Kleman

About

Made by hand in Maine-et-Loire, part of the Loire Valley region in France – Kleman footwear combines everyday functionality with chic French style. The utilitarian roots of these moccasin toed derbies and shoes lend a comfort and style which makes them perfect for the post-sneaker world. A shoemaker and bootmaker by trade, René Cléon joined the front lines during the Second World War. He was taken prisoner in 1940 during the Battle of France and spent 5 years in captivity in a Stalag in Germany, where he continued to model small leather shoes in his spare time. Probably hoping to be back soon to his homeland, the idea of launching his shoe manufacturing workshop is gradually growing. At the end of the war in 1945, in the weeks following his return, he formed a team of apprentices and bought his first stitching and assembly machines. The story begins in the family home in La Romagne, with a specialization on Kneipp sewn mixed models, then the business grows and a factory is built. The sons Jacques and Louis-Marie took up the torch and diversified the activity in the 1970s -1980s. In 1988, the KLEMAN label (contraction of Cléon Manufacture) was officially launched. Cléon then became a supplier for several French public administrations which trusted his know-how. The company wins increasingly large tenders; first to shoeing the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer [the French national railway company], then Air France, then will come Customs, certain fire departments, or even the French army.