An Interview With Eric Forestier, the CEO of Paraboot

As we drove through the winding, mountainous roads of Southeastern France, it became harder to imagine what Paraboots factory might look like. When you picture a purpose-built shoe factory, you don’t exactly imagine sweeping alpine panoramas or dense forests, and yet we were heading further and further into exactly that landscape. Finally, standing at the foot of the alps in Saint-Jean-de-Morains, we arrived at the sprawling building that facilitates the production of some of the highest quality shoes in the world. Framed by the Vercors and Chartreuse Mountains, the location highlights the rugged functionality that Paraboot was built on, and certainly makes for a scenic commute. Entering through a lobby adorned with artefacts gathered from nearly 120 years of history, we were greeted by a room filled with pieces from the brand's extensive archive, including early-run Michaels, classic Galibier hiking boots, and a range of rare collaborations. Inside, Eric Forestier greeted us warmly. Having been CEO for 6 years, Eric was gracious enough to give us some inside knowledge about the brand, and discuss his personal connection with Paraboot.

Having previously undertaken CEO duties for Lacroix Skis and Arpin Textiles, Eric is no stranger to French legacy brands. Founded in 1908, Eric explained that Paraboot's original aim was to build strong and durable shoes for workers in rural France by using high quality materials and production methods. “We try to maintain this,” he said, referring to the leather that the shoes are cut from. “The leather is the base of the shoe, there is no way to make [a] concession… [the leather] is the base of our success.” Eric made sure to voice the importance of sticking to a consistent level of quality when we asked why he thought the brand still has such a great reputation with consumers. “I think that the first thing [is to] keep the brand as an authentic brand. So, do not play a game.” He explained, “Make people trust you. No lies. So it's super, super important for a brand to stick to the DNA and to be an authentic brand, which is something we try to do.”

As a company with over a century of experience and history, the balance of modernity and heritage is a constant balancing-act for Paraboot. The factory echoes some of this balance, with vintage and often rare machinery working side-by-side with state of the art design and fabrication equipment. We wanted to know how the company finds the right mix of legacy technique and modernity in its operation. "It's super difficult to keep [things] the same way, because you have so many reasons to change. Things evolve.” Acknowledging the benefits of modernising, Eric made sure to double-down on the brand's commitment to their heritage. “Here the story is ‘ok, we need to evolve; we need to do some changes but we also need to stick to our roots.’ It's really day-to-day work to make people understand that Paraboot was created almost 120 years ago.”

With the brand becoming more popular and the factory operating near capacity Eric explained the kind of growing pains Paraboot is facing. “It's a challenge [to meet demand]… I mean, you have to deliver, but you have to deliver in the right time, with a good quality and a good quantity.” Facing this higher demand in the global market, we could only assume that the pressure on the workers inside must be immense, but Eric was quick to dispel this, explaining that the company tries its very hardest to ease stress and promote a healthy work/life balance. With such a specialised skillset needed for the construction of the shoes, Paraboot has ensured their team enjoys their work, opting for a four day work week and emphasising care over quotas. “We try to put no pressure on people.” Eric laughed, “Life is short, so take it easy, work seriously, but do your job and that's it!”

We were curious to know Eric's opinion on the reason for Paraboot's growth, especially within younger, more fashion-oriented markets. He referred again to the commitment to quality, but also brought up collaborations as a huge factor, explaining how the brand chooses likeminded designers to create one-off runs with. “I mean, we are not a marketing company. We have limited budget [and] we are a small company. The brand is a well known brand, sure, but the company is still small… so we need also to stick to the lifestyle… and say ‘okay, we need to choose some brands that are the same level of authenticity.’” This approach has allowed Paraboot to work with companies including Engineered Garments, Aimé Leon Dore, Barbour, and even GQ. By using these prolific collaborations to spread awareness, the brand has essentially cemented themselves as a footwear mainstay by proving their adaptability and keen eye for current fashion culture.

Knowing the work Eric was doing behind the scenes, we were interested to understand his personal connection to Paraboot. Asking about his favourite style, Eric informed us this was almost impossible for him to decide, as he is drawn to the functionality behind each shoe. He grabbed an ‘Imbattable’ from the shelf, explaining that its design was made for use in Les Halles de Paris, the iconic fresh food market of 1950s Paris. “This shoe was created for people who [were] working as a butcher for instance. The original colour was a kind of brown/red because if the blood was falling down on the shoes there is no [stain]; so each shoe has a story.” This keen eye for functionality was rooted in Eric's own experience, as he recalled receiving a pair as his first proper boots. “I was born in Lyon so not so far.” He reminisced, “and when you start to get older - like 18 years old in France - your parents, they say ‘it’s time for you to have a good shoe’, so Paraboot I remember well. Paraboot was my first real leather shoe. The first time I asked for a cobbler to repair my shoes was 20 years after I got [them].”

Eric's knowledge and passion was clear, and as we neared the end of our conversation, he left us with one last anecdote that seemed to sum up both his own attitude, and the attitude of the brand in general. “I remember when I first joined the company 6 years ago…” He said, “I took my car [to] to visit the 28 Paraboot shops in France and Belgium. I went to Troyes. There is a Paraboot shop in Troyes. I was discussing with the woman who is the shop manager for Paraboot and suddenly a customer enters the shop with a Paraboot. He was a winemaker. I say ‘hello, nice to meet you” and he gave me the shoes. [They were] completely used. At the beginning, I thought he wanted to buy [a new] one, and he said ‘no no no no, I’m going to repair it… I’m coming each 10 years to your shop to repair my Paraboot shoe, so… see you in 10 years!’”