Tieks

Tieks
Private
Industry Retail, Footwear
Founded 2008
Founder Kfir Gavrieli & Dikla Gavrieli
Headquarters Los Angeles
Products Tieks shoes
Website tieks.com

Tieks is an American footwear brand founded in 2008. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles and sells its shoes, known as “Tieks,” exclusively through its website. Tieks feature a split-sole design, allowing the shoes to fold in half.[1]

History

Tieks was founded in 2008 by siblings Dikla Gavrieli and Kfir Gavrieli, who were soon joined in the company by their brother, Elram Gavrieli, and Dikla’s husband, Dean Unatin.[2]

Dikla, a former USC professor, and Kfir, a Stanford Graduate School of Business graduate, wanted to design a versatile ballet flat that could fold to fit in a purse, yet still be comfortable and durable enough to be worn all day.[3] They designed a shoe with a split sole that allows the shoe to fold in half and fit in a pouch.[4]

In 2010, Tieks offered fewer than 20 different styles of their foldable ballet flat.[5] Between 2010 and 2013, the online store expanded to over 50 styles, including a Vegan Collection with shoes made from textiles.[6]


Product

Tieks offers its ballet flat in 53 different colors and prints.[7] Tieks are sold in whole sizes from 5 to 13. Styles in the Classic, Patent, and Print collections are made of Italian leather. The four styles comprising The Vegan Collection are made from European textiles using paraben-free dyes and are named after Los Angeles neighborhoods.[8] All Tieks shoes have a split-sole design comprising two turquoise blue, branded as “Tiek Blue,” rubber patches attached to a leather midsole.[9][10] It takes 3 days and over 150 steps to make a pair of Tieks.[11]


Philanthropy

The Gavrieli Foundation contributes to Kiva,[12] a non profit organization which funds entrepreneurs in low income/under-served areas.[13] Between the company’s founding in 2008 and October 2014, The Gavrieli Foundation has committed over one million dollars to Kiva and [14] sponsored over ten thousand loans to women around the world.[15]


Endorsements & Mentions

Tieks were featured on the O List in Summer 2011 as Oprah Winfrey's favorite ballet flats,[16] and again in Spring 2012 as part of her Mother’s Day gift guide.[17] Tieks have also been featured in business publications such as Forbes (The Top 25 Most Creative Consumer and Retail Brands),[18] and Entrepreneur (Top 30 Startups to Watch).[19] In 2012 Inc. Magazine featured Kfir and Elram Gavrieli in their “30 under 30” list for creating “a powerful brand as well as their own category of footwear.”[20]

References

  1. ↑ ZOG Digital. "Tieks: A Study in Stylish Social Branding." Yahoo Small Business Advisor. Yahoo Small Business Advisor, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. <https://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/tieks-study-stylish-social-branding-163046993.html>
  2. ↑ Desmarais, Christina. "Inc. 30 Under 30: Kfir and Elram Gavrieli, Co-founders of Tieks." Inc.com. Inc., 2 July 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<http://www.inc.com/30under30/christina-desmarais/kfir-gavrieli-and-elram-gavrieli-founders-of-tieks.html>
  3. ↑ Desmarais, Christina. "Inc. 30 Under 30: Kfir and Elram Gavrieli, Co-founders of Tieks." Inc.com. Inc., 2 July 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<http://www.inc.com/30under30/christina-desmarais/kfir-gavrieli-and-elram-gavrieli-founders-of-tieks.html>
  4. ↑ Rufca, Sarah. "Feeling Fly? Travel Items to Tote This Spring." Houston Chronicle. Chron, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<http://www.chron.com/news/article/Feeling-fly-Travel-items-to-tote-this-spring-4371297.php#photo-4353392>
  5. ↑ Griffin, Christie. "A Cosmo Girl's Luxe Wishlist." Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan, Winter 2010. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<http://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/advice/g1738/luxury-gifts-women/?slide=6>
  6. ↑ "Tieks by Gavrieli- The Ballet Flat Reinvented." Tieks Boutiek. Tieks by Gavrieli, 2008. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.<http://tieks.com/boutiek/>
  7. ↑ "Tieks by Gavrieli- The Ballet Flat Reinvented." Tieks Boutiek. Tieks by Gavrieli, 2008. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.<http://tieks.com/boutiek/>
  8. ↑ "Tieks by Gavrieli- The Ballet Flat Reinvented." SEO. Tieks, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. <http://tieks.com/featured?vegans>.
  9. ↑ Lombardo, Mimi. "T+L's Favorite Travel Shoes: Tieks." Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 19 Sept. 2014.<http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-blog/carry-on/2013/1/16/tls-favorite-travel-shoes-tieks>
  10. ↑ Hamm, Catharine, Anne Harnagel, and Christopher Reynolds. "A Holiday Gift Guide for That Special Traveler in Your Life." LA Times. Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2012. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-giftguide-20121216-story.html#page=1>.
  11. ↑ "Tieks by Gavrieli- The Ballet Flat Reinvented." About Tieks Ballet Flats. Tieks by Gavrieli, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. <http://tieks.com/about-us>.
  12. ↑ ZOG Digital. "Tieks: A Study in Stylish Social Branding." Yahoo Small Business Advisor. Yahoo Small Business Advisor, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<https://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/tieks-study-stylish-social-branding-163046993.html>
  13. ↑ "Kiva-Loans That Change Lives." Kiva. N.p., 2005. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<http://www.kiva.org/>
  14. ↑ "Tieks Foundation." Tieks by Gavrieli. Tieks by Gavrieli, 2008. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. <http://tieks.com/foundation/>.
  15. ↑ "Kiva Lending Team: Tieks by Gavrieli." Kiva. N.p., 10 Jan. 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. <http://www.kiva.org/team/tieks_by_gavrieli>.
  16. ↑ Chan, Jennifer. "Obsessions: Oprah's Fave Ballet Flats." E! Online. E! Online, 31 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. <http://www.eonline.com/news/383916/obsessions-oprah-s-ultra-comfy-ballet-flats>.
  17. ↑ "For the Mom Who Has Everything." O Magazine Aug. 2011: n. pag. Print.<http://www.oprah.com/gift/Tieks-by-Gavrieli-Leather-Flats?editors_pick_id=36977>
  18. ↑ Caldbeck, Ryan. "The 25 Most Creative Consumer and Retail Brands." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 30 July 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/pictures/fgkl45lmk/tieks-by-gavrieli/>.
  19. ↑ Huspeni, Andrea. "Top 30 Startups to Watch." Entrepreneur. Entrepreneur, 10 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/228244>.
  20. ↑ Desmarais, Christina. "Inc. 30 Under 30: Kfir and Elram Gavrieli, Co-founders of Tieks." Inc.com. Inc., 2 July 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.<http://www.inc.com/30under30/christina-desmarais/kfir-gavrieli-and-elram-gavrieli-founders-of-tieks.html>

External links