Out of 11.000 French independent company owners, Martin Michaeli was elected in 1999 ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’. The French President François Mitterand awarded him in 1995 the ‘National Order of Merit’. In 2000, the French President Jacques Chirac honoured him with the highest decoration of France by making him a ‘Chevalier of the Legion of Honour’. He was given several times the “Oscar of Exports’ as well as the award of the ‘Best Shoe Brand of France’ by the French shoe retailers.
The cosmopolitan says of himself that he has three souls in him: a German, an American and a French, all three living now in Switzerland.
“As a founder, you can never completely let go”.
Martin Michaeli in December 2023
An interview with entrepreneur Martin Michaeli,
published in December 2023 in the leading
Swiss business magazine BILANZ.
Martin Michaeli and his 90th birthday
The happiness you create for yourself
His shoes are world-famous, he lives in Hurden and is celebrating his birthday tomorrow: Martin Michaeli, founder of Mephisto, is turning 90. But he shows no signs of slowing down. On the contrary: the man of the hour, whose greatest passion has always been shoes, plans to devote himself once again wholeheartedly to the business. With undiminished enthusiasm and plenty of ideas.
Höfner Volksblatt – July 3, 2026
‘I never imagined I’d build an empire’
On Thursday 23 July, Martin Michaeli, founder of the Mephisto brand, celebrated his 90th birthday with the nearly 400 employees at his historic factory in Sarrebourg.
From his early days as a leather cutter to being named Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999, he has built an empire in leaps and bounds.
Le Républicain Lorrain – Juli 25, 2026
An Article published in September 2025 in the German magazine SCHUHKURIER, with personal insights into Martin Michaeli’s professional life and the development of the MEPHISTO brand.
« We hold the last flag high »
“Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung“, Monday March 2, 2015
PUBLISHED IN 2010
Where my shoes
carried me
Biography of company founder Martin Michali, with numerous photos and rare documents..
In German and French.
Limited edition; available only on special request.
PUBLISHED IN 2015
MEPHISTO – 50 years of success Shoemakers of exception
Richly illustrated book on 50 years of success for the MEPHISTO brand, published by Cherche Midi.
Available in Englisch, French and German, on special request only.
Do you have any questions?
If you’d like to find out more about Martin Michaeli, or if you have any questions
about the MEPHISTO company, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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