Sporty French Footwear For A Very Good Cause
"Be cool, be good," is the motto at Twins for Peace, a Paris-based shoe company founded by twin brothers Maxime and Alexandre Mussard, along with their childhood friend Louis Felix De Fenoyl. Just take a look at their shoes, and the "cool" portion of the equation becomes incredibly obvious. Twins for Peace creates classic, sporty sneakers that go with almost every casual look. Like most things French, it's an effortless sort of look, a bit of je ne sais quoi. But the good part? That can use some explaining.
For every pair of sneakers you purchase, Twins for Peace donates a pair of shoes to children in need. However, they don't simply hand out shoes. Instead, they work with local shoemakers in developing countries to help bolster the local economy and provide jobs for the community.
We wanted to learn more about this irresistible French company, so we talked to Yoann Corbin and Maxine Mussard from Twins for Peace about their creative process and stylish ethos.
Can you tell us about the genesis of Twins for Peace?
Well, our idea came about when Maxime realized he was not so deeply interested in having a long academic career, but more into creating something useful. After traveling in Africa, he realized that he really wanted to help children in need and to help support world peace. He wanted to communicate to our generation that it is not only about capitalism. To achieve this, he decided to join forces with his twin brother Alexandre, and his best childhood friend Louis Felix De Fenoyl, to create Twins For Peace.
What has been your favorite part of working on Twins for Peace?
Giving shoes to the children in Brazil, Mozambique and Colombia, our three shoe projects at the moment. And we all value the knowledge that we are making a difference, that we are a part of something real.
Has working on a charitable project changed your personal outlook?
Definitely. We want to do more! We think about creating Twins foundation in the coming years, which will be used to develop more projects. Moreover, our experience with Twins for Peace has taught us not to quit, not to lay down when things get complicated, because having a company is not easy!
Do you have a favorite, go-to, super-comfortable piece of clothing (or accessory) that you always gravitate towards?
One pair of Twins and a pair of sunglasses are always with me.
What are three things that make you smile?
Family/Friends
Generosity/Honesty
Sport/effort