What do actor Dwayne Johnson, singer Tim McGraw and NBA player Dwanye Wade have in common? Look down at their feet. All three celebrities are big enthusiasts of the high-end footwear from Taft Clothing. Taft was launched by Kory Stevens and his wife Mallory, 26, in 2014—originally as a sock company. They switched to shoes a year later, making colorful twists on classic kicks like oxfords and lace-up boots. "Companies keep designing the same shoes over, and over, and over. There's an underserved market of men who want to stand out," says Stevens.

Taft's footwear start at $235 and go up from there. Many come in playful two-tone versions. And there have also been gold-floral-print boots and ones with snake-skin-like detailing.

Kory, a Brigham Young grad who once dreamed about becoming a consultant, handles product design and operations. Mallory runs the marketing strategy. They brought it in outside money for the first time this year—$5 million from several angel funds, as well as uber fan Dwayne Wade.

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