Born and Raised: Pecatonica, Illinois
Founded Line: 2005
Studio Location: Chicago
Number of Staff: 3
Design Heroines/Heroes: Ray Eames, Lara Miller, Stella McCartney, and too many “indie” designers to mention

Annie Mohaupt is just not your average fashionista. A few years back, this professional architect made her own skateboard…just for kicks. In the fall of 2005, for the Renegade Craft Fair, Annie made kicks that looked just like a skateboard. This DIY extraordinaire enjoyed making these wooden shoes so much, that she left architecture and became a full-time cobbler. Two years later, Mohop shoes is a booming business, or as booming as booming can be when your operation only turns out 8 pairs of shoes a day…Annie and company handcraft each pair of soles-wedges, flats, and heels in 3 heights. The customer gets to choose 5 sets of interchangeable laces to go with her pair of soles. An imaginative shoehound can have white slip-ons or gold gladiators; she can have classic black sandals, or rainbows and polkadots-all with just one pair of shoes! Mohops are for the creatively minded, the environmentally sensitive, or the very thrifty (think 5 pairs of handcrafted shoes for $225-that’s $45 a pair!) As the Mohop tagline states: “a new pair of shoes…every day.” Love that.

How is the Mohop line sustainable?

In a couple ways: The main materials are domestically-sourced FSC-certified wood and recycled rubber from tires. The glues and sealers are as eco-friendly as currently possible, and no leather is used - factory farming and typical tannery processes are quite detrimental to the environment. Additionally, the shoes offer many design options with the ribbon ties, so one can appear to have a huge wardrobe of sandals without consuming all the resources required for the masses of footwear that many girls dream of. Finally, the shoes are made in the USA by skilled artisans - no sweatshops involved.

What inspired you to design shoes using more eco-friendly modes and materials?

I essentially just started making shoes on a whim. As I experimented with different materials, I was happy to see that the materials I prefer also happened to be eco-friendly. I didn’t set out to make a green shoe company; I make shoes that happen to be green because I’ve found that eco-friendly materials are the most interesting to work with. Although I should admit that I am the bicycle-riding-vegan-type, so I suppose I do have a predisposition to these types of materials and processes…

Describe the look and concept of the line.

The idea is that these sandals can appeal to a wide range of women. Since the choices for green footwear are still pretty slim compared to the overall shoe industry, I wanted to make sandals that women with a wide variety of tastes and styles would be able to wear comfortably. Due to all the different tying options, every woman can achieve a one-of-a-kind look and custom fit.

What version of Mohops do you wear the most?

My personal favorites are the mid heels from the bent ply line if I’m going to be standing or walking a lot - they’re a great casual, every day shoe. If I’m dressing up a bit, which I love to do, I usually wear the high wedges. I prefer to wear really bright, colorful or shiny ribbons, because for me, a happy disposition begins with fun footwear…!

I heard a rumor about close toed shoes coming out…Confirm or deny this and tell us what’s coming out in 2008?

I do plan on expanding my collection, but right I’m just trying to keep up with demand for my current lines. New for 2008 is the wedge line. I’d like to expand quite a bit in 2009 with shoe and boot styles - hopefully that includes opening my own factory here in Chicago with the capacity to make many, many more shoes.

What regions of the world are Mohops most popular?

They are actually more popular in the northern part of the States, as well as Canada, as opposed to the South, generally speaking. They also do very well in Northern Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and several countries in Eastern Asia.

Before becoming a cobbler, you were an architect. What similarities are there between designing buildings and shoes?

I find architecture and shoemaking to be quite similar - shoes have to perform both structurally and aesthetically, just like architecture. My studies in architecture prepared me to think 3-dimensionally, to analyze how things are built, and to consider the characteristics of materials. I actually think architecture was an ideal foundation for shoe design, and apparently I’m not alone, as I’ve noticed dozens of other shoe designers have also started out in architecture.

Ask any woman after a long night out in cheap heels , a well constructed shoe is indeed as important as a well constructed house. As our country slowly awakens to the debacle of importing poorly-made goods from the Far East, Mohop leads by example…a bastion of American artisanry right here in our very own Mid-West.