France Launches New Policy To Support The Development Of Luxury Goods Industry

Lu Wei Ming Xuan group (

The chairman and chief executive, Bernard Arnault, said in its annual performance report released in January 29th that although Louis Vuitton sold more than $10 billion last year, it could have "increased more".

Arnault explains,

"Being controlled by capacity, training novice artists takes time. In order not to damage their quality, they can not walk faster."

In fact, France

The giant's studio has been running at full capacity. Despite widespread concern that China's luxury consumption is slowing down, demand for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Herm s has not diminished.

Therefore, Arnault announced: "in 2019, we will open another four factories for Louis Vuitton" (three in France, one in Texas, serving the North American market).

According to a spokesman, the brand has created more than 1000 manufacturing jobs for its origin in France.

For a long time, the country has been struggling with unemployment.

Last week, Herm s also talked about capacity issues.

After sales growth of 10% in fiscal 2018, the large family run enterprise announced plans to build nineteenth leather products factories.

Guillaume de Seynes, executive vice president of manufacturing and stock investment, told reporters that the famous Kelly bag manufacturer, "for the operation of the Normandy plant in 2021, will start recruiting 250 saddles and leather craftsmen by the end of this year."

The company is already training the handicraftsmen to meet the needs of two other manufacturers next year.

"They need 15 to 18 months to master Kelly handbag making technology. Our most sophisticated handbag is being used as our best training product," de Seynes continued.

He pointed out that Herm s launched this internal training project long ago.

Also next year, Chanel has decided to invest more in handicrafts.

The company will open a new workshop with an area of 25 thousand and 500 square meters in northern Paris to accommodate 12 professional workshops including feather workshop Lemari, shoe workshop Massaro, embroidery workshop Maison Lesage and women's hat brand Maison Michel.

Every year, the skills of these workshops are reflected in the series of brand handcrafts.

"In the past 35 years, Chanel has been actively involved in supporting, developing and ensuring the continuity and sustainability of handicrafts, because they represent a unique super skill," said Bruno Pavlovsky, President of the brand global boutique.

At the same time, Herm s is putting textile experts, a glove manufacturer and several tanneries under his command.

But for many of the largest commercial partners in France's largest luxury goods company, getting technical know-how is still a problem, which threatens the momentum of the 154 billion euro industry.

The education and training system must deal with this new environment to foster the competitiveness of luxury goods and fashion in France.

When many baby boomers quit the French job market, many small suppliers working with big companies, especially textile and garment enterprises, are trying to find skilled workers to keep pace with economic growth and provide compensation for retirees.

In the next 5 years, there will be more than 10 thousand technical positions to be filled every year, involving textiles, clothing, leather and jewelry.

But 72% of SMEs in the industry recently said they face challenges in recruitment.

According to the world clothing and shoe net, in January 8th, French economic minister of finance Bruno Le Maire and culture minister Franck Riester signed a new 3 year agreement with representatives of luxury goods and fashion industry, which might be helpful.

Guillaume de Seynes, head of industry negotiations, said: "even if we see many people from 30 to 50 years old who leave their traditional professions to become artisans and realize their long-awaited handwriting dream, handicraft work still lacks attraction and cognition in the younger generation.

To a certain extent, the national training system can also be improved. "

UFIHM (Union Fran aise des Industries Mode et Habillement) is a professional organization consisting of 2500 French clothing and accessories retailers and manufacturers.

Marc Pradal, the chairman of the group, said: "decades of non industrialization have led to the loss of many skills, for example, France has no more capacity in men's clothing."

According to recent data released by the National Bureau of statistics, from 1996 to 2015, the scale of labor in textile, clothing, shoemaking and leather industry decreased by 66%. The output of the industry dropped by 51%.

In the next three years, the new plan will promote the whole industry to inject 45 million euros into training and education, and take measures to strengthen the French industrial supply network, support emerging brands and start sustainable development projects.

The money will come mainly from enterprises, as well as bank support such as Bpifrance and Caisse des D P ts, while environmental protection agency Ademe will also take part in the work.

"The education and training system must deal with this new environment to foster the competitiveness of French luxury goods and fashion industry," said F, executive director of D ration de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.

He stressed that in the increasingly fierce competition, increasing market demand for speed, breaking the normal new technology, changing consumer behavior and increasing demand for sustainability and pparency for young customers, the new Institut Fran AIS de la Mode, which was completed in January 8th, will become a key part of the plan.

{page_break}

The new college has been pformed into a craftsman and craftsman cradle of Paris since 1927. The cole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne was merged with the French Fashion Institute, the first luxury and Fashion Management School of design founded in 1986.

After the completion in September 2020, 1000 students will receive all levels of education from vocational training to doctorate under the same roof through management, design and handicraft courses.

Decades of non industrialization have led to the loss of many skills, for example, France has lost many advantages in men's wear.

At the same time, a national plan aims to redistribute the country's vocational training and degree system by 2022, giving them greater value to reflect the upgrading of departmental skills training which is becoming more and more important.

Starting this year, a number of rooted social networking and career related national public activities will also adopt a completely new way to promote employment demand.

This initiative has been undertaken by a number of public activities organized in various parts of France. At present, the open day activities of Les Journ es Europ Ennes des M e tiers D "Art" open the workshops within the group to the public, while the "Herm" (showing its handicraft skills) project has begun to tour around the world, hoping to inspire greater interest in the technology of competitors.

Of course, the French luxury giants such as Louis Vuitton, Herm s and Chanel did not wait for the government's new policies to take major steps to ensure the safety of its supply chain.

But most executives in the industry say that the pragmatic attitude of the new plan is a big step in the right direction.

Pavlovsky said: "the key is to preserve these manual technologies and cultural heritage, while supporting technological innovation. They are of great importance to fashion creation and are highly praised throughout the world under the influence of French craftsmanship."

Even though most of its brands are produced in Italy, Kering is actively supporting the agreement.

The group's headquarters and Saint Laurent and Balenciaga studios are located in Paris, while Saint Laurent also has a factory in Angela, France.

B atrice Lazat, chief personnel officer of Kai Yun group, said: "restoring France's exquisite handwork and craft and creating jobs in this amazing industry is the key to Kai Yun group and our company in France and even the whole industry."

The new strategy in France reflects the successful relationship between Kai Yun group and the development of Italy and schools in the long run to protect local traditional skills.

Small suppliers such as Etablissements Thierry and Fonlupt also expressed their appreciation for the new policy.

For their owners, Amedi Nacer, "it's really a matter of life and death that" (enough) to attract new people and maintain our distinctive skills.

His 190 employees are Chanel, Vuitton, Dior, Herm s, Saint Laurent, Celine and Chlo.

In 2018, he found 15 of the 20 employees he was looking for, which made him slightly relieved.

He said he did not hesitate to hire a former waiter, an autistic young woman or political refugee to train them internally.

"It sounds like a paradox," Nacer said. "But we may disappear because we can not cope with more and more orders."

More interesting reports, please pay attention to the world clothing shoes and hats net.