Universal Works x Paraboot: The Beauty of Imperfection

When two brands built on craftsmanship and quiet confidence come together, the result is rarely loud — but it’s always considered. For autumn, British menswear label Universal Works and French shoemaker Paraboot present La Beauté Dans L’Imperfection, a collaboration that celebrates authenticity, imperfection, and timeless design.

For Universal Works founder David Keyte, this partnership has been years in the making. “I’ve worn Paraboot since I was a young man,” he says. “I bought my first pair of Michaels forty years ago. When we finally met through a shared Italian agent, it just felt right — we already understood each other.” That mutual understanding — a respect for tradition and a shared belief in making things that last — forms the foundation of the collaboration.

The idea was born in the Paraboot factory, nestled in the French Alps. Surrounded by hides, tools, and craftsmen, the teams found themselves questioning the concept of perfection in leather. “Can leather ever be perfect?” Keyte asked. “The marks and variations — that’s where the beauty is. They tell you it’s real.” It’s a philosophy that fits both brands effortlessly: perfection isn’t the goal, but authenticity is.

At the heart of the project is Paraboot’s iconic Michael shoe, reimagined through the Universal Works lens. Offered in black, coffee, and sand, each pair plays with texture and tone — smooth and pebbled leathers, removable fringed detailing, and subtle debossing that bears the collaboration’s name. Handcrafted and hand-finished in France, the shoes combine Paraboot’s utilitarian elegance with Universal Works’ contemporary sensibility.

Complementing the footwear is a capsule collection that continues the theme of understated craftsmanship. There’s an embroidered navy jacket, a French blue cotton twill set, T-shirts in ecru and navy, and a printed bandana using repurposed 1960s Paraboot artwork. It’s the kind of wardrobe that speaks softly but carries weight — versatile, well-made, and grounded in purpose.

“True beauty lies in imperfection,” says Keyte. “Nothing handmade can ever be perfect, and that’s what makes it special.” Paraboot echoes the sentiment: “Every pair is made by hand, so no two are ever identical — that’s where their soul lies.”

La Beauté Dans L’Imperfection is less about collaboration and more about conversation — between craft and culture, Britain and France, the past and the present. For those who appreciate good shoes and honest design, it’s proof that imperfection can, in fact, be the point.

The Universal Works x Paraboot collection is out now at universalworks.co.uk and paraboot.com.