Cuisse de Grenouille
Cuisse de Grenouille is a privately held Parisian menswear brand founded in 2011 by brothers Lucas and Séverin Bonnichon, selling vintage-inspired apparel blending 1960s surfing culture with Parisian elegance through Shopify e-commerce, a Paris flagship store, and 19+ global wholesale partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cuisse de Grenouille does
Cuisse de Grenouille is a privately held Parisian menswear brand founded in 2011 by brothers Lucas and Séverin Bonnichon, operating under the legal entity GENTLEMAN SURFER SAS with registered capital of €115,000. The company designs vintage-inspired men's apparel that blends 1960s surfing culture, Parisian elegance, and cinematic references to figures such as Steve McQueen and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Its core product range includes the founding board shorts (made with technical Italian fabric and manufactured in Portugal), the signature "Surf in Paris" sweatshirt and its city-localized variants, leather jackets, trench coats, striped shorts, and Hawaiian shirts, with a related line sold through the sister brand forlife-paris.com (Marlon t-shirt, Robert aviator jacket).
The brand's technology and distribution footprint is built around a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront supporting global shipping via Colissimo (France) and DHL (international), with an extensive payment stack covering major cards, PayPal, Klarna, Alma 3x interest-free installments, Apple Pay, Shop Pay, and regional methods (Bancontact, BLIK, MobilePay, EPS, Cartes Bancaires). Beyond DTC, the company operates a single flagship store at 5 Rue Froissart in Paris's Haut Marais district (opened June 2013) and distributes wholesale to 19+ stockists across France, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, the United States, Mexico, and Australia — including tier-one department stores Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, and Beams Tokyo, and curated boutiques such as Wittmore (LA/Malibu), Tenet Shop (NY), and The Standard Store (Sydney).
The revenue model is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer e-commerce, single-location physical retail, and wholesale distribution to third-party resellers, with no subscription, licensing, or services revenue streams disclosed. The company has not raised external institutional capital, relies on a 1-10 person team, and has no AI/ML capability disclosed in the source material. Growth signals beyond the 2022 brand refresh and the forlife-paris.com launch are not documented in the available data.
Cuisse de Grenouille firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cuisse de Grenouille
- Legal name
- GENTLEMAN SURFER Simplified joint stock company
- Website
- https://cuissedegrenouille.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cuisse de Grenouille is a privately held Parisian menswear brand founded in 2011 by brothers Lucas and Séverin Bonnichon, selling vintage-inspired apparel blending 1960s surfing culture with Parisian elegance through Shopify e-commerce, a Paris flagship store, and 19+ global wholesale partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cuisse de Grenouille industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Menswear
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Streetwear & Contemporary Apparel Retail (CRAAABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG)
Keywords
Where Cuisse de Grenouille is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cuisse de Grenouille business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through the company's Shopify e-commerce platform, shipping globally with payment options including credit cards, PayPal, and 3x installment through Alma.
- Wholesale/B2B Sales: Wholesale distribution to retail partners and department stores worldwide, where partners purchase brand products to resell.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard pricing for apparel and accessories |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cuisse de Grenouille product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cuisse de Grenouille designs and sells a curated line of men's clothing inspired by 1960s surf culture, Parisian chic, and French cinema icons. Its assortment centers on board shorts, the signature "Surf in Paris" sweatshirt, leather jackets, trench coats, striped shorts, and Hawaiian shirts, distributed through its own Shopify online store, a Paris flagship boutique, and wholesale accounts.
Product overview
Cuisse de Grenouille is a Parisian fashion brand founded in 2011 by brothers Lucas and Séverin Bonnichon, offering clothing for the 'Gentleman Surfer' aesthetic. The core product portfolio includes board shorts (the founding product from 2010), the signature 'Surf in Paris' sweatshirt, leather jackets inspired by Steve McQueen, trench coats inspired by Jean-Paul Belmondo, striped shorts reminiscent of 1960s Malibu surfers, and Hawaiian shirts evoking Hawaiian wave culture. The brand operates an e-commerce platform powered by Shopify and has expanded through collaborations with forlife-paris.com. The collections are developed in Paris with materials sourced from Europe and manufacturing primarily in Portugal. The company also operates a flagship store in Paris and distributes through wholesale partners worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Board shorts Signature men's surf-inspired shorts central to the Cuisse de Grenouille identity, designed for individual male consumers seeking a vintage 1960s surf aesthetic.
- Surf in Paris sweatshirt Branded sweatshirt that fuses surf heritage with Parisian style, sold as a hero product to individual consumers via DTC, flagship, and wholesale channels.
- Leather jackets Men's leather outerwear pieces inspired by French cinema icons, distributed to style-conscious individual consumers.
- Trench coats Men's trench coats drawing on Parisian chic and cinematic references, offered to individual consumers across DTC, boutique, and wholesale channels.
- Striped shorts Striped men's shorts that reflect the brand's vintage French-surf aesthetic, sold to individual consumers.
- Hawaiian shirts Men's Hawaiian-pattern shirts channeling the 1960s surf influence, offered to style-conscious individual male consumers.
Companies that use Cuisse de Grenouille
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Cuisse de Grenouille technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
Cuisse de Grenouille partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- OKKO - NantesminorFrench retailer located at 2 rue Haute Casserie, 44000 Nantes, representing the brand in western France.
- MADMEN - AnnecyminorBoutique retailer in Annecy, France, specializing in curated fashion selections.
- PLUMS - BayonneminorFashion retailer in Bayonne at 45 rue Victor Hugo, representing the brand in the French Basque Country.
- LE BON MARCHÉ - PariscorePrestigious department store group in Paris, one of the most prestigious retail locations in France for luxury and lifestyle brands.
- INVITO SHOP - Clermont FerrandminorBoutique retailer in Clermont Ferrand, France.
- THE BLUE ISLAND / L'ÎLE BLEUE - BordeauxminorBoutique retailer at 22-31 rue de la porte de Dijeaux, Bordeaux, France.
- THE CLOTHING MAKES ME / L'HABIT FAIT LE MOI - BrestminorFashion boutique in Brest, Brittany, France.
- KOLKOZ - BordeauxminorBoutique at 8 rue Cornac, Bordeaux, France.
- GALERIES LAFAYETTE - PariscoreFlagship department store at 27 rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris. One of France's most prestigious and iconic department stores, representing major brand presence and credibility.
- OSCAR - La BauleminorFashion boutique at 11 avenue Marie Louise, La Baule, France.
- ZOU'S APARTMENT - CarcassonneminorRetailer in Carcassonne, France.
- PEPE CASSIUS - LausanneminorSwiss retailer at 5 Rue des Côtes-De-Montbenon, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland.
- HANNOVER 1998 - ValenciaminorBoutique at 29 Carrer d'Hernan Cortes, 46004 Valencia, Spain.
- LOST IN PABLOS - GentminorBelgian retailer at VRIJDAGMARKT 38, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
- BAULE - Mexico CityminorPremium retailer in Mexico City at Baule Virreyes, Pedregal 25, Lomas de Chapultepec, representing the brand in Mexico.
- TENET SHOP - Southampton/EasthamptonminorRetailer with locations in Southampton NY (91 Main street, 11968) and Easthampton NY (91 Main street, 11937), USA.
- WITTMORE - Malibu/L.A.minorCalifornia-based retailer with locations in Malibu Village (3832 Cross Creek RD, 90265), Larchmont Village (137 1/2 Larchmont Blvd, 90004), and DTLA Arts District (300 S Santa Fe Ave, 90013), USA.
- THE STANDARD STORE - SydneyminorAustralian retailer at 503 Crown street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, representing the brand in the Australian market.
- Beams - TokyocoreIconic Japanese retailer in Tokyo. Mentioned as a prestigious store representing the brand early on, highlighting international credibility.
- Costes HotelminorHotel collaboration partner mentioned in the brand history.
- The Standard StoreminorHotel/retail collaboration partner. The Standard Store in Sydney carries the brand and has collaborated on Surf in locations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cuisse de Grenouille competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Le Minor: Bretagne-based heritage knitwear brand best known for the authentic Breton fisherman's shirt. Comparable French heritage-meets-coastal-aesthetic positioning with similar family-scale operation and primarily European wholesale distribution.
Direct peers
- Maison Kitsuné: Paris-born lifestyle brand blending fashion, music, and coffee culture with multi-channel DTC, flagship retail, and international wholesale. Overlaps with CDG on Parisian heritage positioning and contemporary menswear/womenswear retail model.
- AMI Paris: Alexandre Mattiussi's Paris-based contemporary menswear label built on Parisian chic with casual tailoring. Targets a similar Parisian/contemporary male customer and competes head-to-head in the same multi-channel (DTC + flagship + wholesale) playbook.
- Saint James: French heritage apparel brand famous for the Breton striped shirt and nautical aesthetic. Closely comparable to CDG's nautical/surf-inspired DNA, French manufacturing heritage, and reliance on wholesale department stores.
- A.P.C. Jean Touitou's iconic Parisian contemporary apparel brand known for minimalist, vintage-influenced denim and ready-to-wear. Comparable in operating model (Paris-based, DTC + wholesale, premium positioning) and target customer.
- Hartford: Paris-based contemporary menswear brand with vintage Americana and workwear influences. Directly comparable aesthetic and target customer, operating a similar DTC, flagship, and international wholesale model.
Broad incumbents
- Fred Perry: Established British heritage casualwear brand with deep subcultural credibility. Broader incumbent version of the CDG formula: heritage storytelling, subcultural positioning, and global multi-channel distribution.
- Polo Ralph Lauren: Iconic American heritage apparel brand built around cinematic, preppy, and vintage Americana aesthetics. Demonstrates the scale-up path for a brand whose CDG-like aesthetic is storytelling-driven and globally distributed across department stores.
Emerging players
- Norse Projects: Danish contemporary menswear brand rooted in heritage and minimal aesthetic with strong DTC and selective wholesale. Comparable niche-heritage, menswear-focused positioning and reliance on premium independent retailers globally.
- Editions MR: Paris-based contemporary menswear label founded by Emmanuel Ricolleau, often characterized by vintage-cinema tailoring. Directly overlaps with CDG in Parisian, vintage-cinema-inspired menswear aesthetic and similar DTC-plus-wholesale go-to-market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cuisse de Grenouille social profiles
Digital presenceCuisse de Grenouille compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Cuisse de Grenouille financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cuisse de Grenouille leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cuisse de Grenouille funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cuisse de Grenouille M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cuisse de Grenouille
What does Cuisse de Grenouille do?
Cuisse de Grenouille designs and sells a curated line of men's clothing inspired by 1960s surf culture, Parisian chic, and French cinema icons. Its assortment centers on board shorts, the signature "Surf in Paris" sweatshirt, leather jackets, trench coats, striped shorts, and Hawaiian shirts, distributed through its own Shopify online store, a Paris flagship boutique, and wholesale accounts.
Is Cuisse de Grenouille a public or private company?
Cuisse de Grenouille is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cuisse de Grenouille founded?
Cuisse de Grenouille was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cuisse de Grenouille based?
Cuisse de Grenouille is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Cuisse de Grenouille make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/B2B Sales.
Who are Cuisse de Grenouille's main competitors?
Le Minor is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Maison Kitsuné, AMI Paris, Saint James, A.P.C. and Hartford. Broad incumbents are Fred Perry and Polo Ralph Lauren. Emerging players are Norse Projects and Editions MR.
Does Cuisse de Grenouille have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cuisse de Grenouille.
What industry is Cuisse de Grenouille in?
Cuisse de Grenouille's product category is Premium Menswear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAABAM, Streetwear & Contemporary Apparel Retail, with a secondary code of CRAAAEAG, Swim & Surf Performance Wear. Its NAICS code is 458110 and its SIC code is 5600.