Designing for Dad: The Story Behind Umbra’s Most Thoughtful Gift 

With Father’s Day around the corner, we wanted to share a meaningful gift idea that blends thoughtful design with a heartfelt story.

Les Mandelbaum, co-founder and CEO of Umbra, was inspired to create the Slip Shoehorn 16 years ago while searching for a practical gift for his father who, due to childhood polio, struggled with mobility. Wanting to offer something functional and personal, Les challenged Umbra’s designers to create a modern, easy-to-use shoehorn that would simplify his dad’s daily routine. The result was the Slip Shoehorn, an iconic Umbra product and a tribute to design with purpose.

If you're working on a Father’s Day roundup, gifting feature, or design story that highlights innovation, the Slip Shoehorn makes a perfect fit.

Happy to send additional imagery, or coordinate an quote/interview with Les.

Strong, Durable Aluminum: Slip is a solid cast aluminum-matte shoe horn, carefully crafted with smooth, rounded edges to optimize comfort during usage; it features an elegant, polished finish.

Long Shoe Horn: A modern take on a classic shoe horn, designed with an extra-long handle to maximize the ease of sliding shoes on; the extended length is beneficial for every height

Strong, Durable Aluminum: Slip is a solid cast aluminum-matte shoe horn, carefully crafted with smooth, rounded edges to optimize comfort during usage; it features an elegant, polished finish.

Father's Day Slip Shoehorn Story with Les Mandelbaum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjagcWqz6bY