6 French-Made Shoes Every Man Will Want For Autumn/Winter 2026
Autumn has a habit of exposing weak footwear. Flimsy soles, precious leather and shapes that only work with one pair of trousers soon become expensive mistakes. The smart move is to build a shoe rotation with enough character to lift an outfit and enough backbone to survive the forecast.
For autumn/winter 2026, we have teamed up once again with French footwear brand Kleman. The new collection channels seasonal inspiration through product-led design, drawing on the brand’s workwear heritage, French manufacturing and close attention to materials. Pull-up leather, nubuck, suede and corduroy bring depth to familiar silhouettes, while each featured pair is made in France.
Consider these six shapes the harder-working side of a well-rounded autumn shoe rotation. The specific Kleman models are excellent examples, but the broader ideas matter more. Get these right, and the bottom half of your wardrobe largely takes care of itself.
The Moc-Toe Derby
A good moc-toe derby has the rare ability to look better the less carefully you treat it. The stitched apron gives the shoe visual weight, while open lacing and a substantial sole keep it firmly on the casual side of the Derby-shoe spectrum. It feels purposeful rather than dressy, which is exactly what makes it useful.
Kleman’s leather Padror is the benchmark. Created in the 1990s for employees of France’s national railway, it has since escaped the uniform cupboard and become a modern workwear staple. The serrated welt, apron stitching and lugged rubber sole give it identity without limiting what you can wear above it.
The classic black leather model still shows the design at its clearest, but the new-season variations make a strong case for going softer. The Padror MX V recasts the familiar shape in neutral suede, retaining the scalloped edge and substantial sole while making the shoe feel lighter and more relaxed. Dark-brown suede and mixed leather-and-suede versions offer further ways into the same silhouette.
Black leather is the most versatile choice. Use it to put some muscle beneath wide wool trousers and a soft blazer, or lean into its origins with straight denim, a chore jacket and a heavyweight knit. Either way, a few scuffs will only improve the story.
The Chunky-Sole Loafer
The penny loafer is not just for navy blazers and fair weather. Give it a lugged sole, broaden the shape and it becomes one of autumn’s most versatile shoes. You retain the ease and polish of a slip-on, but gain enough visual weight to work with denim, corduroy and heavier tailoring.
Kleman’s black leather Cotteur 2 makes the cleanest case for the idea, with visible moc-toe stitching and a deep rubber tread. The bordeaux version adds a richer flash of colour, while the mocha Cotteur MX Oaxa VC mixes smooth leather and suede with a speckled, cork-loaded sole.
The styling trick is to let the sole do the heavy lifting. Wear a black pair with cropped charcoal trousers and thick socks, or use brown and bordeaux leather to warm up washed denim and olive fatigues. The contrast is what makes the style work: a refined upper, a workwear sole and none of the usual loafer preciousness.
The Heavyweight Boat Shoe
The boat shoe has finally stopped waiting for an invitation to the marina. In its new heavyweight form, the familiar moc-toe upper sits above a far more assertive sole, turning a warm-weather preppy staple into something that can handle proper trousers, proper socks and a less-than-tropical forecast.
The Embruns 2 N Sioux captures the mood in soft cognac nubuck. It keeps the relaxed, low-cut shape that makes deck shoes so comfortable, but the richer texture and grounded proportions make much more sense with autumn layers. Think of it as the missing link between a moccasin and a work shoe.
Try it with ecru denim, a brushed flannel shirt and a navy chore coat, or with wide cords and a chunky cardigan. The extra weight keeps it from looking stranded beneath autumn layers, while the low profile remains easier and more relaxed than a boot.
The Plush-Suede Shoe
Texture is autumn’s easiest styling shortcut. When an outfit is built from muted colours and simple shapes, a plush suede shoe adds depth without asking you to wear anything loud. The finish catches the light, softens a chunky silhouette and looks particularly good beside dry wool, faded denim and brushed cotton.
Kleman has pushed the idea in two directions for AW26. The Nomade M V Fur turns a strapped penny loafer into something almost slipper-like, while the Courrier 2 Fur applies the same fuzzy finish to a more rugged mountain derby. One is relaxed and slightly eccentric; the other looks ready to kick through fallen leaves.
Keep the rest of the outfit texturally restrained. Straight dark trousers, a plain Oxford shirt and an unstructured coat give the shoes room to register. Tonal dressing works well too, particularly with sand, tobacco, chocolate and olive.
The City Hiker
Not every hiking-inspired shoe needs to look as though it is waiting for crampons. The best city hikers borrow the useful parts, such as a grippy sole, robust leather and practical hardware, then lose the bulk of a full boot. The result is comfortable enough for long walks but restrained enough for the office.
The Courrier CG strikes that balance. Its black leather upper is punctuated by metal hooks and a rear pull loop, while the lugged rubber sole gives it the stance of outdoor footwear. Because the profile remains low, it sits neatly beneath straight or wide-leg trousers rather than swallowing them.
Wear it with technical outerwear if you like, but the more interesting move is contrast: pleated wool trousers, a brushed crew neck and a clean mac. The outdoor details add grit to smarter pieces without sending the whole outfit into full expedition mode.
The Low-Cut Worker Shoe
Take the attitude and durability of a worker boot, trim away the ankle and you are left with a shoe that can anchor almost anything. This is the pair for days when a polished derby feels too formal and a trainer feels flimsy. It has presence, but it does not make the whole outfit about your feet.
The Major family shows what you can do with that simple formula. The black leather Major is clean and dependable; the Major G in tobacco-grained leather is warmer and more rugged; and the cognac suede Major VP Oak 2 softens the shape without losing the lugged sole. The latter also uses rubber containing 20% recycled material.
Match the volume with straight-leg jeans, carpenter trousers or relaxed tailoring. A cropped jacket keeps the proportions tidy, while a long overcoat makes the heavy sole feel deliberate. It is the sort of shoe that asks very little and gives a great deal back.
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A paid partnership with Kleman – words and opinions are Ape’s own.
