Finsbury’s Footsteps: How Arnaud Bruillon Built Upon a French Footwear Legacy
- Michael Foust
- Mar 25
- 7 min read
In the world of premium men’s footwear, few names carry the blend of tradition and innovation quite like Finsbury. What began as a niche Parisian brand in 1986 has become a symbol of accessible luxury, thanks in large part to Arnaud Bruillon, the once-teenage sales associate turned CEO. Under his visionary leadership, Finsbury has expanded across continents, introduced a women’s line, and adapted to the changing rhythms of fashion without losing sight of its artisanal roots. In this exclusive interview, Arnaud opens up to LO'AMMI about the brand’s evolution, his personal journey, and why quality and conviction are the true hallmarks of modern style.
Michael Foust: Thank you for your time, as we really appreciate it here at LO'AMMI Magazine. Personally, having three pairs of your shoes for work and casual situations, I am impressed by the construction, style, and overall work put into the footwear. They have lasted quite a few years, with keeping up with treating and polishing them. They seem to keep up with the demands of the fashion week seasons and are impressive for social interactions. It's an exciting opportunity for us to learn more about the intimate relationships, thoughts, and work for fine leather footwear products.
Arnaud Bruillon: Thank you for being a Finsbury brand customer. We are proud that Finsbury is worn in the USA.
Michael Foust: Can you tell us a little bit about what drew you to the Finsbury brand and to rediscover its core roots?
Arnaud Bruillon: Finsbury is a French brand that started in 1986 in Paris and specializes in premium shoes. The initial DNA was to propose manufacturing English men's shoes at a low price. This spirit is still alive. After more or less 40 years of activities, Finsbury is a leader in the "French Premium Shoe Market," we sell around 250,000 pairs of shoes with a price range between 160€ and 360€.
Our know-how is focused on a welted shoe (Goodyear and Blake construction) with a wide range of materials, including leathers from France (Tannerie Du Puy and Annonay) and Italy. These are also used by most luxury leather goods brands worldwide.
A few words about the Finsbury story [from my perspective]: after a few years of success in the 80s and 90s, Finsbury remained a Parisian brand with just a handful of stores. In 1995, at the age of 17, I signed my first contract as a simple sales associate. I spent a few years learning the ropes as a seller and then moved up to become a store manager. Then, in 2000, I was presented with the opportunity to become the brand's first franchisee. That's where my own Finsbury journey truly began. Each year, I opened a new store in the best locations I could find—Paris's Boulevard Saint Germain, the Champs Elysées, and more. By 2010, the network had grown to 10 stores, 7 of which I owned. It was a natural next step for me to acquire the entire group from the original founder, with the vision to accelerate the brand's growth. Fifteen years later, Finsbury has expanded to 83 stand-alone points of sale across France, along with 10 international stores in Belgium, Luxembourg, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Hong Kong, and other locations.
The brand also began selling digitally in 2017, using all the technical processes to offer a perfect experience for each customer, from the website to the store. The Finsbury experience is the same: premium shoes at an affordable price, an elegant concept store, and an experienced salesman on our team.
Digital represents 15% of the brand's turnover of 40 million euros.
Michael Foust: Over the years, and in meetings with other designers and fashion industry owners, it seems that they are excited to be a part of a brand's history that they grew up with or were inspired by during their youth. What previous fashion experience did you have before going on this journey with footwear?
Arnaud Bruillon: I've always considered myself a man of product. While business is at the heart of every decision I make, I firmly believe that before any commercial strategy comes into play, you must have complete confidence in what you're selling.
As I mentioned before, I am deeply involved in the collection alongside our general manager. We travel frequently to visit our factories and meet with potential new suppliers—especially those who bring unique or innovative expertise. Our goal is simple: to improve our shoes every single day while remaining firmly rooted in the tradition of handmade shoemaking. Every sample and prototype is personally tested and worn by me before it becomes part of the Finsbury collection.
We're passionate about the artisanal nature of our products and committed to making that quality accessible to as many people as possible. With Finsbury, quality footwear is no longer reserved for luxury brands or exclusive markets.
Michael Foust: As transparency is one of the most fascinating parts of a brand's creation process, where are your materials sourced and made?
Arnaud Bruillon: The collections are designed in Paris by a very small and experienced team. Our shoes are manufactured only in Europe, with a short production and material supply process. As mentioned, our shoes are made in Spain (40%), Italy (30% and Portugal 30%). We have worked since the beginning with French, Italian, and a bit with English tanneries for leather.
We are extremely careful about the origin of our materials and do not compromise on quality. For example, Finsbury uses 100% box calf in all our lining. These details are one of the differences between high- and middle-quality classical shoes for men.
As a proactive CEO who manages all the day-to-day issues directly, working on a shoe collection is like a recreational moment; the final goal is to surprise our customers without ever denying the quality and know-how of the brand. Building a collection is a strong responsibility. However, we know our customers, and every time we design a new model, we are very excited to verify if what we imagined will find a warm welcome and make successful sales in our stores.
Michael Foust: With the fashion industry going through several cycles within the last few years in rapid fashion in rather slow fluxes, how has this changed your adaptivity within this world with Finsbury?
Arnaud Bruillon: None, but Finsbury is a medium-sized company; the members of our leadership team are directly involved in the decision-making process when it comes to the collection and creation. As general manager, I'm very often in our factories and on the production lines, working hands-on to oversee and develop the new collection. We have a very short decision-making process, and that was true even before and during COVID. We started noticing changes in men's fashion as early as 2019, with the rise of more casual styles—even within formal and traditionally conservative professions. COVID accelerated that shift dramatically, and within just six months, we introduced a casual range that included 30 new sneaker styles. Today, sneakers make up 35% of Finsbury's turnover, and we've stayed committed to maintaining high quality in every pair.
For a long time, we have worked differently from others as an old/classical brand. We refuse to work with seasonal collections. Throughout the year, we introduce new models into the collection to prevent customers from feeling that the collection lacks renewal.
Finsbury proposes 40 new models per year, which is unusual in our retail market. This is maybe the only common point between Finsbury and the fast fashion industry.
Michael Foust: Finsbury was mostly a traditional men's fashion focus, and now you are expanding into women's fashion and style. Can you tell us about that process and how it's been challenging and rewarding for you?
Arnaud Bruillon: The idea of a woman's collection is an old one, but the development of the brand was hard and fast. We matured in our French development, and the idea was studied again in 2022. With more than 450,000 men's customers, we had many women, often the wives of our customers, asking: "When will Finsbury allow us to find such high-quality shoes for women?"
Starting from this point, we decided to take on this new challenge at the end of 2023: the first stand-alone Finsbury Femme in Paris, Rue de Rennes. Now we are opening our 5th store in a famous commercial center near Paris. In less than 15 months, things changed very quickly, and with very good returns from our customers, press, and influencers.
Michael Foust: As the year progresses into a beautiful flowering springtime here in Paris, is there any exciting news from your brand that you would like to share?
Arnaud Bruillon: The network development is very active. Six stores are signed for this year (three specifically for Finsbury Woman). For the second part of the year, we would like to confirm a women's flagship in Paris Le Marais, a famous localization for a respectable brand like Finsbury.
The city of Genève, Switzerland, is also a goal. Many prime locations with famous addresses are being considered, and we believe in an October opening. If the first store is successful, we will develop a network with five to seven stores in Switzerland.
Africa is also a big potential market. After two stores in Ivory Coast, we will open a flagship location in Dakar, Sénégal. Finsbury can sell shoes and open stores where a smart man wants to buy elegant, handcrafted shoes.
To give a better efficiency to our website with confirm a big investment for 2025, our website will be 100% efficient with all the digital best practices. The responsive part of the Finsbury website will be between mobile phone/computer, the purchasing tunnel, cross-selling, click and collect, store to web, and web to store.
We also work with several marketplaces to spread Finsbury in a new European market. We realize that 15% of our digital traffic is from foreign countries; before three years, we are targeting 50% global outside France.
Finally, we believe we have many commercial development assets linked to travel retail. In a few years, we believe Finsbury could perform in International Airports and train stations focused on customers who travel for business or tourism.
Michael Foust: Thank you again for your time in this interview. It is wonderful to see the interworkings of such a unique and classic brand.
As Finsbury strides confidently into new markets—from Le Marais to Geneva and Dakar—it carries with it a philosophy that champions heritage without hesitation to evolve. Arnaud Bruillon’s hands-on approach and unwavering commitment to product excellence have not only preserved Finsbury’s DNA but propelled it into an era where tradition meets forward-thinking innovation. Whether it’s through expanding digital platforms or redefining elegance for women, Finsbury’s journey is one worth walking—and watching.
(Original interview conducted in French, translated by V. Di Nino with direction of Mr. Bruillon)
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