Nomasei
Rated: Good
Price: $$$
Location: Italy
Quick verdict
A luxury Italian-made shoe brand with a compelling factory-partnership model and genuine craft credentials, let down by a documentation gap rather than poor practices, founded by two former luxury house designers (Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Dior backgrounds), Nomasei produces all shoes at a single family-owned factory in Tuscany where every step occurs within 35 miles. The factory holds a 15% equity stake in the brand—a rare alignment model in fashion. Full cost breakdowns are published on each product page. However The brand itself states: "We feel being sustainable is not only about labels and certifications."
Key info
- Headquarters
- Paris, France
- Founded
- 2019
- Product categories
- Shoes
- Price range
- $$$
- Key certifications
- REACH Certification (EU chemical safety) for all leathers. Claims to work with Leather Working Group (LWG) member tanneries, though certification details are unspecified. No GOTS, OEKO-TEX, Fair Trade, B Corp, or vegan certifications.
Nomasei sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
Uses metal-free leather (synthetic tanning replacing metals), solvent-free glue, lead-free crystals, recycled zippers, and biodegradable soles with a claimed 90% lower carbon footprint. Some styles feature 100% biodegradable leather. Chose real leather over vegan alternatives after finding most contain petroleum and shed microplastics.
Factory holds 15% ownership stake in the brand, uniquely aligning incentives. Founders have 30+ years of personal relationships with tanneries. Single factory with ~40 employees. Full cost breakdown published on each shoe. However, no formal Code of Conduct or living wage verification exists.
All production within 35 miles of factory minimises transport emissions. Preorder model right-sizes production to reduce overstock. Recycled paper/cardboard packaging with organic cotton dust bags. Only two collections per year in small batches. Carbon neutrality was stated as a goal but progress is unclear.
Full cost breakdown on each product is rare in fashion. Single identifiable factory and regional tanneries. 37% repeat customer rate suggests product satisfaction. However, no published supplier list, no formal Code of Conduct, and REACH/LWG certification details are unspecified.
Repair service through Paris cobbler Galoche & Patin with repairability index displayed on footwear. Biodegradable soles and heels. Materials sourced from existing stocks where possible. Preorder model reduces waste. However, no formal take-back programme exists.
What they do well
- Factory equity partnership. The Tuscan factory holds a 15% ownership stake in Nomasei, a rare model that aligns manufacturing and brand incentives
- Full cost transparency. Complete cost breakdowns published on each product page, showing exactly where the price goes
- Hyper-local production. Every step of production occurs within 35 miles of the single factory in Montopoli, Tuscany, with each shoe requiring approximately 80 individual operations
- Exceptional customer satisfaction: 4.5/5 Trustpilot rating with ~900 reviews; 37% repeat customer rate; founders personally respond to customer emails
- Luxury pedigree with ethical intent. Founders bring 30+ years of combined experience from Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Dior, and Chloé, applying luxury standards to sustainable production
Room for improvement
- Documentation gap: the brand lacks formal third-party certifications, not necessarily because practices are poor, but because it has not pursued recognised certification schemes.
- No living wage verification. Despite the factory partnership model, no evidence of formal living wage benchmarks or third-party labour audits for the ~40 factory workers
About Nomasei
Nomasei was founded in 2019 by Paule Tenaillon (Creative Director with 25+ years designing for Jimmy Choo, Jil Sander, Givenchy, Chanel, and Chloé) and Marine Braquet (previously at Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Chloé). The two met while working at Chloé and launched just months before COVID-19. The pandemic nearly ended the brand. They survived thanks to their Italian factory opening a line of credit. They've since paid off all pandemic-era debt (by August 2025) and became profitable for the first time in 2025.
The production model is the brand's strongest differentiator. All shoes are made at a single family-owned factory in Montopoli, Tuscany, employing approximately 40 people. The factory was founded about 20 years ago by two friends and is now run by their three sons. Crucially, the factory produces exclusively for Nomasei and holds a 15% equity stake in the company—a partnership structure virtually unheard of in fashion. Every production step, from leather sourcing to final assembly, occurs within 35 miles of the factory. Leathers come from France, Italy, and Holland, tanned locally in Tuscany.
Material choices reflect thoughtful trade-offs. The brand explicitly chose real leather over vegan alternatives after finding that most vegan leathers contain petroleum or plastic and shed microplastics—a position they articulate clearly on their website. Their leathers use metal-free tanning processes, solvent-free glue, lead-free crystals, and recycled zippers. Some styles feature 100% biodegradable leather and 100% biodegradable recycled wood heels. Soles are made from alternatives to plastic resin with a claimed 90% lower carbon footprint.
The US market now represents 50% of sales, with France at 30% and the UK at 10%. Celebrity clients include Blake Lively, Katie Holmes, Bella and Gigi Hadid, Nicole Kidman, Kristen Stewart, and Tracee Ellis Ross. The brand partnered with (RED) for International Women's Day 2024. Despite these high-profile associations, Nomasei remains small. Approximately 10 employees at the brand level. And has maintained its founding ethos of small-batch, preorder-driven production with only two collections per year.
Product highlights
Slides & Sandals
Italian leather slides and sandals handmade in Tuscany with biodegradable soles and solvent-free construction.
$160–$510
Entry point to the collection, featuring the same 80-operation handmade process and hyper-local production as all Nomasei shoes.
Loafers & Derbies
Classic silhouettes in metal-free tanned leather with recycled zippers and lead-free hardware.
$360–$450
Designed by a former Jimmy Choo/Chanel designer with luxury-grade materials and craftsmanship at a fraction of legacy luxury pricing.
Ankle Boots
Handcrafted Tuscan leather boots with biodegradable heels and repairability index displayed on each pair.
$440–$550
Built for longevity with a repair service through Paris cobbler Galoche & Patin, extending product lifespan.
Tall & Over-the-Knee Boots
Statement boots in Italian leather from the factory's most complex constructions, requiring the full 80+ operations per pair.
Up to ~$720
Represent the pinnacle of the collection. Luxury-level craftsmanship with full cost transparency published on the product page.
