The start of a French brand that will span the decades
In 1850, Léon Legallais (mayor of the commune of Saint James in La Manche) set up a spinning mill called "Moulin du Prieur".
The company weaves and dyes local wool produced by "prés salés" sheep raised near the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, not far from the famous village of Saint James.
This high-quality wool is then resold to local stores, which then transform it into hats, socks and other knitwear items.
Without realizing it, Léon Legallais laid the foundations of a fashion brand that has stood the test of time, becoming an emblem of French fashion!
It wasn't until 1889 that the workshop created by Léon Legallais officially took the name "Filatures de Saint James", continuing to manufacture balls of wool and skeins for distribution to haberdashers in Normandy and Brittany.
In the same year, Léon's desire to innovate led him to market the very first garment under the Saint James brand: the Marin sweater.
Knitted from the wool of salt meadow sheep, the Saint James sweater is as hard-wearing as it is warm, and takes its name from the Breton and Norman fishermen who used to cross the English Channel to sell garlic on England's south coast.
As an integral part of the sailor's kit, the latter would announce their presence on English shores by shouting "Marchands d'ail!", while our Anglo-Saxon friends would hear "chand'ail!".
Hence the name of Saint James' emblematic garment, "Chandail".
Saint James in post-war France
In 1950, in post-war France, Julien Bonte took over the Saint James spinning mills and decided to modernize the company and refocus its activities.
Sales of balls of wool and skeins came to a halt, and from then on, Saint James concentrated solely on the manufacture of its now iconic sailor sweater.
He decided to register the brand name "Le vrai chandail marin" ("The real sailor sweater").
In 1970, Bernard Bonte succeeded his father at the head of the company, which was renamed "Les tricots Saint James" in 1970. Bernard made a major contribution to the democratization of sailor clothing, and created seasonal collections to appeal to French holidaymakers.
The brand also branched out into other clothing styles, with woven models, shirts and pants.
Still based in the village of Saint James, by 1980 the French fashion brand was exporting to Tokyo and conquering the world.
The Saint James brand today
In 1990, the now iconic brand was bought out by its own employees in order to preserve know-how and jobs in France.
New made-in-France collections were born, adopting a "casual chic" seafaring style.
Today, the Saint James brand employs over 300 people in some sixty stores.
We say "Saint Jam"!
The oldest French fashion brand is also certainly the most mispronounced... Which is why, before going any further, a quick pronunciation lesson is in order.
We know that the temptation to pronounce it in the English style is great, but we say "Saint Jam" without the "s".
And now, where are the brand's clothes made?
You can visit the Saint James workshops and see for yourself that their famous sailor sweaters are still made in France.
Saint James: THE MADE IN FRANCE CLOTHING BRAND LABELLED "ENTREPRISE DU PATRIMOINE VIVANT" (LIVING HERITAGE COMPANY)
In 2012, the Saint James brand was honored with the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" (EPV) label awarded by the French government, in recognition of its excellent craftsmanship and industrial know-how. For Saint James, the quality of its products is a core value, and this prestigious distinction underlines the company's commitment to preserving France's economic heritage.
This label is awarded by the French government to companies that possess outstanding craftsmanship or industrial know-how, thereby contributing to the enhancement of France's economic heritage.
To be eligible for the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" (EPV) label, a company must have a specific economic heritage. This means possessing rare equipment, tools or machines, holding industrial property rights, and/or actively pursuing creation and innovation. These criteria are important to ensure that the company has excellent craft or industrial know-how, and that it contributes to the enhancement of France's economic heritage.
Saint James and its French know-how of excellence for over 170 years
Saint James has been awarded the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label, in recognition of its excellent craftsmanship and industrial know-how.
Founded in 1850 by Léon Legallais, Saint James has been based in the eponymous commune for over 170 years, which meets one of the criteria for obtaining this label.
The Saint James craftsmen and women possess the highest level of expertise, which they apply every day to the manufacture of quality products to the highest standards.
This prestigious recognition underlines Saint James ' commitment to preserving France's economic heritage.
Saint James employs highly skilled hosiery makers, seamstresses and seamstresses to manufacture its garments.
Some of these skills are so specific that they can only be acquired in-house, after nearly 2 years' training in splicing, for example.
Remaillage is another of the brand's specific skills. Thanks to these rare skills, Saint James is able to produce exceptional garments, while maintaining a presence on the French and international markets.
This strategy enables the company to preserve its economic and cultural heritage, while continuing to grow.
A label that perfectly sums up the Saint James identity
The "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" (EPV) label perfectly sums up the identity, history and raison d'être of Saint James.
The "E" in EPV represents both the company and the crew, all members working together with a common vision and shared values and heritage.
The "P" stands for heritage, encompassing the expertise and know-how of a company that has preserved its authenticity and exacting standards for over a century and a half.
Finally, the "V" represents the living character of the brand, always on the move and skilfully combining heritage and creativity, heritage and modernity.
This label is thus a recognition for Saint James, a company that perfectly embodies the spirit of France's economic and cultural heritage.
In 2019, the Saint James brand saw its Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label renewed for a further five years, confirming recognition of the excellence of its crafts and products. This renewal testifies to the brand's ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.