The Sneaker Made From the Marseille Ocean

By Gary Kingsnorth, Contributing Editor

PC © Kazou Ohishi

French designer, agnès b., has collaborated with French sneaker label Corail, a brand that shares similar values with the renowned designer. The two fashion houses have worked together to create contemporary styles made from plastic recovered from the Mediterranean Sea and the coast of Marseille.

Thanks to clean-up operations carried out with the help of Marseille fishermen and local associations, the plastic collected is recycled to make the soles, uppers, linings and even the laces of the sneakers, which are manufactured in a traditional way.

The production is artisanal: The artisans make the sneakers by hand and take attention to the smallest detail because recycling does not prevent quality. These materials are sustainable, 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

Corail was founded in 2019 by two long-time friends, Paul Guedj and Alexis Troccaz, sneakers fans who were also disgusted by the amount of plastic waste found on the beaches of Southern France.

In 2019, they also launched the “Nique pas ta mer* operation, in collaboration with fishermen who collect the rubbish floating at sea with trawls attached to the back of their boats.

At the same time, Paul and Alexis organize litter collection on the beaches, transforming this waste into sneakers and backpacks. These operations also allow fishermen, who are severely affected by climate change, to receive additional income.

PC © Patrick Swirc

agnès b. has been in love with the sea since childhood when she sailed with her father and her brother Bruno Troublé, who later became a renowned skipper. In 2003, together with her son, Etienne Bourgois, she bought the schooner Tara, which carries out scientific expeditions for the protection of the ocean.

She continues to be the primary sponsor of the Tara Ocean Foundation, directed by Romain Troublé, and with this new collaboration with Corail, agnès b. reinforces her commitment to protecting the oceans, and her leadership within the fashion industry to respect our environment.