“For them it is a religion.” who are these men wearing neat shoes?

37-year-old Aurelien works in an insurance company. But he is also a lover of watches, beautiful objects and technological products. So much so that in 2020, she dedicated an 18-minute video on her YouTube channel to taking off her “most beautiful shoes”. black leather model with double buckle, signed John Lobb, a British company founded in 1866 that sells to order. – made luxury shoes and boots for men. Since 1976, the house, as if to emphasize its prestige, is a subsidiary of the Hermès group. The model purchased by Aurélien, called “William”, was first designed by the London firm in 1940 and was the second clutch he bought. “I like the versatility, you can wear them with trousers as well as jeans or chinos,” she says. And continues. “They’re still shoes, but I don’t think they’re aimed exclusively at the financial world. I think there are also many lawyers, notaries, in the environments where we are preparing.”

It is traditional with one ring. with a double clasp, it looks a little more modern. In all cases, the men who wear them choose them primarily for their comfort and appearance. This is the case of Bassem, who works in Columbus (92) as a financial manager. “Where I work, it’s true that we tend to wear lace-up shoes. But in this environment, we wear button-up shoes as well as moccasins. Personally, I love this little detail that makes a change from traditional lace. When you want to stand out, you’ll wear nice shoes.” Expressing his style in his professional field is not a common thing. Therefore, using this shoe with a bourgeois connotation is a way for him to be original, to be different. “Men often dress the same in the field of finance. But like everything, you have exceptions. Which allow you to express your passions?“. For Bassem, we will understand that it is about fashion.

Extra cool

It is obvious. curls do not appeal to all men’s profiles. They seem to target only one socio-professional category, as fashion influencer and style consultant Trésor Bofete points out. “I know a lot of men who wear them and generally they all work in La Défense, Suresnes or Levallois. They are very classy guys. Their shoes are a religion.” According to the expert, the shoe is an alternative to the lace-up Richelieu, which goes well in the office, but remains a little cooler. “Just having to tie your laces makes the shoe more casual. But they remain very formal, most wearers have a ‘sartorial’ style.” An English term referring to the art of tailoring and well-dressed men’s clothing.

Are pumps too formal? Not for Alois Guinut, an image consultant who also sees men from “Parisian cool circles” wearing them. The only difference, according to him, is that a lawyer will never adopt the same brand as a communicator. “Out of ten people in a law firm, 80% will wear lace-up oxfords, three people will wear moccasins, and only one, the most fashionable of the group, will set his sights on wedges,” he tells us. , noting that two groups should be considered. “The most stylish man in the legal team buys a John Lobb clutch shoe, and someone who works in communications would rather buy a version from Miu Miu.” In other words, in a “traditional” setting, the ring is an institute for professions that require a more formal appearance. Here we think of Nicolas Sarkozy, who wore shiny leather button-down shoes during his tenure. In contrast to the more casual circles, in the “startup” spirit, where, according to Alois Guinut, men will have fun with the reinterpretations of shoes offered by fashionable brands. “I’m thinking of Kleman, which offers a trendy version of the buckle with a large sole and vintage-looking leather,” he adds.

In a law firm, 80% of ten people will wear lace-up oxfords, three people will wear loafers and only one, the most fashionable of the group, will set their sights on wedges.

Alois Guinut, image consultant

From the monastery to the office

Whether it is adopted today by busy men in defense offices or by dynamic young leaders in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, one thing is certain. the clutch has come a long way. You just have to delve into its origins to be clear about it and understand that this shoe was developed in the Middle Ages, among the monks of European monasteries. The latter mostly wore sandals, which quickly turned out to be unsuitable for manual labor and especially for low temperatures in winter. Thus, they turned into leather shoes closed with a buckle. Because back then, protecting yourself from the cold was a priority above all else. This is also mentioned in the press release of the “Step and Approach” exhibition held at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris in 2019. Women’s, men’s and children’s shoes have the same purpose to protect the delicate skin of the foot from the threats of the soil and climate.” It was in this protective approach that the “monk” (French for “monk”) was born, the English name given to this leather shoe without laces.

Its flawless design, smooth leather, clean clutch and sober colors quickly attract busy executives and new employees. But not only that. we had to wait until the 2010s and the advent of the social network Tumblr for the strip to get a makeover. During this time, the Creepers brand was a huge hit among teenagers with the iconic model in black and white leather, an XXL sole and double buckle that teased Monk’s “stuck” side. Other models go so far as to mix lace and buckle, like TUK, the favorite shoes of the underground youth of the 2010s, and then started wearing them, like British actress Keira Knightley and Frenchman Clément Poesy, who dared to wear them in high Chanel during the autumn-winter 2012-2013 fashion show.

From desk to podium

Today, it is the ready-to-wear and luxury industries that are embracing the buckle shoe. The classic reputation we stick to has been modernized, especially now that work clothes (office outfit, French) is back on the catwalks and in store windows. We’re thinking back to Prada’s spring-summer 2025 show, which completely reinvented the shoe under the direction of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons. From “tradition” it has become fashionable, appearing in burgundy, fringes, single or double ring. Today, the “monk” is worn with well-cut or very wide suit pants. Miu Miu, the little sister of the Italian luxury house, thus offers it a fashionable look, offering to adopt them in autumn-winter 2024 with a maxi turtleneck or underwear. In short, he is getting younger and now speaking to all generations. “To be good, it’s all about appearance,” says Bassem. There are brands like Jacques Solovière that also add a touch of fashion to it.”

Same at JM Weston. The French company with an Anglo-Saxon context offers a whole range of clutch shoes in its new products. Like this season’s re-release of a 1955 model, a pair of buckled derbies in black calf leather. Don’t count on less than €970 to enjoy this elegance. “It’s an investment,” Tresor Buffett tells us. We keep the buckle shoes for a long time, hence the price. But if we wear them, it’s also because we have a salary to match.” Jacques et Demeter, Septième Largeur, Alfred Sargent, John Lobb… These brands offer leather ankle boots of exceptional quality. The design, as simple as possible, is aimed at everyone… Except it doesn’t “speak” to everyone, as Aurelien confirms. “You have to really want them to wear them because these shoes can be intimidating if you don’t wear them regularly. Personally, the John Lobs weren’t my first pair, but I found them interesting and very comfortable.” Anyway, everything is a matter of personality. “If you look at politicians, there are some who have a boring style of dressing. While others, like François Fillon, are known to have excellent taste,” concludes Alois Guinut. Indeed, the former prime minister regularly wore shell boots, as did Spain’s King Felipe VI, who rarely takes his off. It seems that the secret of elegance is in the ribbon. Or two.