Author: Conor Hanlon

For SS22 HIP have worked with French shoemakers Paraboot to create two new takes on the Michael Shoe and Reims Loafer. With Paraboot being a firm favourite in our footwear offering, we wanted to create our own contemporary spin on these timeless styles whilst remaining subtle and suitable for everyday life. Following us handpicking and incorporating a playful mix of premium cow hide, brushed suede and pebbled leather from the Paraboot factory – we were able to create a uniquely textured yet tonal makeup that can be naturally worn both formally and casually with ease.

Founded in Paris by way of the Alp-straddling village of Izeaux in 1908 by Remy Richard, Paraboot has grown over the last century to become one of the most respected French footwear brands around. The Paraboot ethos is to craft footwear that can last any form of walk no matter how far, thanks to the use of the famed Norwegian welt to join the soles and the uppers. All French made and manufactured other than the finest rubber soles which have been carefully selected and shipped in, Paraboot’s range of shoes and boots can be relied on all year round. Priding themselves in their French manufacturing, Paraboot’s craft has been grounded in the historical, honest and hardworking background of the French industry. Handmade at Paraboot’s prestigious factory located just outside Grenoble by the Alps, in South-western France – each pair of Paraboot shoes takes from 6-8 weeks to complete, with many of the processes used essentially the same since the company was born in 1908, produced using artisan skills passed down over generations.

The Reims Loafer was born in response to the Paraboot design team working on a loafer version of the iconic Michael shoe – using the same iconic pattern, sole and construction – the Reims has become a classic of its own within the Paraboot collection and revered by footwear enthusiasts globally.

The Paraboot Michael Shoe is one of the original and revered shoes ever created by Paraboot – the moc toe shoe style became highly popular during the 1980’s among the ‘Bon Chic, Bon Genre’ movement and was also commonly seen in 1930’s French thrillers, later adopted by Ivy league style and wider global creative industries. The Michael was always intended to be a daily working shoe for the “everyman” with the goal of creating a fine-tuned balance of class, durability and waterproofing with Paraboot’s iconic Michael Norwegian welted construction. Norwegian welted for people in the know within footwear means the sole is sewn to the uppers in a way which has many more benefits than the more common welting – Norwegian welting is more waterproof, helps control temperature inside more freely, provides a sturdier construction and merges more comfortably to the shape of your foot over time. The Paraboot Michael represents proper, timeless shoes for people who want something better than others out there.

The Paraboot For HIP Reims Loafer and Michael Shoe is available now exclusively at HIP online and in Leeds.