In our latest print issue TH09, we featured three footwear stories with Arc’teryx, Moncler, and Circle Sportswear – all pushing boundaries in performance and design. What wasn’t mentioned then was that behind each of these projects, and many more across the global industry, stands one Paris-based design studio quietly shaping the future of technical footwear: FOARMS.

Curious about how this small creative unit became a trusted partner for some of the most advanced brands in the world, we visited their newly opened studio near Canal Saint-Martin.

There, we sat down with Erik Arlen, co-founder of FOARMS, to talk about how it all started, the current state of footwear design, and the philosophy behind some of their favorite projects – from Salomon’s biomechanical platforms to SATISFY’s experimental running silhouettes.

See more insights below with imagery by Alexander Zabelin & FOARMS Studio.