Made in Annecy : Meet Valentin Burgaud

Where has all the “Made-In-France” gone? At first glance, some may think that it has all but disappeared. From proudly being the first country to create an organized industry around clothing, and being the place that literally invented denim, we seem to have lost quite a step out here. Less and less brands with French names or headquarters craft their pieces here in the Hexagon. Some of the higher echelon will maybe go to another European country, with most others unfortunately moving into the far reaches of the globe, joining the rest of the big machine that prioritises cheap and irresponsible production. When it comes to the numbers, the reality is that in the last 30 years, almost 50% of production in general has left French soil, according to INSEE. Stalwarts remain rooted, like our friends at Arpenteur, who have successfully created a brand on the basis of bringing a contemporary flair to French production, or at Paraboot, who after over 100 years keep the tradition alive whilst simultaneously pushing the boundaries of footwear. As technology, corporatisation and industrialisation only loom more dauntingly over the industry, a group of the next generation of creators are pushing back, choosing craft over convenience. This is how a young man from Annecy got the idea to do things his way, with his own vision, that is definitely not at scale.

Sublimating all these elements together with finesse, Burgaud has blossomed in just a few years. While the industry at large has preferred large scales over quality these past couple of decades, Valentin is firmly amongst the new ranks of designers who prefers to turn this dynamic around. Instead, Burgaud takes an approach in the steps of figures like Evan Kinori, where the subdued, steady perfecting of patterns in very limited runs is the preferred creative and commercial process. The garments on offer from Burgaud are mostly jeans and jackets, in Valentin’s own words. What is significant, instead, is all in the subtleties and the story that he is purveying. “I make sure that each piece is crafted slowly with particular attention to detail, which is what makes it unique,” he says, “
Each stage of production, from the pattern making, to the fabric cutting and the sewing, are all carried out by the same pair of hands.” Not too bad for someone whose part of a generation notorious for not having any attention spans. It’s this level of craft and patience that creates the allure of Burgaud. However, I could go on about how it’s made, but it’s important to note that the pieces are just good. 

Burgaud’s creations make sense considering his aforementioned mix of different style spirits. There’s a clear military and workwear ruggedness, with plenty of usage of snap buttons, rivets, adjusters and flap pockets, yet these essences are refined. Not to mention, his fabric choices also communicate something, “I use a mix of materials either from Japan or France. They’re either dead stock or come directly from artisans.” Beautiful, heavy denim fabric from Japan is brought over to France to be lovingly crafted by hand into jeans. The cuts are where the skater vibe comes into play with these easy, baggy silhouettes. They look like clothes for living real life in; for looking cool, prepared, and still pretty effortless. Only limited amounts of fabric are available at a time, so each piece in a series is numbered. Can’t lie, there’s really nothing more satisfying than knowing that your piece is one of five in existence, and you are among the few that get to have this special thing. It is because it represents more than a simple item of clothing, but rather a personal companion, made for you with the intention to be worn often and for life. 

This is what drew us to bring Burgaud into the selection. Valentin has succeeded in creating great clothes that also serve a slice of his life out in the Alps. Blending the region’s heritage for utilitarian clothing, and his own generational flair of skate and Japanese fashion, the result is an authentic and sincere wardrobe. He is proving in an era of excess that less is more, and in fact, we should all be more considered in our approach to clothing. This is what led to the start of our collaboration with a limited capsule of shirts and of course, jeans. The denim is a classic dark indigo, medium-weight selvedge from Japan with a really charming plaid motif on the pockets – a signature touch for Burgaud. The shirt is a wonderfully overdyed khaki cotton and linen fabric from Japan that he’s done up with a chest pocket and some minimal, satisfying snap buttons. Each item is made in an extremely small run, so be sure to see for yourself. For us, if this is the future of “Made in France,” then we are proud to see it.