A new creative chapter whose campaign features Alexa Chung as the protagonist.
A new era begins in the history of HOFF, which, under the title ‘SEVEN’, ventures into the future with a collection that recaptures the energy of 1970s running and projects it into a contemporary dimension where design, technology and visual culture coexist in perfect balance.
All of this comes to life under the creative direction of the legendary David Tourniaire-Beauciel, recently appointed Head of Design for the brand. It is from this point onwards that this turning point emerges, led by a figure with more than three decades of experience rewriting the history of footwear for major fashion houses such as Balenciaga – having designed the Speed and Triple S silhouettes – Maison Margiela and Jean Paul Gaultier, bringing his sculptural and avant-garde approach to the world of sportswear.
The ‘SEVEN’ collection is built around two models that combine HOFF‘s artisanal heritage with the French designer’s signature precision and balance. The result is the SEVEN Runner, a low-top trainer that combines breathable mesh and suede. Its curved, lightweight sole provides a dynamic, fluid feel. On the other hand, the SEVEN High Top Runner is conceived as a reinterpretation of classic boxing shoes, with adaptable technical fabric and a slim profile that reinforces its athletic silhouette.
Each design takes its name from the number seven, referring to the seven technical pieces that make up the sole—a construction designed to enhance flexibility, stability and explosive action—reaffirming the brand’s commitment to innovation and technical excellence.
To accompany this aesthetic rebirth, HOFF has signed Alexa Chung as the face of its campaign. One of the British style icons and cultural references of the last two decades, the it-girl embodies the perfect duality between classic and contemporary, effortless and sophisticated. Her presence in the campaign channels the essence of SEVEN: a look at the past but from the present, within a futuristic visual universe reminiscent of the 1970s, where metal walls and sculptural furniture make Chung the narrative centrepiece.
Taking advantage of this special occasion, we were able to delve into David Tourniaire-Beauciel‘s imagination and chat about his new role, his unique way of creating and his career path.
HIGHXTAR. (H) – You have designed some of the most iconic trainers of the 21st century. Do you remember the first model that made you realise you were creating something more than just footwear?
DAVID TOURNIAIRE-BEAUCIEL (DTB) – Yes, it was at Stephane Kelian in the early 90s. It wasn’t exactly a trainer… it was a rubber shoe with a heel. I remember they sold so many pairs of that model that the managing director invited all the employees (500 people) for a glass of champagne. At that moment, I realised that designing a shoe is not only an artistic endeavour, but also an industrial mission.
(H) – You have worked with Balenciaga, Margiela, Chloé… What attracted you to a younger brand like HOFF?
(DTB) – The challenge. I am a challenge designer; I always love exploring new territories, new aesthetics, new price positioning, new mindsets… I always like to constantly challenge myself, to “shuffle the cards”.
(H) – What elements of the traditional world of luxury would you like to incorporate into a brand that speaks a more accessible and contemporary language?
(DTB) – For me, the most important element is the boldness and courage that some luxury brands have to create surprise and propose something completely new and never seen before. It’s more of a mindset for change, an attitude for adaptation: “Don’t be afraid to be in the lead, to propose new products”… To become a trend leader, you must have this spirit.
(H) – After so many years of creating, what still excites you when you start a new project?
(DTB) – The challenge. I always want to know if, after all these years devoted to design, I still have a young and fresh mind, if I am still able to think like I did when I was 20… quickly and freshly. I want to know if I am still able to connect a brand’s DNA with new trends. If I am still able to correctly analyse all the parameters of the situation so that my mission is successful. I don’t want to fall into the “bourgeois attitude” of thinking that, because I’ve had some success, I’m still number one in the game. This is the easiest and most comfortable mistake to make when you’re a successful designer, and it will lead you straight into the “has-been designer” category.
(H) – Your arrival marks a turning point for the brand. What kind of aesthetic language do you want to build in this new chapter?
(DTB) – I want to preserve HOFF’s DNA, but take it beyond its current limits in terms of design. Create unexpected products that perfectly match the brand’s codes, customer expectations and current trends.
(H) – What has surprised you most about Spanish design compared to the French or Italian approach?
(DTB) – We are equal, but not the same. I say this because I am French, I live in Italy and I work in Spain. I could say that we all have the same goals, but we do not use the same means to achieve them… However, in the end, ‘all roads lead to Rome’. So, ultimately, we all arrive at the same result, but using different ways of thinking.
(H) – Throughout your career, you have been both a craftsman and a technological visionary. How do you manage to bring tradition and innovation together in your creative process?
(DTB) – When I was young, to pay for my studies, I worked as a DJ in a nightclub on weekends. I used to mix many different types of music to create new ones. I still apply this kind of mental equation. For me, innovation is always a well-balanced mix of unexpected elements from different worlds. Novelty is always the result of mixing and, sometimes, of mistakes… like champagne.
(H) – Do you think comfort has become the new form of luxury? Is it possible to be radical in design without sacrificing comfort?
(DTB) – Comfort perfectly combined with solid aesthetics is the key to success. But to do this ideally, you need to be not only a sensitive ‘sketch designer’ but also a skilled technician with knowledge and abilities. You need to know how the foot moves and functions in order to push the boundaries of design.
(H) – When you start designing, are you someone who sketches first, or someone who thinks with their hands, manipulating the materials?
(DTB) – I’m the kind of ‘old-school designer’ (haha). I love to draw, draw, and draw. But I’m also fast, the kind of ‘designer who has no time to waste’… (I chose fashion because fashion is fast). So I quickly move on to the second step, which is to create a mock-up by hand to understand whether the physical interpretation of my sketch works in reality, and then I move on to industrial development with all the competent people I work with. I mean, without all these people, the designer is nothing… Like a Formula 1 driver without a car… Communication and discussion with these people in charge of technical development is essential. I thank them constantly.
(H) – You often talk about the architecture of footwear. How do you achieve the balance between structure, technique and emotion?
(DTB) – Throughout the entire process of developing any part of the footwear, I try to analyse it and understand whether or not it conveys emotion to me… All the components must convey emotion to me in order to achieve the best possible result in the end, to achieve the perfect object when all the components are assembled.
(H) – Beyond design, what other disciplines feed your creative universe?
(DTB) – I am a kind of “mental omnivore”. I feed on anything… museums, car races, food trucks, birds in the sky, films, a shell on the beach, the smell of tyres in a garage… My inspiration is very eclectic and boundless. I am always struck and surprised by everything.
(H) – They say every designer has an obsession. What’s yours?
(DTB) – I always try to create a timeless shoe. The kind of product that is very fashionable at a given moment, but still looks modern and is easy to wear ten years later… My obsession is that my designs are timeless.
(H) – Are you one of those people who keeps every pair of trainers as if they were treasures, or do you wear them until they fall apart?
(DTB) – I use them until they are completely worn out. Then I reuse them as inspiration for new ones. I give them a new lease of life… (laughs). A kind of virtual recycling. I’m not a collector.
(H) – HOFF was born from the idea of movement. If you could travel anywhere with a pair of HOFFs designed by yourself, where would you go and who would you take with you?
(DTB) – I would travel back in time to Elche (Spain) in the 1990s, where I worked when I was young and where HOFF is currently based. And I would take Fran, the founder of HOFF, with me to show him how cool and crazy his country was in the 1990s in terms of music and partying… (laughs).
(H) – In recent years, trainers have conquered the luxury market. What does that say about our current aesthetic priorities?
(DTB) – It means that ‘souffrir pour être belle’ (suffer to be beautiful) is no longer a fashion statement. No one wants to suffer anymore when walking (or in any other situation). Social and political reality is already complicated enough that no one wants to add stress to their life by wearing uncomfortable items. It means that people want softness, comfort, they want to wear something that takes care of them, that is aesthetic and comfortable.
(H) – And looking ahead, how do you imagine the future of footwear?
(DTB) – The boundary between sport and fashion will become increasingly blurred. Hybrid shoes that combine the best of both worlds will become more common. And undoubtedly, as happened in architecture when concrete was invented, new techniques and new materials will bring with them new aesthetic and experimental possibilities.
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