The sense of partnership at Jean Rousseau
By Jacques Bordier
We have always been working in close collaboration with a set of clients – mostly luxury watchmakers, but not only – who are seeking our skills and expertise: new products development, advice when choosing a material or a manufacturing technique, etc. We make our know-how available to brands looking for innovation and eager to make a difference. True to our history and identity, we often work on the watch straps creation, but we are also solicited by champagne houses or other luxury companies who are using leather to complete their products (mobile phones, audio sets, etc.).
If a large number of brands turn to us, it is both because we are able to offer high-end bespoke service and we value the sense of partnership. From a human perspective, we represent 400 full time employees, many of whom are dedicated to the technique. Having our own team of prototype specialists is, for example, a great point of differentiation to seduce our clients. The range of possibilities offered by our skin treatment unit enables us, not only to be extremely responsive but also, to offer unique finishing and colour harmonies. Lastly, beyond the skill set of our craftsmen and women (including excellence in hand sewing), our creativity and technical ability further convince the most prestigious brands in their choice to work with us.
Thus, we frequently execute complex projects involving several materials, like rubber and alligator skin. For instance, in 2015, we collaborated with a major watch manufacturer on the occasion of an important anniversary for the brand. We created with them a rubber bracelet both antibacterial and odourless, with a UV resistant fabric and whose ABS insert enables a rotation adapted to the watch case.
To us, these collaborations are not just services, they are true partnerships. Moreover, if most of the creations are made under our client’s name, some of them are “co-branded” also bearing the Jean Rousseau signature. This partnership dimension is essential to the House’s philosophy where we give great importance to listening and exchanging. This is why we reserve the right to decline the requests from brands that are only looking for plain manufacturers. On the contrary, we wish to participate in the full circle of production, from product conception with our clients marketing and development departments to the international customer service thanks to our subsidiaries in Asia, in Europe and in the USA.
We believe that only collaborative work permit to obtain a result perfectly in line with our clients’ needs and expectations. The success of a partnership then belongs to each employee of the Manufacture, because his or her work illustrates the achievement of the values deeply rooted in the company: respect, loyalty, recognition of the know-how and the efforts and finally excellence.