What comes to mind when you think of France. Perhaps the vineyards, the warm Mediterranean coast, the wonderful cheeses, the cities of culture, the ski resorts of the Alps. Any of these would be a justifiable response.
But I think one of the areas in which France has always been and continues to be a world leader is luxury textiles. Whether it's runway fashion, whether it's Parisian boutiques or handmade workshops. We focus on the latter.
Let's take a closer look at the history of Maison Jean Rousseau, which specializes in leather and watch straps.
Today Jean Rousseau has a reputation for being one of the most important luxury watch strap manufacturers in the entire industry.
They work with the most famous materials and have one of the most varied and vibrant ranges. They also supply their leather even to other prestigious brands because the quality is so high. However, a reputation like this isn't built overnight, so how did they get to this point?;
The first piece of the puzzle is actually geography. Jean Rousseau's headquarters are located in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France, near the city of Besançon. A quick google maps search will show you why this is important. It is as close to the Swiss-French border as it is possible to be without being in Neuchatel.
In short, Besançon is where Swiss technology meets French art. And Jean Rousseau is at the forefront, absorbing ideas, information and techniques from all sides. For a textile company in the watch business, there is no better location on earth.
However, location is only one part of the puzzle. Another key factor to consider is the state of the watch industry when Jean Rousseau (named after its founder) was established in 1954. Europe at that time was still suffering from the biggest war in history just a decade earlier. But the watch industry was also in an interesting state of flux.
The companies in the east had been nationalised, while the companies in the west had been destroyed by the bombing. But after this destruction, there was now time for regeneration. After the austerity of the war, people wanted entertainment and they wanted luxury goods like watches. And Jean Rousseau was able to meet this new demand.
Unfortunately, and that's a whole different story that we don't have time to go into here. The proliferation of affordable watches (especially Quartz watches) in the 1970s led to a crisis in the watch industry. In its history, Jean Rousseau had, up to that point, specialized in low- to mid-range straps.
But the huge degree of competition in this sector meant that by the late 1990s, the company (which had undergone several name changes by then and was now called COBRA) was on the verge of collapse, declaring bankruptcy in 1999.
This is where the current owners of the brand, the Bordier family, took over. Their aim was to spread the wealth of knowledge and traditional techniques. Those that the company had accumulated in almost 50 years of operation. But also to find new ways to make it a successful business.
This is where the shift from producing mid-range harnesses to creating stunning bespoke luxury pieces took place.
This also coincided with the expansion of the company's national and international activities. Opening the first Atelier Jean Rousseau in Paris in 2001, before seeking to establish itself in the UK, America and further afield.
The new luxury orientation meant that the house took its expertise in traditional leather and applied it to new materials and contemporary ideas.
They used exotic skins from sustainable sources, according to the highest CITES and REACH regulations. They even redefined how they can be used in watch straps.
Think blue crocodile, Atlantis waterproof straps or even Nubuck that's ready for adventure. At the same time, recognising that changing perceptions about the industry has led to an explosion of vegan alternatives, which Jean Rousseau is leading the industry in, having recently launched the new Seaqual denim straps.
If there is one thing above all others that Maison Jean Rousseau has learned in its 70+ years of history, it is that while fashions and industries can change. But what is important through it all is the human element.
Whether it's the relationship between customer and craftsman or the willingness to invest in top craftsmen who spend decades perfecting their craft, it's the people that matter.
It's all due to the name of the company. At their lowest point they were COBRA and at their highest point they are Jean Rousseau. They chose to drop a commercial phrase to emphasize the importance of an individual. A craftsman who worked with his hands in southeastern France and wanted to make the best watch straps in the world. While the people responsible may be different, this dream is largely the same.
Source: oracleoftime.com
