Excellence and transmission: at the heart of Ets Thierry - Fonlupt
In the demanding landscape of French manufacturing, Établissements Thierry - Fonlupt shine through their commitment to excellence, preservation and the transmission of savoir-faire. Run with passion and determination by Amedi Nacer since their respective acquisitions in 2003 and 2012, these workshops embody the essence of French craftsmanship.
At Les ateliers Thierry, with its 110 dedicated craftsmen and Fonlupt, bringing together a total team of just over 200 people, the emphasis is on quality, upgrading skills and preserving ancestral savoir-faire. Specializing in women's luxury ready-to-wear garment making, with Flou / soft dressmaking, Tailoring and Leather Goods divisions, and a dynamic Design Office, these companies combine tradition and modernity. Amedi Nacer is more than just a company manager; it embodies a genuine philosophy, focused on recruitment, upskilling and transmission.
A story of continuity and reinvention
© Ets. Thierry & Fonlupt">In 1975, a Spanish men's tailor, Monsieur Juan, founded textile clothing manufacturers, working for renowned designers such as Kenzo, Georges Rech and Thierry Mugler. Until 1992, he managed the workshop before handing it over to Madame Thierry, an exceptional technician who had spent her entire career at Normandie Couture. At the time, the workshop was facing increasing relocation. Refusing to give in to this trend, she targeted the Grandes Maisons and established herself throughout the 90s thanks to the excellent reputation of her work.
Amedi Nacer, today the company's director, entered the sector in 1989, notably at Kenzo. Then, backed by the Grandes Maisons with which he collaborates, he took over the Thierry company in 2003, declaring "the Homes I came from fully supported my takeover, telling me it was an excellent idea to preserve the savoir-faire". In just one year, he more than doubled the company's sales, using his experience to steer development towards the most buoyant brands.
In 2012, the company acquired Fonlupt located in Mayenne, specializing in flou / soft dressmaking, founded in 1972. On this subject, Amedi Nacer mentions:"My Ets Thierry customers trusted me to produce in this new company, which they didn't necessarily know". On his arrival, he began a complete reorganization of the workshop, the team and the order book, quickly achieving positive results.
"Currently, our innovation lies in optimizing our processes, we are investing in grey matter (...) particularly with regard to lean management". Amedi Nacer clarifies the importance of organization and everyone's role, saying:"I'm not a technician, my responsibility is to steer the company, everyone does their job, and we give respect to everyone. This is how we achieve convincing results."
Recruitment and training, challenges brilliantly met
© Ets. Thierry & Fonlupt">Faced with the challenge of recruitment, the company has adopted a proactive strategy, with the director insisting on the importance of this process:"I devote 60% of my time to recruitment and we communicate almost exclusively on this subject". This necessity stems from changes in the market, as he points out:"From 2015-2016, we observed a decrease in candidates with prior experience in the professions, which led us to review our recruitment criteria and broaden our horizons (...) in addition, we had to fight against the idea of a profession that doesn't allow you to evolve".
Thus, the question of training proved central: "we created opportunities for people in the company, we paid for licenses, training.... From the outset, I knew that if the company had existed since 1975, it was because it had the ability to pass on knowledge empirically, orally... Today, we structure training. We've created a real school, the Thierry Academy, which can accommodate between 8 and 10 people simultaneously. We now know that it takes 3 years of training and experience, supervised by our in-house trainer, to produce a versatile, autonomous employee who has integrated the required excellence. We have formed partnerships with schools, in particular the Lycée Victor Lépine, and we also work with France Travail".
Motivation is now the main recruitment criterion, underlining the importance of savoir-être. "We support our employees in their professional and social development, going so far as to set up French classes and help with finding accommodation. All this is our extra soul" expresses Amedi Nacer. This motivation is maintained by the fact that each piece "only stays in the workshop for a few weeks and there is no restocking", avoiding any weariness. Atelier Thierry - Fonlupt combines craftsmanship and industrial logic to offer a quality product while preserving the human aspect of its production, asserting that "behind every operation there is a human being who cannot be replaced by a machine".
Furthermore, the director explains that "our close collaboration with our customers has also contributed to our rise in skills, particularly in the leather goods field. Today we're able to work on leather elements for ready-to-wear". This customer-designer relationship is at the heart of the evolution, enabling us to expand capacities to meet the ever-changing demands of the market.
Manufacturers and designers, a collaboration at the heart of the system
© Ets. Thierry & Fonlupt">In the world of fashion, relationships between designers and manufacturers are crucial to the success of both parties, as Amedi Nacer expresses:"When I worked at Kenzo, he (the designer) would check that the ateliers that had supported him at the start of his career, had work. He was really grateful for the support of the big factories (...) That's why today I think it's the duty of manufacturers and structures such as federations to support and give a chance (to young designers), but we can't take care of everything. Some designers do very beautiful things, but is there a market for their products? It's not our role to know, and that can put us in a very complicated situation". Strongly committed to supporting young designers, the company collaborated in 2023 with four of them positioned in luxury. "Our approach is characterized by attentive listening and constant adaptation in the interests of the brand and the product, indeed we have even integrated a designer into our team to meet the needs of brands". This approach combines technical expertise with artistic vision, ensuring synergy between manufacturer and designer.
Amedi Nacer observes that the appeal of savoir-faire and "made in France" is constantly growing. This has changed the perspective on local production:"Everyone comes looking for savoir-faire and made in France. They want to produce locally". The executive explains that"subcontracting can preserve the savoir-faire of smaller workshops while maintaining quality and creativity. However, finding a balance between the flexibility of the Italian system and the rigor of the French system remains a challenge."
Thus, Ets Thierry - Fonlupt stands out for its commitment to excellence, the preservation and transmission of savoir-faire. Under the passionate leadership of Amedi Nacer, these companies embody the very essence of French craftsmanship. Their GOTS and EPV certifications testify to their commitment to quality and sustainability. By working closely with brands and designers, investing in training and constantly adapting their practices, Ets Thierry - Fonlupt are positioning themselves as key players in the fashion industry, ready to meet market challenges while preserving the authenticity and quality for which they are renowned.
"Our savoir-faire at the service of the culture of excellence!"
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