Stepping into Parisian street style

MANILA, Philippines - After wiping out an insanely tasty bowl of F.U. Ramen at Wrong Ramen, I stood up only to discover that my six-year-old pair of sandals had snapped. What a way to end date night, right? While my boyfriend attempted chivalry by trying to Mighty Glue the offending strap back into its socket, I knew that I needed a new pair of shoes, stat. As a I dragged my feet along Burgos Circle, I spotted the display of Bensimon sneakers in Center of Gravity. I’ve been going through a serious tennis shoe phase recently and I remembered my friend Carla who was obsessed with Bensimon ever since our trip to Paris when we were newly-grads. Initially, I was hesitant about the fact that I had no socks on (the store didn’t sell socks either), but the patient saleslady who had to run back and forth to the stock room to find me the right size (I’m a 7.5 to 8 with most shoe brands, but with Bensimon, I’m a size 9) reassured me that the shoes were machine washable. I chose a laceless pair in bright yellow and after the cashier rang up my purchase, the saleslady told me, “Merci, ma’am! That means ‘thank you’ in French!” A French lesson to go with my Parisian tennis shoes? Très bien! I ended up wearing them for two straight days after.

The following week, I recounted my story to an amused Anne Gonzalez, the president of Terry S.A., the company that brought in Bensimon, at the brand’s official launch last Tuesday in Enderun College, which was transformed into a quaint French cafe-slash-art museum. “We aim to challenge the perception of Filipinos about sneakers in the country from a footwear category that is identified with grunge and roughness to one that is sophisticated and stylish. The Bensimon lifestyle highlights the perfect imperfections of Paris,” Bensimon Philippines brand director Ammiel De Leon said. Launched 30 years ago by Serge and Yves Bensimon, the iconic tennis shoe is known for its “perfect imperfections,” like little rumples in the fabric or dye stains on the rubber, which have made it synonymous with effortless Parisian chic.

Perfect imperfections — though my initial encounter with Bensimon wasn’t ideal either, it was definitely a case of perfect timing. After the launch, I walked out with my second pair of Bensimons in maroon, except this time, I didn’t have to break a shoe to get them.

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Bensimon sneakers for men and women are available at Center of Gravity (Forbes Town, Burgos Circle and Centris Walk), Shoe Salon (Glorietta 3, Power Plant Mall Rockwell, Robinson’s Ermita, Shangri-La Plaza Mall and TriNoma) and at Shoe Thing for children’s styles (Bonifacio High Street, Eastwood Mall, and Greenbelt 5).