After its runway debut during the Spring-Summer 2025 Paris Fashion Week, Rombaut is primed to take over the fashion scene. The event marked a significant milestone as the Belgian brand celebrates its 10-year anniversary.

Founded in 2014, ROMBAUT has emerged as a pioneering force in the fashion industry, known for its commitment to sustainability, trailblazing material innovation, and forward-thinking footwear design.

Over the past decade, the brand has undergone a transformative journey, evolving from humble beginnings to a renowned name celebrated for its avant-garde approach and ethical values, namely through its vegan approach. ROMBAUT's story is one of resilience and vision, navigating through initial struggles to carve out a unique space in the fashion world.

The brand's unwavering dedication to environmental responsibility and social consciousness has not only set new standards but also inspired a shift toward a more mindful industry.

Hello Mats and welcome to Coeval! How would you like to introduce yourself to our community?

Hi! I’m Mats, the creative head and founder of ROMBAUT. I love electronic music, surfing

and pushing myself to find creative solutions for environmental problems.

For the moment I’m expressing myself through fashion, shoes in particular.

ROMBAUT has always been about challenging the status quo, promoting ethical practices, and creating footwear that looks fun and speaks to a mindful and forward-thinking audience.

The SS25 collection was titled “PATH”: was it more a reflection on the road so far or an anticipation of what’s ahead of you?

Duality versus non-duality is a common theme for Rombaut. ”PATH” is a blend of both reflection and anticipation. It encapsulates our journey over the past decade, highlighting our struggles, growth, and the values we’ve upheld.

At the same time, it points towards our future ambitions, envisioning a fashion world that harmonizes sustainability, innovation, and ethical responsibility. We also like to imagine and predict what the world, in general, could look like in the next years.

The SS25 show in particular explored a world where future utopia and dystopias clash and somehow coexist at the same time.

An avant-garde vision and a sustainable approach are equally important elements of the brand’s DNA. How can they be combined? How do we maintain a sustainable perspective within a fashion system that is constantly pushing for overconsumption?

Combining avant-garde vision with sustainability is about redefining what luxury and innovation mean in fashion. At Rombaut, we achieve this by using cutting-edge materials and earth-minded practices to create unique designs.

It’s about being conscious of our environmental impact while pushing creative boundaries. To combat overconsumption, we focus on quality over quantity, creating timeless pieces that resonate with our audience’s values and last beyond seasonal trends.

This is what we mean by “Future-proof design”. On the other hand, we are a small company and can ‘afford’ to make small quantities.

Founded in 2014, Rombaut has quickly become a force to be reckoned with in the fashion industry: what propelled your success?

I believe that the main thing is that we always stay true to our values. We never really tried to follow what was going on in the industry so we basically built our own lane.

From the start, we’ve been dedicated to challenging conventional fashion practices and promoting a vegan, eco-friendly approach. I think that this authenticity, combined with our unique designs and practicality, has resonated with a growing community that

values both style and meaning.

Your latest collection was inspired by Shaolin Kung Fu and it's a choreographed reflection on the relationship between mind and body. What form does this relationship need to take to navigate the complexities of our time?

The relationship between mind and body is crucial in navigating the complexities of today’s world. I’ve been in a period where I reflect a lot on what it means to be human, and how my mind and body are connected.

To release stress, for example, I started taking dance classes. To stay inspired and happy, I explored other creative practices.

Our latest collection emphasizes balance, discipline, and mindfulness. In the context of our times, this means building resilience, embracing holistic well-being, and staying grounded despite the ambient chaos. It can feel selfish to ‘take care of yourself’ while others are suffering in wars. Different things work for different people, but isolation or disconnecting from social media also helped me maintain mental health and kept me focused on the Rombaut vision I wanted to show in June.

To put it more eloquently: It’s about finding harmony between our inner selves and the external world and using this balance to inspire thoughtful and impactful actions.