It’s not only in the clothing section that French fashion hides some pretty gems. In recent years, new sneaker brands have been multiplying… with varying degrees of success. While “made in France” is not always present, these young startups have other assets to convince consumers.
In 2024, the French Shoe Federation decided to honor this “new guard” of sneakers. And so are we! Here are 7 French sneaker brands to discover as soon as possible!
💡Also read : These 5 pairs of eco-friendly French sneakers have it all!
Belledonne
Launched in 2018 by Antonin Chabanne, Mikael Léo and Luc Faure, Belledonne reimagines the great classics of sneakers with exceptional craftsmanship.
These sneakers, designed in France and hand-assembled in Porto, require up to two hours of manual labor. They embody luxury through eco-responsible Italian leathers and soles made from recycled materials. Belledonne offers timeless models such as the B0, its first pair sold and still one of its bestsellers.
The B7 sneakers, inspired by a 50s football icon, are already a big hit in their own right. Sold on the brand’s e-shop and in select stores like Printemps Haussmann, Belledonne shoes are among our current favorites.
Daniel Essa
Syrian creator now based in France, Daniel Essa has always loved beautiful shoes. It was in 2017 that he took the plunge and launched the brand bearing his name, with the aim of offering luxury sneakers, both timeless and minimalist, but with details that make all the difference.
His first models, poetically named Us and You & Me, stand out for the customization options offered, especially in terms of laces. But it is with the pair of Low Tops that Daniel Essa revisits classic tennis shoes with the most style, the shoe distinguishing itself by its absence of laces, its triple stitching and… its hidden message inside!
Ector
Quality sneakers can still be made in France! The hexagonal craftsmanship in footwear is not new, especially in the region of Romans-sur-Isère. This is where Ector was born, thanks to two men, Patrick Mainguené, former development director for Aigle, Lafuma and Salomon, and Patrick Marguerie, a designer in Annecy.
Six years after merely suggesting the idea of creating a sneaker brand “made in Romans,” the project has been realized with the launch of the first pair of unisex eco-knit sneakers in France. Crafted from recycled plastic bottles, these Ector shoes have since been joined by a wide array of models, ranging from full-grain leather sneakers to high-top basketball shoes, all the way to slippers or even women’s ballet flats!
EVI Shoes
We stay in Romans to discover the premium sneakers of EVI Shoes. Or rather rediscover, since we have already introduced this young brand created by Solène Didier and Dimitri Blanchy.
The two young people started working on their project in 2021 and after two years of development, the first G1 sneakers made their debut on the market at the end of the summer 2023. To reinvent the classic white pair of sneakers, the creators of EVI Shoes bet on Squama salmon leather, with a (very) colorful insert located at the back of the shoe.
Whether you like them or not, it’s undeniable that these sneakers made in France catch the eye!
Pantuna House
A product of a unique collaboration between import-export specialists of sea products and tannery experts, Maison Pantuna introduces a daring innovation: the tuna leather sneaker. The brand has notably partnered with La Molière tannery, an expert in transforming skins into leather, to recycle tuna skins that were destined to be thrown away.
Combining this novel material with classic Italian and French leathers, Maison Pantuna’s creations stand out for their eco-friendly character and innovative design, available on their e-shop. Manufactured in a workshop in the north of Portugal, the sneakers could soon be joined by leather goods accessories.
National Standard
Perhaps we cannot speak of “newcomers” here, since the brand National Standard was established in 2010 and we talked about it on Masculin.com as early as 2014!
Ten years later, François Chastang and Arnaud de Louvencourt continue to “defend a new aesthetic of the sneaker by diverting premium fashion basics”. And if monochrome models are still honored in National Standard collections, they are now accompanied by a wide variety of models (barely) more colorful, but still elegant and timeless. And above all well finished, like the Edition 10 Black Band made in Portugal and available exclusively on the brand’s website.
Panafrica
We conclude this overview of French sneaker brands with another player we first talked about in 2015: Panafrica. And if colour is understated at National Standard, it really jumps out at Panafrica!
This pioneer of ethical fashion (the real one, not the superficial one) was born thanks to Vulfran de Richoufftz and Hugues Didier, in collaboration with the global leader in wax production in Ivory Coast. The result is shoes with a unique design, which also highlight materials such as GOTS organic cotton, Seaqual and vegetable tanning (with apple).
Panafrica has also chosen to mark its long-standing commitment through its Rebirth program, which offers customers the opportunity to send back their used sneakers to give them a second life. The collections are available on the official website, as well as from about thirty retailers in France and around the world.
