It was founded in 1986 by Frenchman Pierre André Senizergues, 45, who came to the United States a year earlier to become one of the premier professional freestyle skateboarders. Senizergues began skateboarding at the age of 15 in his hometown of L'Hay-les-Roses, just outside Paris in France. He later obtained an engineering degree from the Institut Universitaire de Technologie Paris XI. During his career, Senizergues won 12 French Championships, nine European Cup Titles, five European Championships, two World Cup Events and one World Championship.

In 1988, Pierre André Senizergues began riding and designing skate shoes for the newly launched French shot brand, etnies, including his first pro model, the Senix, and other key styles. They were created with skateboarders in mind and consisted of a unique blend of fashion, durability and quality. A year later, Senizergues began distribution throughout the U.S. and later gained full rights to the etnies name worldwide. He later launched additional footwear and apparel brands, éS, Emerica, Altamont Apparel and ThirtyTwo, and consolidated all under the Sole Technology umbrella. Today, Sole Technology is based in Lake Forest, California, with over 400 employees and US$200 million in revenues.

Senizergues has taken footwear technology to another level with the development of the Sole Technology Institute (STI), the world’s first and only biomechanics research facility dedicated to studying the impacts of skateboarding and other action sports on the human body.

The 10,000 square foot laboratory has state-of-the-art testing equipment and a variety of obstacles like mini ramps, handrails, stairs and ledges. STI studies every successful landing and fall in order to get a better understanding and learn more about the movements and impacts incurred by action sports athlete’s bodies.

Senizergues is an ardent advocate of the environment and he devotes resources to implement an aggressive sustainability strategy with a full commitment to corporate responsibility. This goal is achieved with the installation of over 600 solar panels on top of the main building, the conversion to water-based cement manufacturing, the introduction of waterless urinals, the launch of a sustainable footwear and apparel collection, the etnies SEED Project, and the conduct of an eco-audit to study the impact of the company's business practices to develop more environmentally friendly solutions.

Pierre André Senizergues also dedicates resources to the youth with the construction of the 40,000 square-foot etnies Skate park of Lake Forest located at Sole Technology’s headquarters. Entrance is free of charge.

Senirzegues lives in the Los Angeles Area with his girlfriend Sara Sheen and their 4-month old son Mateo.


Text by Mimi Rohr
© Mimi Rohr