Walking down a shopping avenue engulfed in the tourists diffused from the nearby monuments, we cross the charming cafes and restaurants. Two rows of manicured trees line the sidewalk. The walkway closest to the shops accommodate the window shoppers and other ephemeral pedestrians. The area enclosed by trees are scattered with outdoor seating for the culinary pit stops. Each a rectangular area surrounded by wooden, rectangular planters housing herbaceous plants and cone-trimmed toy trees and the entire area covered by a simple, steel structure. The basket woven chairs cast in modern contours are sparsely occupied by well-dressed, elderly regulars catching up on one another’s lives. The sky is clear, the sun hidden by a singular cloud, and the wind breathes softly to the south.

I am in love with the fashionable stylings produced by the French culture. The children are dressed classically and modestly but always immaculately. The girls sport their silhouette-flattering draped tops and slimming jeans; the women adorn themselves with tasteful accessories of brass bangles and elegant chained necklaces and everyone is functionally layered. As I was once an earnest, though now “recovering,” shoe and sneaker enthusiast (not quite the hypebeast) I could not help but to notice the Parisian footwear including that of the decreasingly distinctive, fairer gender.

My international peers seem to favor a wardrobe without loud hues or loud exclamations of brand affiliation and this holds a truth in regards to their shoes as well. The majority wear, so pleasingly to my eye, plimsole styled shoes in mute, understated colours. This is a trend that I am seeing all the more and a trend that I see in my present, pedestrian acquisitions. To those with a discerning taste, the lack of vibrant colors direct the attention to a shoe’s silhouette, construction, proportions and material qualities. These being characteristics that are regrettably overlooked in the zeitgeist of affordable footwear. The familiarity in play on classic models of Chuck Taylors and plimsoles are reminiscent of the 1970’s era play on Helvetica and its many modified variations and a welcome one at that.

Many brands I’ve discovered here are of a poor, under-representation stateside. Italian brand Superga is quite popular here in France and I’ve become enamored with their famous 2750 Classic, which was originally intended to be a court shoe. The company brand has similarities tied to that of Converse with the worn-in, almost tattered look that you must acquire with consistent wear.

And with Converse and Vans, both with roots in America, leading the way in classic shoes and an east coast, west coast rivalry, I would hope that Superga and Kawasaki (not to be confused with Kawasaki Heavy Industries) lead the European market with a north Europe, south Europe rivalry. Kawasaki is a Danish company with one shoe model that holds the title of best selling shoe in Denmark and with a look that I and resident Parisians are captivated by.

Though I’ve become a fan of these heritage shoe models, this may be a misguided view of the future of mainstream sneaker wear, but there are a number of young brands out, such as generic man, that are creating thoughtful kicks for a new generation of adults. And I know that Common Projects are still hot right now.

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