When Protection Meets the Paris Runway

Can advanced protection inspire creativity far beyond the industrial world? At Paris Fashion Week, workwear stepped into a space usually reserved for fashion, aesthetics, and cultural influence — challenging where design inspiration really comes from.

Work and Safety in a Fashion Context

During Paris Fashion Week, Vibram’s Extreme Works installation opened its doors to the public, creating a space dedicated to Work and Safety within a context traditionally associated with fashion, culture, and design. The pop-up invited visitors to experience how performance-driven innovation translates into confidence, efficiency, and protection — even in the most demanding working environments.

Representatives from Vibram and JALAS outside the Extreme Works installation during Paris Fashion WeekAnniina Suninen, Product Manager JALAS at Ejendals, second from right

Throughout the week, professionals, partners, and visitors were offered a tangible, first-hand perspective on how footwear performance supports real-world work. The installation became a platform for exchange, highlighting how material research, outsole design, and functional engineering respond to everyday challenges across a wide range of professional sectors.

Visitors exploring safety footwear at Vibram’s Extreme Works installation during Paris Fashion Week

PERFORMANCE FOOTWEAR AS A SOURCE OF DESIGN INSPIRATION

As part of the partner showcase, Vibram selected the JALAS® Heavy Duty 1398 — a heavy-duty safety boot designed for demanding environments. Placed in a fashion-forward setting, the boot illustrated how PPE’s refined design language, durability, and technical precision can resonate far beyond its original industrial context.

JALAS safety boots and Vibram Arctic Grip Pro outsoles displayed on a central table at Vibram’s Extreme Works installation
JALAS Heavy Duty 1398 on the left, featuring Vibram® Arctic Grip Pro showcased on the right
 
“I was proud to see it featured and inspired by how PPE’s refined design can elevate aesthetics
and help shape the global fashion narrative. I’m so glad to work with Vibram,”
says Anniina Suninen, Product Manager JALAS at Ejendals.

A Partnership Built on Performance and Innovation

For Ejendals and JALAS, being part of this context underscores a partnership built on shared values: advanced protection, material expertise, and design driven by real-world needs. It also reinforces the role of safety footwear as a credible contributor to broader conversations about innovation and design.

Because when protection is engineered with purpose, it doesn’t just support work.
It inspires confidence — wherever design decisions are made.

Discover

JALAS Heavy Duty 1398 WINTER GTX

Engineered for wet and very cold conditions, JALAS Heavy Duty 1398 WINTER GTX combines waterproof GORE-TEX® protection, exceptional insulation, and the high-grip Vibram® Arctic Grip Pro outsole — delivering confidence, warmth, and stability where performance matters most.