How do you know a designer is officially cool? When Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garcons and inventor of things like 'Hiroshima chic' and the lump dress, calls herself a fan, as she does of Parisian shoe label Adieu, you can be pretty sure something's been anointed with true fashion cred. Having spotted the niche shoe brand in a Japanese newspaper, she said that she needed to see them for herself and seized the opportunity on a trip to Paris. 'It was during fashion week so we were upstairs in the showroom and she came in with her husband', Isabelle Guédon, one half of the design duo behind Adieu, told us on a visit to London recently. 'She said she thought they were beautiful. So that was quite a moment!'.

This insider favourite, which is now available at MATCHESFASHION.COM, started in 2012 by textile designer Isabelle, who had been working as Alber Elbaz's assistant before moving to Yves Saint Laurent, and shoe designer Benjamin Caron, really is a project of passion. Fueled by a meticulous attention to detail, including using the finest French and Italian leathers, or a foam-like inner that makes even smart shoes as light and comfortable as sneakers, and a fascination with rock'n'roll style from numerous eras, the two designers succeed in creating something that's as attractive as it is practical, and appeals to a wide range of fashion fans. 

'Originally we thought we would only have very fashion-focussed people who would like the simplicity of our shoes and also pick up all the references and young people who are used to sneakers', Isabelle says. 'But we also have quite old ladies. They like that we do comfortable shoes that don’t look like old women’s shoes' she laughs. 

The old ladies almost didn't get a look in though. 'We first thought about just doing a men’s line', Isabelle told us, 'but then when the samples arrived, I was just like, oh my god, I have to have them!'.

Check them out at MATCHESFASHION.COM now, and we don't doubt you'll feel the same.