful and sturdy kid- and mom-friendly CHOOZE are designed in Dallas by Blumberg and her team, and are available locally at Whole Earth Provisions Co. and Stride Rite at Preston Center. Less than a year after debuting, they are already sold in over 300 stores across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico.
To CHOOZE your style, visit http://www.choozeshoes.com/
About Jayne Chobot:
Jayne is an executive liaison from New York City who fell in love with a Texan and is now embracing everything about her new life in Dallas.A passionate traveler, hostess, and mom to a sassy little girl, she is often over-caffeinated and always on the hunt for new & interesting. You can follow her adventures online @jayniemarie,and on her blog A Moveable Appentency.
