Cycle Interview: Listen to Your Instinct – How Audrey Delanoë Is Redefining Sneaker Culture with Purpose
Creative Strategy and Product Marketing
When Audrey Delanoë left her stable job, she didn’t just change careers — she answered an inner calling. A quiet yet persistent instinct led her from startup life in Paris to creating iné, a vegan sneaker brand driven by bold style, sustainable practices, and a deeply held personal conviction.
“I knew I could no longer keep doing a job that no longer made sense for me,” Audrey confides. “I needed to create something that resembled me, that was in line with who I am.”
Audrey, founder of iné
This clarity and creative independence are exactly what caught our attention at Cycle. As a platform dedicated to purpose-driven creativity and ethical entrepreneurship, we were drawn to iné’s energy: uncompromising, expressive, and deeply rooted in values. We invited Audrey to join the Cycle community, and we revisited her journey with her — from childhood memories in Brittany to industry trade shows in Porto, all the way to her dream of opening a boutique in Rennes.
She embarked on entrepreneurship with this mindset:
“It’s a whole new universe, with its own energy and challenges. But that’s exactly what makes the adventure beautiful.”
A new way to tell the sneaker story
Audrey launched iné in January 2024, but the first seeds had been planted much earlier. Originally from Rennes and now based in Paris, she first followed a classic path: business school in Toulouse, internships at Parisian startups, corporate strategy.
Four years after co-founding a company with a former colleague, she reached what she describes as “a silent turning point.”
“I told him, ‘I have to go. I don’t feel like I belong here anymore.’ I didn’t know yet what I was going to do, but I knew I wanted to work in sustainability and build something meaningful.”
iné, an urban and sustainable brand in line with Audrey’s vision
Ironically, it was this same business partner who suggested starting from scratch—this time with sustainability as the driving force. For Audrey, it wasn’t just a second chance; it was the beginning of a freer, more creative adventure: the one that would become iné.
She turned to sneakers, not out of a passion for collectible models, but for what they represent: an expression of everyday life.
“I couldn’t find a single pair that matched my values and my style. The vegan options were bland: white, flat, soulless. I wanted color, character. And I also wanted to know how they were made.”
From frustration to the first prototype
The path from idea to product was anything but linear. Audrey spent nearly two years searching for the right designer, until she met Adrien, a creative who was committed to a co-creation approach.
“It had to be a true collaboration. That’s when everything started to accelerate.”
From the first sketch to the finalized prototype, nine months passed. Audrey didn’t compromise on anything. Rather than using standard soles, they decided to develop a custom one. It was more expensive and took longer, but it gave them total freedom and control over their manufacturing ethics.
“The first mold had a flaw, we had to start all over again. One or two more months. In total, almost three years passed between the idea and the launch. But we did it our way.”
iné’s first model breaks the mold with a vibrant palette: punchy orange, neon green, deep purple. A visual homage to ’90s streetwear.
“I loved the ’90s — that era was free, unfiltered. It gave me permission to dare. I was inspired by pieces like the Nike Challenge worn by Agassi, or the color-block NBA jerseys my father brought back from New York. That energy is in our DNA.”
Sneakers inspired by the ’90s, built for modern challenges
A childhood by the sea: where it all started
Audrey’s convictions are not a pose — they’re personal. Growing up near the Brittany coast, she witnessed environmental damage from an early age.
“One summer, the raspberry bushes in my grandfather’s garden were wiped out by pesticides. The beaches were closed because of toxic algae. I felt like something sacred had been desecrated.”
Witnessing the damage of human activity on the environment, Audrey vowed to act
Even as a little girl, she kept everything: fabric scraps, ribbons, boxes, paper.
“I’ve always hated waste. Throwing things away just felt… absurd.”
That mindset now guides every material choice at iné. The sneakers are designed with a material composed of 75% natural fibers, often using factory surplus.
“We work with the constraints. Fewer colors available pushes us to be more creative.”
Production is based in the north of Portugal, a region she discovered at industry trade shows.
“The Porto region is highly specialized in sneakers, and many workshops there use renewable energy. That’s essential. It’s not just the look of the shoe that counts; it’s how it’s made, and the energy that powers it.”
Distribution, challenges, and staying true to values
Like many young independent brands, iné faces the daily challenge of visibility. While most sales happen online, the brand is now featured in stores in Paris, Rennes, Lyon, and Bordeaux, France.
“People need to try them on, to see the colors in real life. The physical contact changes everything. We’ve noticed that once on their feet, people are surprised by the comfort.”
iné is traveling across France thanks to its partner stores
Growth is also planned carefully. The team is small: Audrey, Matthieu (her longtime friend), and two people in communications and development.
“We talk to each other all the time. I want everyone to love what they do here. That’s how you build something sustainable.”
And there’s no question of rushing things, either.
“We’re working on new colorways and a small line of socks. But no new model for now. I want this one to be recognized, adopted, loved.”
Advice for creatives and entrepreneurs
Audrey’s biggest lesson learned? Don’t go it alone.
“I waited far too long before reaching out to people. As soon as I started going to trade shows and talking with others, doors opened. Even without a specific goal, go out there, ask questions. People are often happy to help.”
This openness is at the heart of iné’s philosophy.
“It’s not about competition. It’s about community. If I can help someone, I do it. We need more of that.”
It’s a vision the Cycle team shares as well. As our co-founder Simon Defoort told her when they met:
“As soon as you start sharing, people give back to you. That snowball effect is powerful.”
Audrey nods:
“Exactly, it’s a cycle.”
Closing the cycle
At Cycle, we celebrate not only the finished product, but also the journey, the approach, and the long-term commitment. In Audrey, we recognized what we stand for: the courage to question norms, the curiosity to search for alternatives, and the conviction to build slowly, honestly, and in depth.
Our conversation with her was marked by a rare clarity — the kind that comes when you listen to your instinct and honor your own path, even if it’s more difficult.
“There comes a moment when you just have to jump,” says Audrey. “Even if you don’t know what’s on the other side.”
For us, that’s what it means to invent the future.
At the end of our discussion, we asked her if she had a mantra, a phrase that guides her.
She smiled, without hesitating:
“It’s written on my bathroom mirror: Listen to your instinct. It doesn’t tell me what to do, it brings me back to myself.”
Audrey reminds herself daily of the importance of listening to her instinct
In a world of fast fashion and hurried decisions, Audrey Delanoë is doing something radical: she slows down, she listens, and she builds from within.
iné isn’t just a sneaker brand. It’s a signal that there’s another way to create — an honest, mindful, and free way.
And at Cycle, we are proud to walk alongside her.
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