17 French Shoe Brands I Discovered Living in Paris

You can never have too many pairs of shoes, can you? I love buying shoes as statement pieces as they can really transform an outfit and give you an extra pep in your step. These French shoe brands are my personal favorites. If you want to pick up a pair of French shoes that none of your friends have, then these shoe brands from France are perfect for you!

French Shoe Brands

Here is a list of my favorite French shoe brands, many of which I discovered while living in Paris! I’ll start with the best ones first.

Carel

Carel is one of my favorite French shoe brands. It is a brand with a long story and history that dates back to the 1960s. Carel is one of the few older brands that has retained many of its original vintage shoe models, yet cultivated an image that feels fresh, exciting, and contemporary. The classic Kina shoe, made of red patent leather, has become a closet staple in my wardrobe. It’s also a favorite of Alexa Chung!

Repetto

Repetto is well known for its darling Parisian ballet flats, specifically the Cendrillon model. You can also opt for the low-heeled Camille version if you want a bit more height.

K.Jacques

Founded in 1933 by Jacques Kéklikian in Saint-Tropez, France, the French shoe brand K.Jacques quickly gained popularity during the 1950s and 1960s after several prominent women began wearing their strappy brown sandals. The Epicure leather sandal remains immensely popular today.

Michel Vivien

Michel Vivien is a French shoe brand that I discovered on Instagram. These high-end shoes are often worn by Sabina Socol, Jeanne Damas, and Eléonore Jeanne. The woven Petrus sandals are a coup de coeur.

Veja

Veja is one of the coolest French sneaker brands in Paris. Spotted on the feet of Marion Cotillard and other French figures, they’ve become one of the it-brands in France and made wearing sneakers cool! Try the classic Espalar model.

Luxury French Shoe Brands

You can’t talk about French shoe brands without talking about…

Christian Louboutin

Ok, so I definitely didn’t discover this classic brand while living in Paris. Christian Louboutin shoes have been iconic for decades. Louboutin shoes are instantly recognizable by the bright red soles of the shoes. These French shoes are certainly aspirational, even if they seem a bit impractical thanks to those sky-high 5-inch heels!

Roger Vivier

Roger Vivier is a French luxury shoe brand from France. Vivier is widely credited with reviving the popularity of women’s stiletto heels in shoe design. He designed shoes for Christian Dior from 1953 until 1963. His Pilgrim pumps, heels with rectangular silver buckles, were worn by models for Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 Mondrian collection, as well as by iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve in the 1967 film Belle de Jour.

Best French Shoe Brands

Contemporary French Shoe Brands

These are the best contemporary French shoe brands, with prices on a low to mid-range scale. They offer a great combination of affordable prices and good design.

Bobbies

Bobbies is an amazing contemporary French shoe brand you must know about. Shop via Trouva.

Anthology

Anthology makes high-quality leather shoes in modern styles. The shoes are designed in Paris and manufactured in Portugal.

Chatelles

Chatelles are smart Parisian flats with cute designs at the toe. They seem to be a big hit in London where they’ve been spotted on the feet of actress Lily James and Pippa Middleton. Their flagship store was just a stone’s throw away from my old Parisian apartment in the 7th arrondissement, and their window caught my eye! They have adorable designs with cats and dachshunds, or you can opt for a fun tassel or pom-pom at the toe.

Rivecour

Rivecour makes lovely feminine French shoes.

M. Moustache

M. Moustache is a Parisian shoe brand that makes sneakers, boots, and sandals for women.

Freelance

Freelance is a shoe brand that recently did a collaboration with Lou Doillon, a Parisian musical artist.

Affordable French Shoe Brands

Let’s talk budget French shoes at great prices!

Jonak

Jonak is one of my favorite brands for affordable French shoes. They consistently deliver on-trend shoe styles at great prices. That’s not to say that they’re cheap, but Jonak does have a nice balance of great design and affordability. I always look forward to their new collection every season!

Jonak ships to the US or you can shop via Yoox.

Minelli

Minelli is a great French shoe company with hundreds of stores in France. It’s often compared to Jonak, and offers a great compromise between style and price.

COSMOPARIS

CosmoParis is an affordable French shoe brand I discovered while walking around the 16th arrondissement in Paris!

Anaki Paris

Anaki is an affordable French shoe brand for women on a budget. The styles are simple, feminine, and chic.

André

André is a very well-known affordable French shoe brand for people shopping on a budget. I’m not going to lie, the majority of styles do not appeal to me but once in a while I walk by a shop window and spot a diamond in the rough. I bought a great pair of classic brown leather flights from André and I consistently get compliments on them. I would say that André is perfect for basic French shoes, but nothing too styled. You can definitely find some hidden gems here.

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