Lucky for us shoe and animal lovers, Annie Mohaupt grew up on a sheep farm before she was trained as an architect. When she tired of her desk job and decided to pivot to fashion, she was able to apply the same production processes she’d learned designing buildings to constructing killer shoes with vegan leather — no sheep sacrifice required. After the Ukrainian Village resident launched Mohop (the phonetic spelling of her surname) in 2005, she attracted a cult following at maker fairs. “We got a lot of press because we were one of the first eco-friendly shoe companies,” says Mohaupt, “but I was making each pair by hand, which wasn’t sustainable.” She couldn’t find a factory that met her standards for work conditions, pay, and waste practices, so she started her own in Rockford in 2018, with the help of her partner in life and work, Justin Walker. This spring, Mohop opened a boutique in West Town — the brand’s first — to showcase its iridescent sandals, accessories, and pet products. Designed by Mohaupt, the airy, minimalist space has angular walnut furnishings on which to park yourself while your shopping partner picks out a peacock-hued handbag and heads to the Fab Lab, where nearly anything can be customized by artisans on the spot. Buy yourself some super-comfortable, chunky high-heeled mules for summer soirees, and feel good about the hands (and materials) that made them. 1659 W. Chicago Ave.
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