The Women Behind The Brand : Why A Former Olympic Fencer Launched Azza Fencing
From fencers, for fencers
Get to know our founder
Azza Besbes, the fencer behind the footwear, is a three-time Olympian (Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016) and one of the most decorated figures in African fencing history. A five-time African champion, she took silver at the 2017 World Championships in Leipzig, becoming the first Tunisian to be crowned vice-world champion, and went on to win gold at the 2018 Mediterranean Games.
Azza suffered multiple injuries during her career and ended up with serious health issues, which led her to stop competing earlier than expected. Frustrated by the quality of the fencing shoes available, she decided it was time for a fencer to offer the best footwear to her peers.
Stepping into style: the making of Azza footwear
The journey began with a research-and-development phase in collaboration with the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel. Azza then partnered with footwear experts around the world to design and develop the shoe. Over two years, multiple rounds of prototyping were completed, with each sample first tested in the lab and then evaluated by professional fencers. Azza founded the brand in 2021. For the full engineering story, read the science behind Azza fencing shoes.
The future of fencing starts now
We are proud that our shoes have been adopted by some of the world's greatest champions. Early adopters include more than ten Olympic and World Championship medallists, such as Mate Koch, the 2023 men's epee world champion; Kazuyasu Minobe, an Olympic medallist; Mara Navarria, the 2018 world champion; and Margaux Rifkiss. Azza is also the official shoe supplier for USA Fencing and the official supplier for the French Fencing Federation, partnerships that reflect the trust elite fencers place in the brand.
