The only thing we love more than a good pair of sneakers is a good story – and this one is a tale of two lovers who left home in Argentina on a wing and a prayer, with an idea that would change the world of sneakers forever.

Mariquel Waingarten and Gastón Frydlewski love sneakers but hate shoelaces. Those pieces of string just get in the way. So when Gastón told Mariquel his idea for HICKIES lacing system, she recognized the touch of genius. They developed the concept further and set up a Kickstarter campaign to see if the rest of the world was ready for HICKIES lacing system. Their Kickstarter campaign surpassed their wildest dreams and raising 600% more than their original goal. Life started moving fast for Gastón and Mariquel: in less than a year they quit their day jobs, got married, and moved to New York City to set up the company HICKIES. You could say they lived happily ever after – HICKIES lacing system is the next level for the sneaker game, but just the beginning of what this pair will achieve.