Lener Cordier's vision of desirable, committed fashion

To remain relevant in the face of market changes, the company combines creativity and agility while preserving its identity. Headed by Frédéric Lener, with his children Marine, deputy general manager, and Luca, head of the design studio, the fourth generation is committed to this family continuity, combining innovation with the preservation of savoir-faire.

A family adventure punctuated by design

Frédéric Lener, general manager and Marine Lener, deputy general manager of Lener Cordier">

The story of Home Lener Cordier begins in the aftermath of the Second World War, when "Marguerite, my grandmother, transformed her attic a few steps from here into a small clothing manufacturer's workshop and began making blouses", explains Frédéric Lener. This family savoir-faire, passed on to his threads André and Marc, developed thanks to a commercial vision, supported by Marc's wife Annie, in charge of styling. In the 1970s, their expertise attracted major brands and designers, while the textile crisis of the 1980s forced the company to strengthen its internal processes to adapt.

In 1994, Frédéric Lener, Marguerite's grandson, took over the management of the company and launched the Chemins Blancs brand, a project to reach a new clientele, a new audience. This is followed by the launches of Home Lener and Trench & Coat, two brands embodying the company's savoir-faire and determination to respond to market changes by adapting to new consumer behaviors. Trench & Coat, for example, was "born of the desire to make the most of our fabrics' dead stock, with a positioning combining quality, refined style and fair pricing", explains Marine Lener. The Covid-19 pandemic marks a turning point for Lener Cordier, with an acceleration of its digital transformation and the launch of Mout-Mout, an eco-responsible brand offering unisex clothing made from natural wool and upcycled components. Today, Home brands account for 35% of sales, a share the company aims to increase.

Lener Cordier's creativity extends beyond its brands and manufacturing offering. In particular, Frédéric Lener mentions a solidarity project to design sleeping bags for the homeless, testifying to the company's social commitment. Furthermore, Marine Lener highlights a sustainable innovation integrated into production processes: "We revalue our alpaca offcuts, which we transform into wadding for our puffers". This approach reflects the company's desire to valorize its resources while reducing its ecological footprint.

An agile model offering a complete

Crédit photos : ©Lener Cordier">

The company thus articulates its activity around two poles: the first focuses on its own brands, while the second offers B2B services ranging from co-contracting to white labeling: "we support our customers from A to Z: material sourcing, design, prototypes, production, storage and delivery", explains Frédéric Lener.

This second pole is largely stimulated by the first, since Home Lener Cordier, through its brand-workshop activity, has the assets to offer a full range of services, integrating a collaborative approach with its customers: "we work within a logic of co-creation. We like our customers to come with their stylists, we present them with our designs and convictions in relation to the season's trends, and they get inspired by them. We offer customized solutions, because thanks to our small, agile team, we quickly implement each idea - that's our added value", testifies the manager.

This quality of service also includes sourcing expertise:"we have our weaving library. I can buy material for our customers, or they can supply us with their fabric. Together, we choose the one that offers the best style, technicality and durability", says the executive, because in his view, "recyclability and repairability depend on the quality of the initial product". With this in mind, the Home Lener Cordier has also introduced a label: Made in Lener Cordier:"we offer our customers to affix this label in the form of a label inside their product to guarantee complete traceability". This label embodies the company's commitment to high-quality products, derived from responsible savoir-faire and transparent manufacturing.

A commitment to the thread

Photo credit : ©Lener Cordier">

As Lener Cordier celebrates its 70th anniversary, the family business finds itself at a turning point. Despite decades marked by fine periods of success and challenges overcome with resilience, the current context has prompted Home Lener Cordier to take new measures to safeguard its business. This difficult period is, for the executive, a "necessary step to reinvent our future and adapt to a new reality affecting the entire industry".

For Frédéric Lener, the future of fashion lies in a model that goes beyond the traditional relationship between customers and suppliers: "There should no longer be customers or suppliers, but upstream and downstream partners with whom we exchange and build", he asserts. By developing strategic partnerships and "channel co-branding", the company aims to strengthen the transparency, traceability and quality of its products by consolidating its collaborations. With this vision, the leader reminds us of the importance of promoting manufacturing professions, which are often overlooked. "In the 60s, suppliers and contract manufacturers were visible in advertisements. Today, only the brand appears", he laments, calling for these savoir-faire essential to product quality to be brought back into the spotlight. He aspires to "a "desirable world"where consumers seek products that combine quality and values where, thus "Made in France" remains an undeniable asset.

This 70th anniversary thus becomes a key moment, not only to celebrate the company's heritage, but also to reaffirm its ambition: to continue offering designs that combine meaning, creativity and sustainability. With the support of its teams, partners and customers, Lener Cordier intends to draw up a new chapter, faithful to its history, but looking to the future. This step is an opportunity to reinvent itself while remaining true to its founding values and preserving its savoir-faire.

To find out more, discover the company profile of Lener Cordier.