The name 飞跃 literally conveys the concept of leaping or moving upwards and forwards. The international brand adapted this into the English tagline “Flying Forward”, interpreting it as a dual elevation of body and mind.2

The history of Feiyue is generally traced back to Shanghai in the 1920s, a period when simple cloth shoes were widely manufactured in the city.

Early iterations prioritised utility over fashion. Key characteristics included:

• Lightweight construction
• Flexible canvas uppers
• Relatively thin soles
• Inexpensive production
• Durability
• Suitability for physical activity

These attributes led to the shoe becoming closely associated with Chinese martial arts, including kung fu and wushu. Crucially, Feiyue was never originally conceived as a luxury sneaker or lifestyle label; its foundational identity derived entirely from the functional Chinese cloth shoe.3

Connection with Shaolin and martial arts

Feiyue became synonymous with Shaolin monks and martial arts practitioners. The shoe’s flexibility and low-profile sole facilitated training and complex movement.

This association eventually formed a core component of the brand’s cultural identity: Feiyue = Shanghai + kung fu + traditional Chinese footwear.

Chronologies regarding the earliest Feiyue-branded products vary across sources. Some accounts locate the origins in the 1920s, whilst others identify 1958—when DaFu Rubber developed and produced a civilian shoe specifically named Feiyue—as the formal birth of the modern brand.4

Consequently, the most accurate historical framing distinguishes between the two eras:

1920s = historical roots of the shoe; 1950s = emergence of the modern Feiyue brand/product.

During the mid-20th century, Feiyue established itself as a mass-market Chinese athletic shoe.

Its appeal extended beyond martial artists to ordinary consumers, students, workers and athletes. By the 1960s, it had become a major footwear producer, with one historical account recording production of approximately 1.616 million pairs in 1963. By the 1980s, annual sales reportedly reached around 4 million pairs.5

This context is essential for understanding the brand: before becoming a Western fashion sneaker, Feiyue was fundamentally a mass-market Chinese sports shoe.

For several generations of Chinese consumers, Feiyue occupied a cultural space comparable to Converse, Keds or basic Adidas models elsewhere: inexpensive, instantly recognisable and practical everyday footwear.

The classic Chinese Feiyue was defined by extreme simplicity.

Upper

Typical features included:

• Cotton canvas
• Minimal structure
• Low weight
• High flexibility

Sole

Traditional construction utilised a relatively thin rubber sole, rendering the shoe particularly suitable for martial arts.

Silhouette

The classic form is identifiable by:

• Low-top or high-top construction
• Rounded toe
• Canvas upper
• Vulcanised rubber sole
• Simple side branding
• Striped or chevron-like visual elements

The underlying design philosophy was essentially function over decoration. This simplicity later proved advantageous in Western markets, aligning perfectly with demand for vintage-inspired, minimalist sneakers.

Feiyue’s earlier success eventually presented challenges. From the 1980s onwards, China’s economy and consumer culture underwent dramatic transformation. International brands entered the market, and consumers increasingly sought technologically advanced and fashionable athletic footwear.

Brands such as Nike and Adidas represented a new generation of sportswear. Conversely, Feiyue became associated with:

• Old-fashioned footwear
• Low prices
• School PE classes
• Martial arts
• Older generations

By the 1990s, the brand had lost much of its former cultural prestige. Whilst original models remained popular among martial arts practitioners due to their affordability and functionality, they were no longer considered aspirational fashion products.6

In 2005, French national Patrice Bastian, then living in Shanghai and practising kung fu, encountered Feiyue.

He identified potential that the domestic Chinese market had largely overlooked: fashion viability. Bastian and his partners believed Feiyue could undergo a transformation similar to that of Converse, Vans and Superga, evolving from practical footwear into lifestyle products.

They began adapting the shoe for European markets. In 2006, the first French-designed Feiyue collection launched.7 This marked a definitive turning point in the brand’s history.

The international version retained the basic visual DNA of the Chinese original but incorporated modifications for fashion consumers.

Changes included:

• Revised proportions
• Different materials
• Increased cushioning
• Broader colour selection
• Fashion-oriented styling
• Men’s, women’s and children’s collections
• Collaborations with designers and artists

The objective was to transform a traditional Chinese kung fu shoe into a contemporary European sneaker. The international brand described this approach as preserving the shoe’s vintage character whilst integrating French and international influences.8

This repositioning proved remarkably successful. Feiyue began appearing in fashion media and popular culture.

The brand pursued collaborations with creative figures and companies, including:

• Céline
• André
• Casio
• Bonton
• NSBQ
• Various artists and designers

The Feiyue × Céline collaboration notably demonstrated that a humble Chinese canvas sneaker could be situated within a high-fashion context.9

Celebrity endorsement further accelerated its international credibility; Orlando Bloom was photographed wearing Feiyue, enhancing its fashion status.10

Thus, Feiyue experienced a striking reversal:

China:
cheap → ordinary → old-fashioned

France/West:
authentic → exotic → vintage → cool → fashion

A significant cultural moment occurred during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Performers wore Feiyue shoes during the opening ceremony’s martial arts presentation.11

This reinforced Feiyue’s association with:

• Chinese culture
• Kung fu
• Martial arts
• National identity
• Traditional Chinese craftsmanship

Simultaneously, the French version was being marketed internationally as a fashionable lifestyle sneaker. Consequently, two distinct versions of Feiyue gained cultural relevance at the same time.

Understanding contemporary Feiyue requires acknowledging its bifurcated nature. There are effectively two Feiyue narratives.

Chinese Feiyue

The original Chinese business retained rights to the Feiyue name within China.

International Feiyue

The French team registered the FEIYUE trademark in various overseas markets from the mid-2000s onwards.

The situation became legally and commercially complex because both parties used the same Chinese-origin name whilst operating independently. World Intellectual Property Organization records indicate that a French company owned FEIYUE trademark registrations in multiple jurisdictions dating from 2006, alongside existing Chinese trademark rights to 飞跃.12

China Daily encapsulated this dynamic with the phrase:

“Two countries, one iconic name.”13

Consumers frequently encounter shoes labelled Feiyue that appear noticeably different. This stems from separate product development by the Chinese and international businesses.

Traditional/Chinese Feiyue

Generally emphasises:

• Martial arts
• Traditional construction
• Lightweight canvas
• Simple styling
• Low-profile sole
• Chinese heritage

International Feiyue

Generally emphasises:

• Lifestyle fashion
• Broader styling
• Greater cushioning
• Contemporary materials
• Fashion collaborations
• International distribution

Details such as sole markings, canvas weight and cushioning have historically differed between versions.14

The question “Which Feiyue is the real one?” is therefore complex. Historically, the Chinese shoe directly continues the Shanghai footwear tradition. Legally, the international company owns Feiyue trademarks in various overseas markets. Both statements can be simultaneously true.

In 2014, the international Feiyue business was acquired by BBC International, a US-based footwear company headquartered in Florida.

This acquisition provided access to:

• Larger-scale footwear production
• Sourcing networks
• Distribution channels
• International retail infrastructure
• Marketing resources

Expanded collections were introduced internationally from spring 2015.15

Describing today’s Feiyue simply as a “French sneaker brand” is therefore inaccurate. A more precise definition is:

A Chinese-origin footwear brand whose international fashion business was developed in France and subsequently became part of a US footwear group.

The international Feiyue identity centres on the concept of “Flying Forward.” The word Feiyue is interpreted as upward or forward movement, associated with the elevation of both body and mind.

Visual philosophy typically emphasises:

• Simplicity
• Timelessness
• Clean silhouettes
• Movement
• Youthfulness
• Cultural crossover
• Vintage authenticity

This positions Feiyue distinctly between sportswear and fashion. Rather than competing with brands like Nike on technological performance, it sells a story and aesthetic alongside footwear.

The classic Feiyue aesthetic comprises several key elements:

Minimalism

The basic shoe contains very few unnecessary elements.

Canvas

Canvas remains central to the brand’s identity.

Rubber

The rubber sole provides traditional athletic and martial arts character.

Chinese heritage

The silhouette evokes traditional Chinese martial arts footwear.

Vintage Americana/European sneaker culture

The modern international version also fits comfortably within the visual sphere of:

• Converse
• Superga
• Keds
• Vans

This cross-cultural ambiguity contributes significantly to Feiyue’s appeal.

Whilst product ranges have evolved, several types remain closely associated with the brand.

Feiyue Low / LO

The classic low-top canvas sneaker, arguably the most recognisable Feiyue silhouette.

Feiyue High / HI

A higher-cut version visually closer to traditional martial arts footwear, comparable in silhouette to a high-top sneaker.

Delta Mid

Introduced around 2010, representing the international brand’s expansion beyond traditional silhouettes.

10N28E

A fashion-oriented model named after Shanghai’s approximate geographical coordinates, deliberately incorporating the city into the design language.16

Collaborations were instrumental to the international Feiyue strategy. Rather than competing solely on technical merit, partnerships established the brand within fashion, art and street culture.

Notable collaborations included:

• Céline
• André
• Casio
• Bonton
• NSBQ
• Peanuts
• Solid & Striped
• Various artists and designers

This strategy helped transform Feiyue from a “cheap Chinese kung fu shoe” into a culturally significant item for sneaker collectors and fashion consumers.17

Feiyue represents three distinct cultural identities simultaneously.

Chinese industrial heritage

It originates from Shanghai’s traditional canvas footwear industry.

Martial arts culture

The shoe became strongly associated with kung fu, wushu and Shaolin culture.

Global fashion culture

The French revival transformed it into a minimalist lifestyle sneaker.

Few sneaker brands have undergone this specific trajectory. Feiyue can be characterised as:

A Chinese working-class shoe rediscovered by Western fashion culture.

Several factors contributed to Feiyue’s success in Western markets.

Authenticity

Unlike newly invented “Chinese-inspired” products, Feiyue possessed genuine Chinese history.

Low-key design

Its simple silhouette complemented minimalist fashion trends.

Vintage appeal

The shoe resembled classic athletic sneakers rather than technologically advanced performance footwear.

Cultural narrative

Associations with kung fu and Shaolin provided compelling storytelling.

Price accessibility

Historically, it was inexpensive compared to designer sneakers.

Celebrity exposure

High-profile wearers helped establish fashion credentials.

Collaborations

Partnerships with brands like Céline conferred legitimacy beyond the sportswear market.

Feiyue shares similarities with Converse in terms of brand evolution:

Converse

basketball shoe → everyday sneaker → youth culture → fashion

Feiyue

martial arts shoe → everyday Chinese shoe → rediscovered by France → fashion sneaker

However, Feiyue possesses a stronger East Asian cultural origin story, whereas Converse is rooted in American basketball. This distinction allows Feiyue to feel unique despite sharing the familiar canvas-sneaker formula.

Comparisons with Vans are also instructive. Vans built its identity around skateboarding, Southern California and youth culture. Feiyue built its identity around kung fu, Shanghai, Chinese heritage and minimalist canvas footwear.

Both brands utilise relatively simple shoes to communicate broader cultural identities.

The most critical aspect of Feiyue’s history is its international fragmentation.

The original Chinese company maintained historical connections and Chinese rights, whilst the French/international operation secured trademark rights in numerous foreign markets. Disputes arose because both parties claimed different versions of the same heritage.

The Chinese side argued that the French business appropriated an established Chinese brand. The French side contended that it had legitimately acquired and registered international rights, investing independently in transforming Feiyue into a global fashion brand.18

This conflict encompasses trademarks, corporate ownership, manufacturing relationships and geographic trademark rights, extending beyond mere branding disagreements.

Feiyue’s greatest strength is also its primary historical irony. In China, Feiyue was once too ordinary. In the West, that same ordinariness became fashionable.

A Chinese consumer might view vintage Feiyue as inexpensive school or martial arts footwear. A Western fashion consumer could interpret the identical aesthetic as authentic, vintage, minimalist, exotic and culturally meaningful. This reversal is central to the Feiyue narrative.

As of 2026, Feiyue should not be viewed as a single unified global entity. Chinese Feiyue businesses tied to the historical Shanghai tradition coexist with the internationally marketed business associated with Feiyue International and BBC International. Regional operations using names such as Feiyue Dafu also exist.19

The Chinese side continues to emphasise national and industrial heritage, whilst international Feiyue focuses on lifestyle and fashion interpretations. Official Chinese Feiyue/FeiYue Group materials present the brand through lenses of both Chinese industrial heritage and internationalisation.20

Historical dates vary between sources because the history of the shoe and the legal history of the trademark are not identical.21

The brand’s importance can be summarised in five points:

1. Genuine age: Roots extend approximately a century to Shanghai.
2. Authentic martial arts heritage: Kung fu and Shaolin associations are historical rather than marketing inventions.
3. Extraordinary cultural reversal: An inexpensive Chinese shoe became an international fashion product.
4. Creative international revival: French designers and collaborations radically altered perception of the shoe.
5. Complex corporate/trademark history: No single company owns the brand universally.22

Feiyue (飞跃) is a Shanghai-born Chinese footwear brand with roots stretching to the 1920s, whose classic canvas shoe became particularly associated with Chinese martial arts and Shaolin kung fu. After declining in popularity domestically during the late 20th century, it was rediscovered by French entrepreneur Patrice Bastian in 2005 and relaunched internationally from France in 2006 as a minimalist lifestyle sneaker. Collaborations, celebrity exposure and international marketing transformed Feiyue from inexpensive Chinese athletic footwear into a cult fashion sneaker. The international business was acquired by US footwear company BBC International in 2014. Meanwhile, the original Chinese business continued separately, retaining important domestic trademark rights. Consequently, Feiyue today represents both a historic Chinese footwear tradition and a separately developed international fashion brand.23

1. Feiyue
2. Feiyue shoe brand: Two countries, one iconic name[3]- Chinadaily.com.cn
3. Our Story – FEIYUE AUS NZ
4. Feiyue
5. ABOUT US – Feiyue Dafu | Official Website
6. À PROPOS DE NOUS – Feiyue Dafu | Site officiel
7. Chinese company calls French firm ‘robbers’ for making Feiyue trainers | South China Morning Post
8. WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2010-0023
9. Feiyue s’adosse au groupe BBC International
10. FeiYue Group
11. Feiyue fait son retour sur le marché mondial de la sneaker – FashionNetwork France
12. Feiyue fait son retour sur le marché mondial de la sneaker – FashionNetwork Belgique
13. Feiyue – Wikidata
14. “Design in China” e31 – 飞跃 Feiyue – A Story of Sneakers, Trademarks, and Globalization – Animaze
15. California Residents – Feiyue
16. Flying forward, once again – Chinadaily.com.cn
17. Precision Design Studios launches pdsCommerce™, its Enterprise-level Commerce Platform, with Footwear Brand, Feiyue from BBC International
18. WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2011-1192
19. WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2011-0695
20. WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2011-0376
21. WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2010-1506
22. WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2010-1490
23. Att Gene – FeiYue shoes – Shaolin Kung Fu – KungFuMagazine