As the fashion capital of the world, Paris has always had a healthy supply of skilled tailors and cobblers. Preserving these businesses is a citywide effort: local authorities offer them lower rents and last autumn the government also introduced new legislation to incentivise Parisians to visit their local workshops more frequently. Since 2023, people have been able to claim back up to €25 of the cost of mending clothes and shoes in workshops that have joined a repair bonus scheme run by eco-organisation Refashion.

All this is a reflection of the city’s commitment to preserving its craft traditions and many Parisians’ desire to keep the fast-fashion cycle that has plagued the industry at arm’s length. Here, Monocle meets some of Paris’s experts, both new and well-established, who can bring your clothes back to life.

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1.
Veja General Store

After successfully launching repair services in Bordeaux, Berlin, Madrid, New York and London, trainer brand Veja recently added an outpost in Paris, the city where it was founded by Sebastien Kopp and François Ghislain Morillon. In line with its commitment to minimising fashion-industry waste, the label is now offering its customers the possibility to come into its new Rue de Marseille shop and have any trainers repaired (no matter the brand) instead of buying new ones.

Billed as a trainer repair “temple”, Veja General Store is home to cobblers who are trained in the specific techniques required to mend trainers, as well as a tailor who can give a new lease of life to clothing. There’s also a selection of high-quality products to encourage customers to keep their favourite shoes in mint condition, from laces, brushes and shoe creams to polishes. This one-stop shop ensures a smooth retail experience.

II Rue de Marseille, 75010 Paris

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2.
Superstich MFG
After developing an interest in denim as a teenager, Arthur Leclercq set out in search of rare sewing machines, which he salvaged from defunct factories across the city that operated between the r92os and r97os, a period considered to be a golden age for denim.

One of the biggest highlights during his treasure hunt was getting his hands on a Singer 47w70, a vintage machine for repairing and reweaving denim, which can make any restitching almost invisible.

“Every single machine you see here has been taken apart and put back together again,” says Leclercq, as he shows Monocle around Superstitch, his Left Bank shop on the Rue Racine.

Superstitch started five years ago by offering to mend even the rarest vintage denim. Leclercq’s expertise has since led him to start creating his own designs, mostly oversized jackets and trousers inspired by I97os Levi’s designs and made with high-quality Japanese fabrics.

He also stocks a special washing powder and denim detergent, ensuring that you can extend the lifecycle of your jeans.

IJ Rue Racine, 75006

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3.
L’Atelier d’Antoine

The profession of cordonnier (cobbler) is still alive and well in Paris, and L’Atelier d’Antoine is a case in point.

Nantes-born Antoine Rondeau’s passion for footwear has made him one of the most sought-after cobblers here. The loyal customers stepping through the door of his bright-yellow shopfront have included many famous Parisians committed to extending the lifespans of their footwear, former president Nicolas Sarkozy included.

After training under a master bootmaker and then honing his craft in Spain and the UK – where he discovered that, unlike shoes, languages were not his forte – Rondeau returned to Paris and worked for renowned footwear labels John Lobb and Berluti.

In 1996 he opened his own shop on Rue de Miromesnil and built a reputation as one of the city’s most skilled cobblers, particularly when it comes to reassembly. Rondeau can take shoes apart and restore them piece by piece.

The bigger the challenge, he says, the better. “I’m quite meticulous, I like everything that involves finishing,” he says. “Precision is something I enjoy and people recognise that.”

He also offers free postal delivery – a rare and valuable service that is appreciated by his busy clients.

75 Rue de Miromesnil, 75008

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4.
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

Le Bon Marche, the storied Left Bank deparnnent store, has dedicated much of its third floor to repair services.

Here, a team of tailors work on bringing items back to life, from fixing a button to adjusting a suit or dress to fit perfectly. Simple fixes on items bought at Le Bon Marche are free for holders of the store’s sought-after membership card.

Alongside the repair counter, Parisian shoemaker Malfroid, a specialist in shoe patination and care, offers cobbler services within the men’s fashion deparnnent, working on everything from boots and trainers to leather accessories.

Meanwhile, L’Atelier Horloger takes care of watch repairs of all kinds, from adjusting a metal bracelet to a full restoration. It’s a bold statement from the LVMH-owned retailer, which chose to make the space a home for the city’s craftspeople and encourage its clients to shop more mindfully.

24 Rue de Sevres, 75007

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5.
Frais Pressing

Jocelyn Pracca launched his dry cleaning company, Colporteur, in 2ou. Demand for clothing care services had been growing exponentially, yet he noticed that family-run businesses in Paris were closing down as their owners retired.

He launched Frais in 2020 to answer Parisians’ demand for repair services. It’s a one-stop shop for clothing care, with laundry services, a dry cleaner, cobbler and alterations services all under the same roof. Customers can bring sheets to be whitened a dress that needs adjusting or shoes in need of a polish.

“Our mission is to extend the lifespan of clothes,” says Pracca.

After the success of the first Frais outpost, located on the outskirts of Paris, he opened a second shop near the Canal Saint-Martin, which also stocks its own range of laundry products that are made in France using natural ingredients.

50 Rue de Lancry 75o1o

Read next: Monocle’s full city guide to Paris