About a year ago, Village PM made waves on social media when photos of its first shoe started circulating, catching the attention of skaters everywhere. Founded in Paris in March 2025, the brand set out with a mission to bring progressive skate footwear back into the conversation. And there was certainly nothing conventional about its debut. The shoe’s distinctly asymmetrical silhouette immediately turned heads, but the design wasn’t entirely without precedent. Rock climbing footwear had been exploring similar shapes and construction for years, and Village PM took inspiration from that world, adapting its design principles and functionality for skateboarding.
It’s hardly a new concept. Skate brands have long borrowed from basketball, tennis and football footwear, so why not look to other disciplines where grip is just as essential? Perhaps equally interesting was the brand’s decision to launch during Paris Fashion Week. Between its unconventional design, distinctive aesthetic and the growing adoption of gorpcore in skateboarding, with brands like Salomon and Arc’teryx finding their way into skaters’ closets. Village PM seemed to have found the perfect niche to break into the market.
Since then, the brand has continued to build momentum, releasing several promo videos featuring Thaynan Costa, Joffery Morel, Nico Gisonno, Logan Da Silva Ortiz and Augustin Desire. It’s a relatively small but promising roster, with a clear emphasis on building a team identity around the brand. And with Converse CONS recently cutting back its team, we’ve also spotted the Village PMs on Jake Johnson’s feet. Could there be more international additions on the horizon as the brand looks to expand into the US market?
Either way, the shoes look promising. The standout feature is the wraparound “foxing tape”, which looks particularly well suited for flip tricks, while the overall construction offers something a little different from the usual skate shoe formula. We got our hands on a pair of the 1PMs and put them through our usual wear test. Read on to see how they held up.
The Village PM 1PM fits true to size.
Durability is one of Village PM’s key focus areas, and the shoes certainly did not disappoint, delivering excellent results throughout our 10-hour test. While simple uppers and outsoles are nothing new in skate footwear, Village PM takes things a step further by combining them with a protective rubber rand to create an exceptionally durable construction. On the Village PM 1PM, this climbing-inspired rubber layer wraps around the lower portion of the shoe, extending from the outsole onto the upper.
The suede upper consists of two main panels joined using a stitch-and-turn construction. Despite the seam sitting in a high-wear area, we saw no signs of abrasion or tearing during testing. By concealing the stitching, this construction helps protect an otherwise vulnerable area from griptape wear. The only noticeable wear on the upper appeared around the collar, a common trouble spot in skate shoes.
Much of the shoe’s impressive durability can be attributed to Village PM’s climbing-rubber rand, which does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to protecting the upper. Despite its relatively soft feel, the rubber showed virtually no signs of abrasion, suggesting the shoes have plenty of life left beyond our 10-hour test.
The sole construction consists of an outsole, a rubber rim, and a rubber rand that sits above the rim, extending from the sole onto the upper. For impact protection, Village PM combines a relatively thin outsole with a thick, wedge-shaped foam sockliner.
During our wear test, this setup maintained the sole’s natural flexibility while still providing a surprisingly solid level of cushioning and impact protection.
When it comes to shape, things get interesting. The 1PM features an asymmetrical silhouette designed to follow the natural shape of the foot. In footwear, this is determined by the last, the mold around which a shoe is constructed. To achieve this distinctive shape, Village PM developed a custom last specifically for the 1PM.
The idea behind the asymmetrical design is to wrap the toes more closely, as they play an important role in balance, foot positioning, and the feel of flicking the board.
Looking past the asymmetrical lacing and rubber toe element, the 1PM runs relatively parallel from the heel through the midfoot before tapering into a pointed, asymmetrical toe. The outer edge follows the natural contour of the toes, giving the shoe its distinctive silhouette.
Combined with the rubber rand, this shape also delivers excellent flick, which remained consistent throughout our 10-hour wear test.
Boardfeel and grip are two of the 1PM’s biggest strengths. The outsole offers a high level of grip without feeling overly sticky, although it takes about one session to get used to. You still get that satisfying feeling of grabbing the board, but without feeling like your feet are stuck to it.Grip also remained consistent throughout our 10-hour wear test, with plenty of life left for future sessions.
Looking at the cut through, the boardfeel comes as a bit of a surprise. Despite the foam insole tapering from the heel toward the toe, there is still a fair amount of material between the foot and the board in the forefoot. Nevertheless, the 1PM delivers excellent boardfeel, reliable grip, and a responsive connection to the board.
The Village PM 1PM offers good comfort but average stability. Its slim silhouette and tongue straps keep the foot snug against the upper, particularly in the toe area, minimizing unwanted movement. The shoe is also surprisingly lightweight, especially considering that rubber and suede are generally heavier material choices than mesh or canvas. What’s especially noticeable is the lining over the suede, which feels almost like a thin foam layer, making the toe and midfoot area feel thicker and more comfortable.
Stability, however, is one of the shoe’s weaker points. The toe area is a particular strength, offering good protection and support thanks to the rubber rand, asymmetrical design, and lacing system. The laces also extend quite far toward the toes, allowing for a relatively short toe cap.
During our 10-hour test, the midfoot widened noticeably, resulting in a looser connection between the foot and the shoe. The heel features a substantial external rubber counter, as well as internal reinforcements, as seen in the cutaway. However, the shoe sits very low around the ankle and Achilles tendon. While the lining material feels particularly comfortable, the combination of the low-cut design and limited heel hold resulted in a noticeable feeling of heel slippage.
The Village PM 1PM delivers excellent flick, durability, grip, and boardfeel, making it a standout performer where it matters most on the board. Cushioning is solid, although heel stability could use some improvement.
