BESPOKE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF AN EMOTION AT THE HEART OF AN OBJECT
by Anaïs Bordier
Bespoke work is directly linked to the Jean Rousseau identity. We have always imagined and created watch straps for prestigious watch brands: making pieces which meet and exceed their requirements is precisely what makes the beauty and strength of our profession. This is also the service that my father wanted to give people who have a true passion for watches: ground for personal expression, the possibility to own a unique watch strap that perfectly complements their timepiece, and that is completed in a short period of time.
Today, when it comes to bespoke services, we offer an array of options: choice of the outer material, inner lining, leather colour, thread, edge dyeing. Possibilities are endless. We also offer exceptional and more personal touches, such as gold and platinum stitching thread, hand painting or laser engraving techniques which allow clients to choose a date, a first name or even a photo to be engraved in the leather.
At Jean Rousseau, bespoke pieces are made in a specific production department, with craftsmen specially trained for these particular watch strap orders. Most of them are also trained in leather goods and can make the bespoke wallets and handbags our clients have always dreamt of. This is how a great watch collector once asked us to create a watch strap from a very chic belt that had worn out with time. By lining it with alligator leather and using a different stitching technique, the gentleman was really pleased to see that his belt was given a second life and made his watch even more special.
This example perfectly illustrates the importance of the human interaction in the creation process: here, a client’s desire to create has met the amazing skills of one of our craftsmen. The process leading to a bespoke design often originates from a personal story or a strong emotion. This is the reason why we have designed workshop-boutiques, where our craftsmen can take the time to interact with our clients to design together the piece they have in mind. Each craftsman has a great know-how, which allows them to guide our clients towards aesthetic, creative and technical choices to best meet their expectations. Each craftsman works on the piece from start to finish.
This connection between our craftsmen and our clients is so important to us that we endeavour to recreate it when clients live far from our workshops and cannot visit us in store. In addition to online forms carefully studied to be as efficient as our face to face service, we have recently set up a “videocall” service which recreates the atmosphere of our workshops, favoring a high-quality contact with our clients enabling us to define all the specificities of our bespoke creations.
If bespoke is a service that benefits our clients, it is also a considerable source of inspiration for us. At Jean Rousseau, creation is always the result of a team interaction. Every creation arises from an exchange taking place in a meeting, or in store with a client. It is precisely these collective emulations that have given life to our collections. As 2021 just begins, we can only hope for one thing: to keep being surprised and amazed!