“I know how to create the desire to move forward together”: Toulouse shoemaker Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux feels better and better in his sneakers

No longer say LBT for Le Bottier Toulousain but Pointures. At 8 rue du Canard, in the heart of Toulouse, the workshop specializing in the creation of custom shoes and sneakers is changing its name. “The idea is to demonstrate our ambition and our demands in the shoemaking profession, as well as our placement in the high-end sector,” announces Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux.

It was he who was the starting point of this fabulous adventure, founding Le Bottier Toulousain in 2018, rue des Paradoux. But today, the “S” in Pointures means that Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux is no longer alone in the maneuver. “We are three partners. There is Julien Bonzom, general manager and Arthur Doncieux, sales manager”. The S also indicates the plurality of society. “Le Bottier Toulouse was too local while our clientele has expanded considerably. We speak nationally and even internationally,” continues Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux.

Change of name or not, the workshop retains the essence of its artisanal know-how “with this specificity that we started from shoes while opening up to sneakers, thanks to Nicolas Fournès, and new talents since. today, a large part of our activity”, recognizes the bootmaker.

Curly hair gathered in a tail, a sleeveless fleece that floats over a white t-shirt, loose pants and green sneakers on his feet (Air Jordan One High Travis Scott), Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux keeps the relaxed look of the globe -trotter. What could be more normal for this 45-year-old man who traveled the world with his parents for many years. “Until I was 18, I lived in twelve to thirteen countries. Then, I started traveling again for two years on a personal basis.” A graduate of a business school, he then spent seven years in the seminary before finally giving up on becoming a priest “because it was not my path”.

The hole in the belt

After having been a management consultant, he chose to turn to a profession “which combines the beautiful and the useful” almost by chance, by entering a shoemaker on rue de Metz, in Toulouse, to make a hole in his belt . “I’m in my fourth life,” jokes Jean-Emmanuel. He, who until then did not know how to work, then undertook training in Muret, for three years, “I started as a shoemaker then I discovered shoemaking know-how and specialized in this field with the desire to make it exist in Toulouse”, he remembers. Jean-Emmanuel takes the plunge, gives himself a year to succeed, saying to himself: “If it works, I’ll continue. Otherwise, I’ll return to shoemaking, also a noble profession.”

The rest, we know it. The craftsman with a sunny personality is a misfortune. Better than that, he knows how to seize opportunities, surround himself with the right people and break through at great speed. “I think that,” slips this creator who is both humble and passionate.

“Portable art”

It is in this context that Pointures was created today, with three partners at its head. At the same time, the workshop revised its layout “to support this move upmarket”. Upon entering, behind the black window, we find a gallery where exceptional pieces are exhibited, including the pair of sneakers designed for the astronaut Thomas Pesquet. Just behind, bay windows reveal sewing machines placed on wooden tables. This is the manufacturing workshop. Behind it, there is a room dedicated to training “where young people are welcomed in apprenticeships via the CAP shoemaker and boot maker as well as sneaker training”. By delegating administrative tasks, Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux savors the pleasure of returning to creation. “I’m starting to make shoes again, which allows you to step into yourself. I really like it, it’s calming.”

Here, each pair of shoes is the result of meticulous handwork, from cutting the leather to assembly, with particular care given to every detail. Both a jewel and a work of art, it costs €3,000 for some of these traditional know-how shoes, which require a significant amount of work and will last 30 years. With Pointures, we could go for very high-end. For example, we are working on a pair of shoes estimated at between €80,000 and €100,000. This is our biggest project,” concludes Jean-Emmanuel Pialoux.