In the Ateliers JYBH: between tradition and modernity

The story begins in 1999, when Jean-Yves Bohère, formerly head of the Repetto company, decides to buy a first workshop, Marque & Mod, located in the South-West of France. The business soon expanded, and Jean-Yves Bohère successively bought three other workshops. The PR3 atelier in 2005, specialized in tailoring and sleeved garments, followed in 2013 by the Domcia Production atelier and the Confection de Sully atelier, both specialized in flou / soft dressmaking. "A savoir-faire that requires great tactile sensitivity with the material and a subtle hand to master all garment making operations including cutting" souls Jean-Yves Bohère.

Behind the scenes at Sully's garment making workshop, it's an ode to excellent savoir-faire. We discover passionate people making exceptional products on machines but also using hand stitch techniques. Just a few meters from the cutting tables, we have the pleasure of meeting the Product development unit teams, pattern makers and pattern makers working in a concentrated atmosphere, to bring sublime designs to life.

Today, the group collaborates with the finest Luxury Homes and works hand in hand with designers to develop their designs. "What also makes our professions so rich is working on a product as far upstream as possible, at the design stage. In the end, we're there to turn the designers' idea into reality, we start with a drawing that's flat and then we go on to give it volume."

The JYBH workshops are committed to privileging a partnership relationship with their customers. A partnership that grows stronger from season to season, and which involves finding solutions, both in terms of production schedules and capacities, and in terms of the typology of products to be made, so as to evolve together and satisfy new demands.

Innovation and CSR approach

To meet this challenge, innovation is at the heart of the company's strategy. The group has not hesitated to invest in an ERP that integrates tablets into the workstation, enabling real-time management of operations, with more modern work equipment.

CSR commitment is also a subject close to Jean-Yves Bohère's heart. Not only for the planet, but also for people. Two years ago, the workshops each received their first GOTS label. "CSR is important, and customers are extremely sensitive to it. Even if it requires a lot of energy and commitment from all managers to address these issues, we're very mobilized and we're going to accelerate the movement."

Several actions have already been put in place: "for example at PR3, we've completely redone the lighting and installed LEDs. We're going to continue with all these initiatives. We also have partners to collect waste and demonstrate that we sort it so as to proceed with recycling."

On the social side, training and recruitment are major issues. Not only is it difficult to find employees with an immediately operational skill level to join the workshops, but we also have to deal with the generational renewal of the workforce. According to Jean-Yves Bohère, government schemes such as the POE (préparation opérationnelle à l'emploi - operational preparation for employment) training sessions are now a lever for training future employees and upgrading their skills. In fact, Confection de Sully plans to recruit 12 to 15 new garment making employees.

"Today, you need to know that to have garment making mechanics as competent as an incumbent with experience, it takes 2 and a half to 3 years. It's a real journey, starting with initiation to reach real professions expertise."

At the same time, there's the importance of retaining employees and new recruits. "The exit from Covid has meant that the relationship at work has changed. We have to offer employees the best possible working conditions, and provide development plans to retain our staff. Careers are possible in our Contract manufacturer workshops."

Despite the current inflationary context, Jean-Yves Bohère remains optimistic. "The Made in France DNA has always been a very valuable point, whatever the crises. Regardless of the creative aspect of our customers' products, Made in France is a safe bet. All my customers are very attached to Made in France and French savoir-faire. They find in it responsiveness, special savoir-faire and answers to environmental challenges."

Surely a bright future for the JYBH workshops!

To find out more about the group's savoir-faire: https://jybh.fr/en/