Our Company Values
For the last 130 years, Saint James clothing’s identity has been linked to artisanal, slow fashion knitting know-how developed through a close “family” of employees. We are heirs to a nautical tradition that we are proud to share in France and around the world. We work every day to produce high-quality products, combining high standards, simplicity, and elegance.
A brand guided by independence and openness to the world
Saint James has consistently been attached to the values of independence, freedom, and openness to the world.
From the creation in 1889 of the “Filatures de Saint James'' to the company's transfer of ownership to its employees and senior executives in 1990, everything is being done in the common interest of the company and its economic and social environment.
Far from isolating us, this spirit of independence has enabled us to multiply partnerships and promote the brand internationally while maintaining our identity.
More than 130 years after establishing the first spinning mill in the town of Saint-James, under the leadership of its former mayor, Léon Legallais, the company's offices and workshops have remained in the region. Our brand has become a true standard-bearer for the entire region.
Normandy and its nautical traditions are at the heart of our DNA and push us every day to make our precious heritage known to as many people as possible.
Meeting you: our greatest adventure
Just like the traveling sailors who embark on the high seas for long months, we have a spirit of adventure and a taste for discovery.
This discovery is first of all that of new horizons, which made Saint James one of the first French clothing manufacturers to export internationally, securing a presence in Japan as early as 1980.
However, we do not deem an exploration successful if it is not motivated by the desire to meet others. Our adventure can therefore be rich and complete only if it is lived alongside you, our customers, our suppliers, or our partners.
Meeting you opens up new horizons, always gives us new ideas and an urge to take maritime culture and the ancestral know-how that we have inherited to the top
Saint James, a crew spirit
More than a team spirit, it is a crew spirit that unites all those who work for Saint James clothing and contribute to the brand's influence.
We embarked more than 130 years ago, heading for the same destination, driven by a requirement for quality, modernity, and elegance while respecting our maritime heritage.
Day after day, we are building a shared history in which each crew member plays a decisive role. Through the work they provide, the innovations they put in place, and the ideas they bring, Saint James employees help our brand stay on course.
Old World Artisanal Craftsmanship and Quality are at the heart of our identity
Every day, we knit and make high-quality clothes, faithful to their nautical origins, while constantly refreshing and updating their design. From the work attire of Breton fishermen to casual chic clothing, we put our creativity at the service of elegance and defend our originality without losing authenticity.
Saint James garments are now part of the history of families, who discover them generation after generation. These clothes are symbols of ancestral know-how and testimonies of a collective memory transmitted through memories of summer holidays by the sea.
For us, elegance and simplicity are not opposed but complement each other and bond to give birth to Saint James clothing, year after year, collection after collection. Elegance and simplicity are two words at the heart of our know-how as are interpersonal skills that are essential to the success of our company.
Developments in the heart of historic Normandy.
In 1990, to preserve the company's future and keep jobs in France, as Bernard Bonte wished, the company was bought by its own employees.Yannick Duval chaired the company's management board from then on.
The company reorganized itself, emphasizing teamwork even more, thanks to creating autonomous groups allowing employees to change jobs regularly. Saint James grew and gained market shares while continuing to expand internationally.
New collections of shirts, pants, and jackets emerged, adopting a "casual chic" nautical style that the brand still perfectly illustrates today. The teams moved to new premises in 1996, before a further expansion five years later. In 2001, the factory and offices spread over 120,000 sq ft.
In 2013, Luc Lesénécal, former deputy CEO of the Isigny Sainte-Mère dairy cooperative, took over the reins of the company,assisted by Patrice Guinebault, former deputy CFO of Saint James. The brand's clothing seduced designers, and the Breton striped shirt became an iconic piece of French fashion.
Today, Saint James has more than 300 employees and a network of around 60 stores, of which approximately 30 are wholly-owned. Five new stores open each year, illustrating the continued success of a brand with a strong identity and ancestral textile know-how.
