3 questions for . . .

Jean-Luc François, General Manager and Founder of the Jean-Luc François Association  

For many years, Jean-Luc François worked with the biggest couture houses such as Yves Saint Laurent (where, for 15 years, he managed the accessories line with Loulou de la Falaise), Chloé, Balmain, and Dior. In 2003 he decided to create his own fashion house, Jean-Luc François Paris. Today the designer puts all his energy into bespoke garments and small series of couture products. He’s an Administrator for both the Institut National des Métiers d’Art and the Syndicat de Paris de la Mode Féminine et du Groupement de la Fabrication Française, as well as a multi-disciplinary artist who was recently awarded the Médaille de Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite (Knight of the Order of Merit).  

You started a back to work program based on sewing. What’s the program’s mission? What kind of people do you work with?

I created the Jean-Luc François Association in 2010 to help people with scholastic and family difficulties. The goal? To introduce them to jobs in the fashion and art fields. We got a lot of requests very quickly, and even from outside of France. We led some very interesting missions in Vietnam, Madagascar, and Cambodia, setting up programs within businesses and at the same time creating workshops for young designers. This is key to helping local talent start their own brands. Our end goal is to restore respect for all the trades that are disappearing and especially for their savoir-faire. For example, in Vietnam we made efforts to bring back working with silk. But our biggest mission today is in mainland France. In 2014 we started a program for sewing and associated skills. The “made in France” movement is, more than ever, a reality. And when we presented our program to all our fashion networks, the enthusiasm was immediate.   Our priority is to reach adults, people who are RSA (welfare) recipients or at the end of their Pôle Emploi (unemployment) benefits. In our programs the average age is around 40. In 2013 we started activities in lower-income neighbourhoods to introduce our jobs. We met women who were seamstresses in their home countries but couldn’t find work once they arrived in France. Others had stopped working for 10 years to take care of their children and weren’t able to get back into professional life. In summary, we discovered a large population that was ready to work but was given no opportunities.  

What’s your relationship with couture houses?

In 2016, 70 houses used our services. Our ateliers have become a real incubator for workers! Our people are multi-skilled; they know how to make a pattern and a toile, put together a garment, and more. Their ability to adapt to a designer’s needs is incredible.   When you’re a young house, it’s very complicated to start your brand with small quantities. That’s why the Ile-de-France region asked us to come up with a training program. And in 2016 we founded the Ecole Régionale des Projets (financed by each region); it’s the first ever incubator for textiles and apparel. Over a six-month period we help young labels put together their collections, handle manufacturing, start their brand, deliver their first orders, etc. They have access to a platform with technicians and trainers, which is essential when they’re starting out.  

How is training for skilled manual fashion jobs changing today?

Collections and seasons no longer exist for certain designers. Every day new concepts show up and every kind of start-up appears. Fashion is changing and manufacturers have to adapt to these brands that are putting small series of clothing and accessories on the market every two weeks. So this is an unusual way to work. And that’s why we’re in the midst of creating an outline for a skills cooperative in the Hauts-de-France region. The idea is to set up a workshop to train workers and production line sewers for brands and others that only require short runs. At the same time, we’re reintroducing French savoir-faire in zones that have been hurt by unemployment. It’s a way to make a future for French manufacturing.