From Jacquemus to KidSuper: Fresh Footwear Takes Center Stage at Paris Fall 2025 Men’s Shows
The fall 2025 Paris men’s fashion week came at a slower pace amid an economic downturn, but footwear players remain resilient. Many of them stole the spotlight on the runway with their latest collaborations.
At Jacquemus, the designer’s fresh take on Nike’s Moon Shoe was equally elegant as the couture-inspired main collection presented in the private apartment of architect Auguste Perret, an Art Deco jewel with oak paneling and concrete pillars. The style, which was Nike’s first-ever sneaker debuted in 1972, now comes in a light yellow hue and a waffle sole.
The London-based Kiko Kostadinov took his partnership with Asics to the realm of the great outdoors. He debuted two low-top sneakers and three Ninja-looking boots. These a-walk-in-the-woods-ready models stem from the split-toe Marathon Tabi model from the 1950s.
Chinese designer Feng Chen Wang, meanwhile, accessorized her latest collab with Ugg, two styles of Tasman Lug boots with crack effect coating, with 3D-printed shells. The intricate and dramatic silhouette was inspired by mythical creatures depicted in “Classic of Mountains and Seas,” an ancient collection of epic tales.
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Equally eye-catching were those Rick Owens oversized boots that recall the feet of feathered roosters. Done in collaboration with Parisian designer Victor Clavelly, the boots are made with heavyweight Groppone cow leather. Pieces of the leather are laser cut and woven together by hand to create a chain-linked effect.
KidSuper’s Colm Dillane meanwhile gave Bape’s iconic Sta sneakers and clogs a major upgrade. During the preview, the designer said the star of the show belonged to the Bape Sta sneaker done in a special Japanese fabric. Called the Super Sashiko Bape Sta, Dillane dubbed the style the “shoe of the year.”
Along with this sneaker, there is also a patent leather brown Bape Sta and another in a mint green colorway. There are all three sneaker-clog hybrids with a KidSuper face print mashed up with signature Bape motifs. Throughout the range, Dillane also added an eye to the shoe’s signature star on the side.
On’s latest collaboration with Post Archive Fraction, revealed at the brand’s presentation on Sunday, included Cloudmonster 2 in a new monochrome color palette, and the return of Cloudventure Peak. Post Archive Fraction also presented a new Wallabee Boot design in beige and light gray developed with Clarks.
French designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi, winner of the Adnam fashion award last year, brought piked gloves and sock sneakers from his latest Puma collaboration. He also showed a range of statement boots and pointy heels in partnership with Ecco.kollektive.
Speaking to statement boots, Comme des Garçons’ runway show for its Homme Plus line debuted an army boot with the toe box upturned at a 90-degree angle. Rei Kawakubo said it was her saying “To hell with war.”
The Japanese retailer also showcased a string of footwear partnerships in the showroom. The Homme Plus line offered a spin on the Nike Air Rejuven8. For Black Comme des Garçons, CDG revisited the Nike Field General 82 distorted co-branding.
It also tapped New Balance for a slim, suede take on the 471 sneakers for Junya Watanabe Man, and spun the 509 sneakers in white and gray colorways for Comme des Garçons Homme.
Fellow Japanese brand Auralee offered a new take on the New Balance T500, a tennis shoe silhouette that debuted in 1982, in brown and lime green colorways.
Swedish label Axel Arigato’s fall 2025 range is also embracing a more casual direction. Highlights included the open-back mules with sneaker soles; the Slow Runner, a style that combines the top-selling Marathon model’s original upper with a lower, new outsole; and the Tact Runner, which is the brand’s first low-profile silhouettes and comes in four colorways made from either fluffy hairy suede or distressed denim.
Dovetailing with the brand’s fall 2025 ready-to-wear collection, which according to creative director Jens Werner is the biggest and most diverse offering, Axel Arigato’s core sneaker range is becoming more lifestyle-driven too.
An example of that would be Eris, a new model with a low profile and flat sole, crafted with interlocking suede and leather profile panels. Werner said he hopes the style can help the brand reach more female customers, and eventually convert them to shop ready-to-wear.
Luxury brands went big on footwear too.
Mirroring KidSuper’s all-out Bape collab, Pharrell Williams wowed the internet leading up to the show with an array of shades of the new bulky ButterSoft sneaker for Louis Vuitton. The new sneaker draws inspiration from the early 2000s and features a pillow-like, extra-soft leather that frames the sneaker. Unveiled in fifty colorways, its tongue is adorned with the silhouette of Williams’ face profile.
Other key styles seen at the Vuitton show included Bubble, which is a bulky, blown-up silhouette applied to loafers, derbies, motorcycle boots, lace-up boots, and Mary-Janes in black, burgundy, or cream leather as well as editions in embossed camo leather and rockabilly two-tone leather.
Dior took a more classic route. Pairing nicely with Kim Jones’ delicate couture-inspired fall collection, the standout shoe was the Chelsea boot with a satin bow tied into a ribbon on the front as its defining feature.
John Lobb‘s fall 2025 range was a study of the fine line between formal attire and practicality.
During the presentation, John Lobb chief executive officer Philippe Gonzalez said the brand is adapting as its customer base is evolving, requiring shoes that can adapt to different lifestyles, such as casual comfort for multifaceted daily activities.
Gonzalez also took pride in the launch of John Lobb’s first bag, a shoe carrier that can be used as a casual backpack big enough to fit a laptop. He then revealed that the brand is in retail expansion mode, with plans to open a third U.S. store in early 2026.
