Bienvenue! Parisian sneaker Bensimon comes to the Philippines

C'est la vie!

For one night, we were transported from the streets of Manila to Paris, complete with French music, a French chef, a Parisian menu, and the ambience of a Paris flea market.

Parisians have a passion for life. When I think of a romantic place, there is no other city that comes to my mind other than Paris. I've been there, done the Eiffel Tower and Louvre tours, walked around Champs Elysees, Notre Dame and Arc d' Triomphe. It is the French who tell us not to swallow our way through our meals but rather, to dawdle and savor each and every spoonful. It's no wonder that in France, on our way to a local concert, we passed a group of Parisian diners in a restaurant and still saw them there AFTER the concert. Even now, I remember being introduced to a French guy at my school in the U.S. who promptly took the hand I proffered for a shake and instead, kissed it. Oooh la la!

It is memories like these that wafted through my mind as I sat listening to how a Parisian brand of sneakers is making its presence felt in the Philippines. Two brothers, Serge and Yves Bensimon, created the perfectly imperfect classic design for a line of sneakers they aptly called Bensimon. Inspired by travel, military and true Parisian fashion, the sneakers of Bensimon come in a wide array of styles, colors and prints -- for men, women and even for kids.

Parisian chic oozes, whether they are in formal or casual garb. And the casual Parisian lifestyle is what Bensimon captured perfectly. Don't look for perfection in a pair of Bensimon sneakers because you will find a lot of imperfections in it. On the outside, the part where the rubber meets the colored cloth shows unevenly colored areas, with whites showing very close to the seam meeting the rubber.

But it is this very imperfection that adds to the chic elegance of the sneaker. The look is laid back with a rugged feel. The underside shows that it is made not only for casual walks but also for tougher use.

But the real surprise for me was that despite its seemingly rugged look, the moment I wore my own pair of Bensimons, it felt really soft and pliable. I tried bending the sneakers and they actually could be bent so toe touched heel! I walked around in them, jumped, jogged a bit and walked some more. Super comfy! I think this will be a favorite active footwear!

Prices range from PhP 2,095-2,565 for the men's and women's lines and PhP 1,295 for the kids' styles.

Bensimon sneakers will be available in Center of Gravity )Forbes Town, Burgos Circle and Centris Walk), Shoe Salon (Glorietta 3, Power Plant Mall Rockwell, Robinson's Ermita, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Trinoma) and Shoe Thing (kids' styles only: Bonifacio High Street, Eastwood Mall, Greenbelt 5).

Website: bensimon.com.ph
Twitter: @BensimonPH
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BensimonPhilippines
Instagram: BensimonPhilippines
Hashtag: #BensimonPH