The Breton brand has just opened its 100th store in Bordeaux. Its president continues the promise made to its founder: to protect jobs while developing the brand.
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It’s difficult to get more Breton than the Armor Lux brand. And yet it was a Swiss who was at the origin: Walter Hubacher, who had the idea of creating the company in 1938. “He took refuge as far away as Europe was on fire, in the depths of Brittany, in Quimper. To set up his small textile factory,” says Jean-Guy Le Floch, president of Armor Lux since 1993.
During the war, Walter Hubacher and his family hid in their cellar. On leaving, he resumed his activity. “In a protected textile market, he manufactured a lot of underwear for the Breton countryside.” Before launching into sailor clothing, and in particular the famous sailor top.
Protect jobs
In 1993, at over 85 years old, Walter Hubacher decided to hand over the reins and sold the brand to two childhood friends, including Jean-Guy Le Floch. “We made our childhood dream come true by promising him that jobs would be extremely well protected.”
Since then, there have been no layoffs, and Armor Lux has 650 employees, achieves a turnover of 130 million euros and sells 7 million items of clothing per year. The company has three factories, two of which are still in Quimper, in Finistère. “And deeply respects Brittany and its values”highlights its president.
Made in France in difficulty
Even if Jean-Guy Le Floch recognizes that developing Made in France is proving difficult. “We already buy our yarns abroad, with the disappearance of Vosges textiles and spinning mills. The other difficulty is employment. Recruiting is now becoming an obstacle course.”