Luxury handbags brand

After World War II, in Bordeaux like elsewhere, everything was on shortage … but not ideas. Marguerite Massip, agile with her 10 fingers, created in 1945 her first fabric bag for her daughter Simone.

This bag triggered her friend’s admiration in school, so Marguerite received numerous requests and orders from the entire neighborhood. Then one day, the local notions store proposed to distribute her creations… it was a big success!

This is how were founded the « Ateliers Marguerite Massip » in 1945 – located Georges V Boulevard in Bordeaux – gate of Pessac.

Facing an exploding demand, Marguerite requested the back-up of her son Maurice in 1947. He’s the one who brought his know-how in the leather goods trade, allowing the company to reach a new landmark.

During 13 years, they will develop together the registered trademark of leather bags called « Divona », distributed everywhere in France and which lived its hours of glory

In 1960, Maurice decided to open his own workshop named « Maurice Massip », located at intersection of the streets des Beaux-arts and Tauzia, close to Bordeaux’ train station.

It’s in 1962 that the 3rd generation of Massip makes its way into the company. Maurice’s elder son Jean-Claude is back from the Algerian war. Without any knowledge of the job, he will be trained by an exceptional craftsman and learn the art of cutting, mounting and designing leather bags. It happens he unveiled quite a talent, and quickly became an essential element in the development of his father’s workshop.

In 1976, the Massip Establishments count 15 employees, but times are difficult. Alain Massip, Maurice’s second son, decides to join the family business. With his background as sales director and financial director, he will set-up what lacks most to the business: its own sales department.

Alain personally takes in charge the Massip brand's distribution into the largest leather goods stores in France, especially in Bordeaux and Paris. He also set-up a distribution network with large companies’ work councils.

But Alain has more than one string to his bow: with an innate sense of trends, volumes and perspectives, he draws entire collections of bags. His brother Jean-Claude gives them life with his technical expertise… and success is here yet again.

To the point that the family decided to open its first factory outlet in 1977, in an old garage right next to the workshop.

In 1978, the garage door is replaced by a window, but the shop remains very small. At that time, the customers waited patiently in line on the sidewalk to have a chance to buy their crocodile bag for Christmas.

When the opportunity to purchase an adjacent land stripe aroused, the Tauzia street outlet was extended in 1981. In addition to the leather bags on demand, the Massip Establishments now make tailored leather clothes.

Their next goal was to set foot in downtown Bordeaux’ golden triangle, so « Maurice’s sons » opened another store in the brand new Galerie des Grands-Hommes shopping mall in 1991. It’s the creation of the « DE GRIMM » boutique as it still exists today.

Fabienne, Alain’s youngest daughter, started working in the company in December 2001. During 11 years, she will learn all the trade's strings, from production to sales, but will also bring in her own expertise in management, purchasing, finance, customer greeting and premium customer service.

She became the general manager of the company in June 2012 and sought to position the franchise on the upper class segment, with priority given to the "made in France". As a result, the proposed selection is different and qualitative compared to most other stores.

With the arrival of her husband Cyril in September 2014 - who acquired a solid 15 years experience in sales and marketing in many global high-tech companies - the couple vowed to develop this family heritage in its two fields of expertise: multi-brand distribution and leather bag making.

Attentive to the market and aware of the great evolution in the leather goods industry, it became essential to own an internet e-commerce website. That's how www.degrimm.fr was inaugurated in November 2015. Dedicated to multi-brands, this online shop with over 1000 active references, a state of the art 360° views, full English localization, and shipments in over 150 countries allowed our distinctive offer and brand awareness to grow beyond Bordeaux' vineyards. It also became the spine of the social media communication strategy on Facebook, Instagram et Linked-In.

Witnessing preoccupying structural evolution in the multi-brands distribution business, and aware of detaining an insufficiently exploited treasure, Fabienne and Cyril decided to set the leather bags workshop in the center of their priorities - with the arrival of Olivier Massip in Bordeaux on July 2016.

Alain’s second son, began in 1988 his apprenticeship at the Abbé Grégoire School and obtains his diploma. After a few months of internship at Hermès, Olivier prefers to continue his training rather than accepting his first job in this prestigious company. He will begin his « compagnonnage du tour de France » (Companion of the tour de France, the most renown apprenticeship for manual arts in the country that lasts 7 years) in 1990, achieved his masterpiece – a traveling companion’s leather backpack – in 1995, and ended his training in 1997.

During his career, he has been employed by other luxury brands such as J.M. Weston and Charles Jourdan. In 2013, he decided to launch his own workshop « Olivier Massip Maroquinerie » and is an official free-lance trainer at Hermès.

This master artisan who celebrated in 2019 his 30 years of experience in luxury leather goods trade, joined them with his machines, his tools and his invaluable expertise. He aimed to improve all the models designed and drawn by his father, uncle and grand-father, and De Grimm hand bags now have unmatched quality and finishing that were never attained by the previous generations.

These leather hand bags benefit of the excellency of the french know-how. They are chic, timeless, unique, and entirely made in France inside our Bordeaux workshop. DE GRIMM is growing at a significant pace, which allowed the hiring of a new full-time craftswoman, and an aspiring intern companion in 2019. 

They were significantly supported by regional instances, and received awards, distinctions and press article that helped seducing demanding customers seeking to stand-out. in February 2019, a cross-collaboration with SACRA a luxury kimono artisan opened the door to Japan and export.

The brand's presence in trade-shows dedicated to the « made in France » and the « trades of art » in the Paris area will help construct DE GRIMM's brand-awareness in the heart of the world's fashion capital. Many will discover the excellency of their know-how and the originality of their models before placing an order on a second dedicated website www.degrimm.com, inaugurated in November 2019.

Today, the 4th generation is writing a new chapter in the family story started over 75 years ago.