Dope Kicks: Inkkas -- Tribal Inspired Footwear

So, you know I'm a fan of anything with a South or Central American indigenous tribal print or pattern on it.  

That being the case, I got super excited when I came across this amazing collection of kicks from a new company called Inkkas.... All their sneakers are handmade shoes using traditional South American textiles... 

They make all the shoes in South America and employ local South Americans. Whats almost as amazing as all the creative, colorful styles they offer is that they donate a portion of all proceeds to help indigenous South American communities. 

They sent me a pair of Inkkas to sink my feet in and I have to tell you that I could I almost cut myself trying to open the box...After slowing down a bit, I got the box open. The sneakers come in these nifty little bags that feature the Inkkas logo... As soon as I opened the bags, my Toms started to get jealous of these fresh kicks...

So I tried them on and they are soooooooo comfy and of course fashion forward. They were a bit sung so you might want to get them a half-size bigger than your normal shoes (even though I'm sure as I break them in, they'll loosen up a bit)...

I spoke to the company's founder and director, Dan Ben-Nun about my special deliveries and he told me a bit more about the company and how it came about... Keep reading for the interview:

URBFASH: Whose idea was this? Why? When did the line start? Where did you come up with the concept?

Danny: The original idea was created by Ruth Rodriguez Huamani and her husband Percy Antonio Candia 7 years ago in Lima, Peru. The couple had been making traditional Peruvian handicrafts and footwear for over 20 years. They came up with the concept because they really wanted to create something beautiful, original and different with their skills in Peruvian craftsmanship. When they first created the shoe style 7 years ago stores didn't believe in the product and refused to carry the shoes, but with dedication and optimism they eventually convinced a few stores to carry them and the shoes just started spreading from there - that is how the journey began!   

URBFASH: Dope color patterns...Have you had any celebrities wear Inkkas?

Danny: We have been privileged to have our first TV appearance this month on Fuse TV and we have also had a lot of support among fashion bloggers as well. Fashion bloggers around the world have given us a lot of support and have posted some really beautiful pics styling our shoes with great outfits. Due to our loyal support among the fashion blogger community we have decided to offer free shoes to fashion bloggers with awesome blogs - so if you are a fashion blogger and would like a free pair of our shoes contact us and let us know!  

URBFASH: How has business been in the last few months?

Danny: Inkkas has really been skyrocketing over the past few months and we are so grateful for it. We just released an additional 17 new colors to our high-top collection this week and we are releasing our brand new low-top collection in the next few weeks, so things are really looking up!

Me wearing my new Inkkas with some dark blue skinny jeans...

URBFASH: How should Inkkas be worn?

Danny: There are a million ways to wear Inkkas and it really depends on each persons unique style, but I personally think the best way to wear Inkkas are with cool and casual clothes, especially washed out jeans and ripped jean shorts. The shoes look great with washed jeans because the jeans really allow the shoes to stand out and it gives the outfit a really nice bohemian feel. 

URBFASH: Any fashion shows, events coming up?

Danny: We are about to launch our new low-top collection this winter! So stay tuned for some new awesome styles to be released in the next few weeks. I highly recommend signing up to our mailing list so you can get first pick when the low-top collection is released, since we will have limited quantities and expect them to sell out very quickly!