Court Métrage, the precision of product development
In the heart of the Vendée region, in Mortagne-sur-Sèvre, the Court Métrage product development unit has been cultivating invaluable expertise for over twenty years in the development of collections for France's greatest luxury Houses and high-end ready-to-wear brands. Away from the limelight, this independent structure has become a benchmark in design development and standardization, combining high technical standards with artisanal savoir-faire.
Managed for the past four years by Philippe Lefebvre, a textile engineer by training with an international background, Court Métrage perpetuates a rigorous, discreet and deeply human approach to product development, right through to preparation for industrialization in a fast-changing production context.
Expertise serving the greatest luxury Houses
Since its creation by the Poupard family, Court Métrage has built a singular positioning in the French fashion landscape: that of a product development unit totally independent of production, which is increasingly rare today. "We've always been a product development unit that leaves the customer free for production. This model makes us agile and focused on what we do best: fine-tuning. That's why my Court Métrage product development unit operates independently of the garment making workshop I also manage", sums up Philippe Lefebvre. This clear positioning has won over major players in the luxury sector, who call on the team's expertise to develop their pieces.
The methodology is well-honed: receipt of sketches, production of canvases or half-canvases on mannequins, fittings in Paris or on site, patternmaking on Lectra Modaris Expert, assembly of prototypes, production of bilingual technical file, material usage calculations... Each step is part of a rigorous consulting approach. "When we start with a sketch, we take the time to explain what is and isn't possible. This consulting time is fundamental, but it comes at a cost, often misunderstood", he insists.
Court Métrage also masters industrial standardization: digitization, gradation, measurement scales, and rigorous control of technical data. Often behind-the-scenes work, but crucial: "We're sometimes called in to rework prototypes, correct technical files, or even completely redo a patternmaking", explains the manager.
Attached to the Choletais basin, the manager claims local solidarity: "There's real mutual aid here. We sometimes work with workshops that don't have a Product development unit, so we all team up".
A versatile technical mastery
The human-sized team consists of three model makers, two prototypists and a few freelancers. This team develops collection designs with a range of savoir-faire: warp and weft, cut and sew knits, flou / soft dressmaking and tailoring. Court Métrage is renowned for its mastery of sleeved garments - coats, blazers, parkas, shirts - but is also involved in dresses, pants, jumpsuits, and even corsetry-like pieces, although this is not the core of their offering. The variety of materials implies constant adaptability: "There are no general fashions, souls Philippe Lefebvre. It all depends on the fabric, delivery times for supplies... If you don't master the profession well enough, you're simply not fast enough to manage it all. Prototypists assemble the piece from A to Z, whatever the product. These are rare profiles. It's technically impossible to assemble a luxury-level prototype straight out of school", explains Philippe Lefebvre. Savoir-faire is acquired over time, through contact with materials and gestures.
At the crossroads of craftsmanship and engineering, Court Métrage combines CAD, automatic cutting, fusing, high-end ironing and specific finishes (handkerchief hems, French seaming...) while valuing the physical prototype because "our customers want to see and touch. We take a very material approach to the product". The machine park is substantial, but each tool remains set for a precise use, to optimize time without sacrificing quality. This requirement extends to quality control on the finished product, a complementary service to the Product development unit operated on an adjoining logistics platform (Prolog). Spare parts, repairs, repackaging: every part is examined, adjusted and documented. "We've sometimes had to change a fastener, reassemble a part, even adjust the size of a bag. Luxury does not tolerate improvisation, whether in terms of deadlines or quality", he reminds us.
Between adaptation and support
Despite its recognition, Court Métrage has not escaped the upheavals in the sector: shrinking collections, drastic deadlines, less precise briefs and the internalization of development by client brands. "Today, we find it hard to project ourselves. Operations are complicated, and we often become the adjustment variable", observes Philippe Lefebvre. In the face of this, the Product development unit holds its line: method, exacting standards, support.
Education is part of Court Métrage's DNA, particularly with young brands. "Education is constant. There's a lack of understanding of our professions, especially when it comes to fine-tuning. Consulting remains essential, especially for emerging brands. When you launch your brand, you have to be aware that you need at least three seasons of self-financing before you even know if it's going to work", expresses the executive.
Faced with the accelerating pace and transformations of the sector, Court Métrage defends an approach resolutely rooted in the long term, the preservation of its savoir-faire and exacting standards. In a profession where every detail counts, technical mastery and knowledge of materials are irreplaceable. The product development unit cultivates a rare hybrid between technical precision, manual know-how and tailor-made support, making fine-tuning an act of design in its own right.
For more information, see the Court Métrage company fact sheet.
