The investment was led by Kickstart Seed Fund with participation from M3 Ventures, Fifth Wall Ventures, and Peterson Partners, as well as NBA players, Dwyane Wade and Andre Iguodala, Skull Candy CEO, Jeremy Andrus, and the EVP of Business Development at Stance Socks, Clarke Miyasaki.

Founded in 2014 by husband and wife team, Kory and Mallory Stevens, TAFT produces heirloom quality footwear in Spain and Portugal, and sells their shoes direct-to-consumer exclusively via the TAFT website. The company's unique and bold designs, accessible price-points, and inclusive, community-centric approach have earned TAFT a fiercely loyal fanbase of influencers, celebrities, and star athletes. Now, the bootstrapped brand has taken on investors for the first time, so they can better meet the rapidly increasing demand for their shoes, as well as continue to build their company.

Explains TAFT co-founder, Kory Stevens, "being bootstrapped has taught us how to do a lot with very little. Purposely staying lean and mean pushed us to focus just on what makes the brand special - unique designs, incredible value, and a fun, inclusive vibe. By sticking to the essentials, and scrapping all of the rest, we've been able to lay a great foundation - in terms of both brand and customers - to build something much bigger."

In addition to raising capital, TAFT also used the funding as an opportunity to bring on new advisors. "Stance's Clarke Miyasaki have joined our board of directors," says Stevens, "while our investors have helped guide the success of Allbirds, Bonobos, Skull Candy, Supreme and many more. We've also teamed up with some highly influential members of the sports community, including NBA stars Dwyane Wade and Andre Iguodala, to further capitalize on our popularity with professional athletes."

Adds Stevens, "with thousands of shoes sold, and millions of dollars made, we joke that we're the biggest shoe company you've never heard of. But now, with this funding, and the incredible team of investors behind it, we're ready become the next big name in footwear."

About TAFT:

TAFT is a direct-to-consumer men's footwear brand specializing in unique, bold shoe designs. Founded in 2014, TAFT shoes are produced in Spain and Portugal with textiles ranging from suiting wool, to woven upholstery fabric, to Charles F. Stead leather. TAFT prides itself on having an inclusive vibe among it's customer base, and on consistently delivering exciting new styles.