Caulaincourt

Parisian brand founded in 2011, specializing in patinated shoes at accessible prices. Caulaincourt does not manufacture in-house, production is entrusted to Barker (Northampton, England) for the main range and Malinge (France) for high-end models. Good value thanks to reputable manufacturers.

Alexis Lafont was an engineer, a marketer, on a conventional career path in a world crushed by convention. But he'd been sculpting, drawing, photographing his whole life. A personal tragedy pushes him to drop everything. His passion: shoes, noble materials, patina. Meeting Raymond Massaro, Chanel's bootmaker, seals the deal. In 2008, he launches Caulaincourt - named after the Montmartre street - with 8 models, 2 lasts and one construction, Blake. First through private sales, then a store.

The philosophy is that of an artist making shoes, not a shoemaker making art. Lasts are conceived as sculptures, patinas as paintings. Today Caulaincourt offers Blake, Goodyear, Bolognese and even Norwegian welting. From slippers to fur-lined boots, oxfords to all-leather sneakers. The MTO service allows customizing pattern, leather, patina and construction.

Manufacturing is split between the finest workshops in each specialty: traditional shoes come from Pays de la Loire (France), boots from England, sneakers from Italy, espadrilles from the Basque Country. "Each workshop is an expert in its field," says Lafont. Collaborations are ambitious: jackets with Chapal, the Haïku jacket hand-dyed by Kyoya in Japan, bespoke hats by Marcel Rodrigues in the UK. Cuir Invest, the French leather industry's investment fund, backs the company. Hugo Jacomet (Parisian Gentleman) lists it among his favorites.