It’s a slow trend but it has the merit of existing. Faced with the collapse of some fast fashion brands, certain French companies are managing to thrive by relocating their production.
Encouraged by the good performance of “made in France”, these brands are trying to revive know-how that is sometimes lost to produce clothes in France. A militant choice in a country where labor is at least twice as expensive as in Portugal. And how many times more than in Bangladesh or China?
Specializing in the manufacture of emblematic pieces of Brittany, such as the sailor top or the sailor sweater, the Le Minor brand is one of them. Long known for having dressed the French Navy, the company based in Guidel has been producing expensive pieces for years that are not within the reach of all budgets. Count on a little less than 200 euros for a sweater. A price which appealed more abroad, and in particular in Japan, than in its own territory.
Faced with this observation, its leaders are gradually trying to win back the hearts of the Bretons. “But we cannot escape the economic situation. Inflation weighs on households who have lost purchasing power. We too are starting to feel it,” says Sylvain Flet, the manager of Le Minor. Based in Guidel, near Lorient, his company has just opened an outlet store entirely dedicated to discounted collections.
At what price ?
End of series, items with a small defect and even prototypes never released or made from end of rolls of fabric offered at -30, -40 or even -50%. “We want to defend a business model of sustainable and local consumption by encouraging people to buy French. But at what cost ? With this store, we hope to reconnect with the locals,” hopes the manager of Le Minor. Even when sold off, the references will not be accessible to everyone with sweaters around 100 euros. The price to pay to save French textiles and its know-how that we thought was lost.
At the same time, the Le Slip Français brand announced a clear drop in the prices of two underwear items. With what secret? The volume, obviously. Accustomed to producing between 5,000 and 10,000 pieces, the company founded thirteen years ago ordered 400,000 pieces.