Journal · Brand
A derby made for work, now worn with jeans, ecru trousers or a wool coat.
The Padror is the best-known model from KLEMAN, the footwear brand launched in 1988 by the Cléon family manufacturer in La Romagne, Anjou. At ECRU we have it in black and brown.
01 · A shoe with a trade
Made for railway workers
Before KLEMAN, the Cléon family workshop made work footwear for civil servants, railway workers and factory staff. The brand grew out of that trade in 1988 and, according to the brand itself, the Padror followed in the 1990s: a derby designed for the staff of the SNCF, the French railways.
Assembly and finishing take place in France, at the Anjou workshop; the brand states that the upper is stitched in Tunisia. That is where its character comes from: a sober, sturdy shoe with no ornament that does not serve a purpose.
02 · Reading the silhouette
Three details that define it
The sole. EDITO Grip rubber with a pronounced tread and a 3 cm heel. It gives the shoe a broad base that balances trousers with drape and outerwear.
The apron stitching. A pronounced seam outlines the vamp and toe: it is the most visible detail and the one that gives it its work-shoe look. The leather. Smooth cowhide upper, calf leather and textile lining, and a fixed leather insole. The brand advises against waterproofing spray on this leather.
03 · Two colours
Black or brown: how to wear it
01
Black with ecru
Straight-cut ecru or beige trousers that fall over the shoe, with a plain shirt or sweatshirt. The black sets the contrast and the outfit stays clean.
02
Brown with jeans
Straight or slightly wide blue jeans, with a wool jumper or an overshirt. The brown softens the blue and gives a more relaxed feel.
03
With work trousers
Grey wool trousers with turn-ups, beige chinos or work trousers in earthy tones, with a flannel shirt or knitwear. It is the way of wearing it most faithful to its origins.
04 · Comparison
Kleman Padror and Paraboot Michael: similarities and differences
They are often compared because they share a silhouette: a lace-up derby inspired by workwear, with a chunky rubber sole. They are different shoes, with different histories and manufacturing processes.
- OriginPadror: KLEMAN (Cléon factory), created for SNCF staff. Michael: Paraboot, introduced in 1945 according to the brand.
- SilhouetteBoth are lace-up derbies with a thick sole. The Padror has a pronounced seam on the apron; the Michael, a protective piped seam.
- MaterialsPadror: cowhide leather, calf leather and textile lining, EDITO Grip rubber sole. Michael: leather, leather lining and natural rubber sole.
- ConstructionMichael: Norwegian welt, according to Paraboot. Padror: KLEMAN does not specify how the sole is attached, so we do not treat it as equivalent.
- ManufacturePadror: assembled and finished in France, with the upper stitched in Tunisia. Michael: made in France, according to Paraboot.
- PricePadror: 170 € at ECRU. Michael: 485 €, Paraboot’s official price
If you want the Michael for its Norwegian welt, the Padror is not a substitute: it is a different shoe. If what draws you is the French work silhouette with a sturdy sole, the Padror offers it with its own history.
Size and where to buy
Measurements and size advice are in our KLEMAN size guide. You will find the Padror in our shops in La Laguna and Santa Cruz, and online at ecru.es with delivery to all the Canary Islands, mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands.