Boussoles air du temps The man makes the shoes The name had all but disappeared from the capital’s streets, but a new line has revived the Paris shoemaker Malfroid, for the greater pleasure of connoisseurs and dandies alike. Malfroid, the Parisian bootmaker, used to be based near the devote himself entirely to Malfroid. For their leathers, he and École Militaire—and for good reason, as the company was the Bastié work with the best tanners in France—including Annonay, supplier to army corps, national regiments and the Garde Degermann and Tanneries du Puy—and for their suede, with the Républicaine. Malfroid’s very discreet renown but peerless qual- venerable company Stead in England. Their soles are made from ity led to a collaboration with J.M. Weston in 1975, thereby leather that is vegetable-tanned extremely slowly (12 months) “helping the label get its foot in the door as a supplier to these in a bath of chestnut bark and quebracho, making them natu- institutions,” explains Thomas de Bascher. Together with Victor rally water- and rot-resistant and very tough. The eyelets are Bastié, de Bascher has helped revive Malfroid, whose name was oval, to better accommodate the shape of the instep. never registered or protected, just forgotten—much to the cha- In addition to the “normal” patinas, Malfroid offers a neutral grin of its aristocratic clients, who were creatures of habit. Now “natural crust” version for each style that can be given a custom it’s back, turning out gleaming custom patinas and ensconced patina in the store, where the team also provides polishing, gloss- in a store that opened in November 2018 in Paris’s 17th ar- ing and routine care. A few limited-edition designs, such as the rondissement. Malfroid’s first collection is for men only, with Stelvio boots in two different leathers, are aimed at true connois- 15 styles and 7 basic forms, including the Gritti moccasin, the seurs. In March, in a similar vein, Malfroid will be bringing out Lannistair, Bristol and Savoy oxfords, and the Berrière Chelsea the single-strap wholecut Jacques, named in tribute to Jacques boot, whose name is linked to the château belonging to the de Bascher, his beloved uncle. Yes, that’s right, the superlative de Bascher family that was ennobled thanks to the duchesse dandy Jacques de Bascher, the conspicuous companion of Karl de Berry. Situated near Nantes, it’s surrounded by a 300-year- Lagerfeld, flamboyant night-owl and party-goer of the 1970s and old wine estate and is where Thomas’s parents still live today. ’80s. An uncle “who only bought John Lobbs, and had them broken in by friends who wore the same size, 43.” As a child and The patina of time A 40-something rugby player, de Bascher teenager, Thomas de Bascher recalls how his notorious relative was a prankster in his youth: he once passed himself off as his lived like a prince, “always quick to play incredible pranks at the sister to get a job interview with Chanel (he became the firm’s expense of my parents, uncles and aunts, turning up at the first male sales assistant). After living in Barcelona and Rome, château accompanied by Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Ines de la where he met his wife (who comes from a noble Italian dynasty Fressange, Prince or Mick Jagger, arriving by helicopter—Concorde that includes a cardinal), today he is based in Paris. He loves couldn’t land in the grounds—or at the wheel of amazing sports shoes so much he owns 90 pairs made by the finest English and cars like the Ferrari 250 GTO, which is etched in my memory.” French shoemakers. For everyday use, he prefers American Although the title of comte de Bascher de Beaumarchais belongs saddle shoes, the two-tone design with red soles. After several to another branch, Thomas de Bascher is perfectly happy about enriching experiences in the tech world, corporate apparel for this. His values lie elsewhere. This cheerful father and young fine Cartier, Land Rover and the Ritz, and limited-edition reversible shoe entrepreneur has made his mark on Malfroid—which he small leather goods, de Bascher says that he’s given up poker to promises will soon be making footwear for women. 62