Cliche

Cliché is one of the most iconic skateboard brands to ever come out of Europe. Founded in 1997 in Lyon by French professional skater Jérémie Daclin, it grew out of a very specific frustration: the feeling that European riders were always treated as an afterthought by American companies. Daclin set out to build a brand with Europe at its core, defined by three ideas he came back to for years: photography, the European continent, and every style of skateboarding. That blend of visual sensibility and local pride gave Cliché a character all its own, a world away from the tone of the Californian majors.

History

In its early years, Cliché ran almost like a project among friends, centered on the Lyon scene and sponsoring skaters from across southern Europe. In 2001 the brand was acquired by France’s Salomon Group, which later folded into Amer Sports. In 2009 the American distributor Dwindle took ownership, and in November 2016 it announced the brand was being shut down, citing worsening market conditions. For nearly a decade, Cliché lived on as a cult name that skaters remembered fondly.

In 2026 the story took an unexpected turn: Cliché is back. Jérémie Daclin and JB Gillet revived the project alongside Sidewalk Distribution, with relaunch events in July 2026 that featured a vintage board exhibition and a screening of a retrospective video, “Crème Brûlée.” The brand returns, then, with the same European DNA it was born with.

Riders and video legacy

Much of Cliché’s reputation rests on its team. Its ranks over the years included the likes of Lucas Puig, Javier Mendizabal, JB Gillet, Joey Brezinski, and Ricardo Fonseca, among many others, and the brand always managed to put a spotlight on European style when the industry’s attention was fixed on the United States. Its filmography is just as respected: across more than fifteen years, Cliché put out full-length productions that remain reference points for how skating was filmed and understood on this side of the Atlantic.

Aesthetics and boards

Graphically, Cliché stayed true to its obsession with photography and careful design, frequently working with illustrator Marc McKee and running guest series that brought figures like Mark Gonzales and Tas Pappas onto its boards. Its decks are classic seven-ply maple builds, made for versatile street skating.

If you want a brand with a genuine history, European roots, and an identity that runs deeper than fashion, Cliché is a choice that makes sense. You can place it in context in our guide to European skateboard brands.