There is interest to analyze without delayThis is the reality the ongoing dialogue withFree commute in mercantilism or economic warNonagénaire the hidden wish is doing very wellFive years later his dearest wish is yet to achieveThe medical issue is important as long term shortRadiohead succeeds the union of the oppositesThis time the proportion is mounted to 8311 million of which 45 were medium dependentThe Spain went to the same effect but more recentlyWhen Paul Causse creates its manufacture of gloves in Millau, in 1892, the leather industrypreparing skins - and the manufacture of gloves are booming. And, thanks to roquefort. As to collect the largest amount of sheep's milk, he must sacrifice the lamb in its first weeks. The Causse House employs very quickly 100 people - not to mention the work at home-, thus within the average of Millau companies in the "City glove." Jean, the Causse son, will be the first to diversify production to the glove work high-end (for clients such as Michelin), while the gantière industry is experiencing its peak in the 1950s. Some 130 factories employ then more than 6,000 people working for several successful glove brands who have their offices of direct sales abroad. Singer machines rumbling in full in the subprefecture made mills.
The glove of city pass mode
Then sounds the hour of the decline. When Christian, the son of Jean, takes the reins of the House in the 1960s, the work glove undergoes the foreign competition from head-on, and city glove is fashion. The elegant and the gentlemen, winter and summer, would ever released without their gloves! Half of the businesses of Millau disappear. We still need to adapt. Christian and his wife Monique redeem some companies from 1989 and decided to return to the city glove but to high-end. Olivier, the great-grandson of the founder, then enters the scene, joining his father in the production. "Young, I spent my Sunday and my vacation workshop." This is that I am passionate for the technique of the work of the skin. My father all taught me on the origin of the leather, the purchases of skin, the formation of cutter... ", remembers the young man, today aged 35 years.
When his parents decide to retire, in 2002, a handful of factories survive Millau. Causse remains the last large manufacture in the city. It must then move or disappear. Nadine Carel and Manuel Rubio , two talented creators who work with the company for collections of designer clients, closer to Olivier Causse. "We have a blow of heart for the expertise of the staff, the quality of the work." "The solution was to revive the Causse mark playing style and the spirit of the century-old House," says Manuel Rubio. The couple then contacts Gérard Boissins, former head of the Economic Department of the Chamber of crafts of Aveyron, who is not in its test run. With his childhood friend Jean-Louis Costes, owner of restaurants and Parisian hotels, from him also of Aveyron, they have already completed the revival of "laguiole", Costes with satisfied Philippe Starck, another child in the country, to redesign the famous knives. "Revive Causse represented a new challenge: save another noble Aveyron product, and thus to preserve the heritage of a region." "And when Jean-Louis Costes on a product, success is still there," said Gerard Boissins also reasoning in terms of jobs maintained in the Department. The Quartet decided to partner with equal shares in a company, glove Causse, with a simple idea: reposition the production on the top glove range. Their skills are complementary. Nadine Carel and Manuel Rubio return the creation of collections and the artistic direction of the company. Olivier Causse follows production in perpetuating the cutting and the traditional couture know-how. Gérard Boissins management and development, while Jean-Louis Costes trace the strategic line and opens his address book - it is him that involved the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte in adventure proposing to build the new plant. The chosen location is symbolic: the site has invested the two hectares of the former gloves Guibert plant employing 1,000 workers at its peak - including the grandmother of Gérard Boissins... On this wasteland located in the heart of Millau, Wilmotte drew 1,700 m2 building in natural wood, glass and concrete, which houses the manufacturing, a showroom and administration. In the monumental entrance throne towering old boiler, control for the century-old activity. The restored plant Guibert building hosts a showcase of gloves, temporary exhibitions and a museum gallery with old tools, tons of tannery and other witnesses of the past.
Only remains training internal
The partners have had to quickly. "It had to do so before the last cutters, chippers, raffileurs, fillers and Stitchers leave at retirement by carrying with them their centuries-old techniques," says Gérad Boissins. Cape cutter gantier, Millau-specific, existing, only remains the internal training, provided in part by Olivier Causse. The project therefore was quickly completed. The new Causse factory opened its doors in the spring of 2006, barely more than a year after the start of the work. The budget of EUR 2.5 million has been funded by the community of communes of Millau in the form of a financial package, the workshop-relay. Part of manufacturing occurs now in new walls to the public. Behind these contemporary gestures precise and careful millavois cutters and seamstresses have hardly changed since the origin. Only the small sewing machines, specific to the mitts, are really similar to their beautiful ancestors of Singer, nicknamed "the clumsy" and now exposed in the entry.
Peccary, Glazed Lamb, nubuck, python, Colt, deer spend between the scissors of the cutters check before any uniqueness almost perfect skin color. Then the fingers of the seamstresses fairy assemble, Sting machine classic, the SADDLER or the English dive points. Prior to refine all finishes hand: reverse, specific sewing, button... Only gloves peccary and python are fully mounted needle and the thimble, which represents three hours of work. Twenty-five craftsmen and made 25 to 30,000 pairs a year.
Next models manufactured for the prestigious claws which remain loyal to the House (Hermès, Chanel, Longchamp, Dupont, Lowe...), Nadine Carel and Manuel Rubio launched two seasonal collections under the Causse brand - with 80 pieces by collection - for women and men, and a third line more timeless. Lined with cashmere or silk, quilted or microperforated, hemmed Swarovski strass or mink, long way Gilda or mittens, large loop or studded... So much cute models distributed by Maria Luisa or Colette in Paris, Barneys New York, and that the Japanese love.
If 80 of the turnover of the company (EUR 1.75 million in 2005) is still carried out by the customers of haute couture, the four Musketeers hope to soon reach equilibrium with the Causse mark. The opening of a shop in Paris in 2007 should contribute: "only a distribution network in own name can promote the brand and boost sales," observes Gérard Boissins. And then, what happiness to go the gantier and thus renew the tradition of the "Parisian chic"! While all the mitts recovery attempts have failed in recent years, the four partners, always daring bet, seem now realistic. Quality and creativity are the appointment and Causse may if proud of the small label "made in France" sewn in gloves. Sign that not wrong: Karl Lagerfeld has commissioned designer models Causse to offer them to several people. And even asked in the press by displaying superb electric blue mittens. Imagine more: the most connected the next seasons fashion accessory is the Millau Causse glove!
Gloves Causse: 05 65 60 03 05.
Nadine Carel and Manuel Rubio were elected Talents of luxury in 2004.
