ROMAIN CARRÉ — A PASSION FOR MATERIALS AND THE MÉTIERS D’ART

For Romain Carré, everything begins with a fascination for materials and with observing the gesture of an artisan.

Initially trained in the culinary arts, Romain developed at a very young age a deep interest in natural materials, their transformation and the precision of handwork. But it was in Cannes, while working in a shop as part of a work-study programme to gain his independence, that leather truly entered his life.

On his way home, he would regularly pass a bespoke shoemaker’s workshop. Drawn to the craft, he began stopping to watch the artisan at work. Observation gradually gave way to conversation. When he learned that the shoemaker was looking for someone to work alongside him, Romain seized the opportunity.

At 19, he discovered the fundamentals of bespoke shoemaking, leatherwork and patina. A curiosity for materials became a profession.

After two years of apprenticeship, Romain decided to go further and moved to Paris to refine his savoir-faire alongside another shoemaker. Six months later, he chose to set out on his own.

Rather than reproducing the traditional model of shoe repair, he developed a more contemporary and personalised approach to the craft. He offered his services in barbershops, created bespoke patinas on shoes and sneakers — including Stan Smiths near the Champs-Élysées — and developed an on-site service within prestigious Parisian law firms, combining shoe care, patina and repair.

The business grew quickly and Romain recruited someone to work alongside him.

This first entrepreneurial experience already contained the foundations of what would later become the Carré approach: bringing traditional craftsmanship into contemporary uses and offering a deeply personalised service.

After three years in Paris, Romain chose to return to the South of France.

Gradually, his work moved beyond footwear. Leather became a field of expression in its own right: selecting hides, working with colour and patina, covering objects and creating bespoke pieces.

He collaborated with artists to integrate leather into artworks and customised creations, while also putting his savoir-faire at the service of several luxury houses.

Through these experiences, Romain developed a deeply personal approach to leather. He does not see it as a simple covering, but as a living material whose texture, touch and colour can be revealed and transformed by the hand.

THE BIRTH OF CARRÉ

After years spent mastering the material and putting his savoir-faire at the service of other projects, a new step became inevitable: creating his own Maison.

And giving it his name.

Carré was born in 2026.

A French Maison built around Romain Carré’s vision: exceptional leathers, the precision of the artisan’s gesture, personalisation and the desire to bring traditional craftsmanship into contemporary life.

With its first collection, Carré applies this expertise to the objects we use and handle every day. Leather phone cases, connected accessories and everyday objects become a canvas for material, personalisation and savoir-faire.

A dialogue between French craftsmanship and the way we live today.

Carré. Objects of Modern Life.