Paris Fashion Week, and its abundance of bright lights, espresso, and intimidatingly cool people, can be overwhelming. There’s so much to see, so much to do, and never enough sleep – chances of a sensory overload are higher than ever, which is why whenever we’re lucky enough to be spending time in the capital, we clear a part of our schedule to visit KEEN’s showroom.
No matter what form it takes (and over the years it has taken many), KEEN’s showroom functions as an oasis nestled right in the heart of Paris’s bustling Marais. Much like the design language of their footwear, time spent in KEEN’s space inspires a sense of calm. That held true for 2026, with the showroom reimagined as a trailhead: pine tree fixtures overhead, and empty Haribo packets taped casually to the walls.
Inside the showroom, Jaspers competed with Jasper Zionics for wall space, separated only by screens looping videos that traced the brand’s journey from Portland to Paris.
A major focus for the brand toward the tail end of 2025 was Seek, and the showroom seized every opportunity to spotlight the trail silhouette. Two years’ worth of prototypes were on display, charting just how far the model has come. Elsewhere, nods to the brand’s relationship with trail running – including a physical moodboard of wide-grinning runners – sat beneath the exhibition’s sharply apexed roof.
One constant in KEEN’s showrooms – and one that invariably speaks to our inner gear nerd – is the inclusion of past models. This time, the spotlight fell on the A86R, a silhouette our friend Jeroen admitted he’d spent far too much time hunting down on eBay for the past few months. And without giving too much away, we can safely say his work has played its part in the shoe returning at some point in 2026.
Taking in the showroom as a whole proved to be difficult, largely thanks to the sheer amount of intriguing silhouettes and colourways arranged within it. Standouts for us proved to be a faux animal-hide iteration of the Jasper Zionic, new exciting colourways of the sought-after Jasper Nylon Waterproof, and an all-leather version of the Newport – each demonstrating KEEN’s commitment to keeping design interesting, rather than falling foul of releasing endless colourways without purpose.
Another fan favourite – ourselves included – was a stand overflowing with miniature versions of KEEN’s most popular silhouettes. We’ve written about these keyrings before, even dubbing them the ‘best merchandising tool of 2025,’ so it was pleasing to see them out in force in Paris, now in more colourways than ever. What’s truly astonishing is the level of detail: midsoles, uppers, and stitching all perfectly replicate their full-sized counterparts. Jeroen explained why: factory workers are required to master these tiny versions before they can work on the real shoes. If they can nail it on a miniature, the full-sized version becomes almost effortless. Apparently.
And a final crowd favourite was the crowd itself. The KEEN team were incredibly hospitable, and always made time to talk guests through the collections in just the right amount of detail. Pointing out nuances to certain design choices that many hosts would usually overlook.
It’s shaping up to be another big year for the brand, and after a visit to the showroom, we’re happy to report that not much has changed. There are new colours, a handful of fresh silhouettes, but the same familiar faces – and, crucially, that same breath of fresh air KEEN is famed for. Stepping into their trailhead-themed showroom felt like walking into an old friend’s living room – just as it always does.
Find out what KEEN are currently up to here.
