EXCELLENCY OF KNOW-HOW
Excellence in leatherworking design and manufacture is a French hallmark and tradition stemming from the Middle Ages. Today as before, French leathercraft is recognized around the world for its elegance, beauty and craftsmanship.
Established by the Massip family in 1945, De Grimm was founded as just such a manufacturer of high-quality leather goods. And from its first years to the present, the highest standards of French leatherworking style and tradition live across the line of De Grimm one-of-a-kind leather goods, valued accoutrements acquired and worn over generations by discerning men and women living in Europe, North America and around the world.
Manual or automated cutting
Embossing and Hot-marking
Trimming (border thinning)
Machine sewing
MADE IN FRANCE
The highest craftsmanship – en Français, c’est un savoir faire; literally, “knowing how to do” – remains the hallmark of De Grimm leather goods over its 75 years in business. For four generations, the design and creation of De Grimm leather products has been the passion and profession of talented, highly trained Massip family members.
Today, the creation of De Grimm leather goods is the passion and profession of Olivier Massip, a Master Leatherworker who learned his craft through the Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France, a prestigious, rigorous seven-year apprenticeship. As the creative leader of the De Grimm brand, Olivier Massip maintains and furthers the company’s reputation for haute design and quality, sourcing the highest grade materials from passionate, committed producers and carefully directing and supervising the manufacture of every De Grimm product at the family’s studio in Bordeaux, France.
The De Grimm luxury leather goods business is directed by Fabienne Massip, Oliver’s sister, and Cyril Coutzac. Under their watch the company operates two retail locations in France, does a lively on-line business and follows a sustainable business model intended to continue to grow the company while maintaining its reputation and capability to produce the finest, one-of-a-kind leather goods.
All premium or exotic leathers come from renowned tanneries in Spain, France and Italy.
Accessories are produced in France and Italy. Zippers are from Japan or Italy.
Interior cotton linings treated against pulling are from Italy.
ETHICS OF PASSING ON A KNOW-HOW
Olivier keeps hammering this quote from the "Compagnons du devoir" philosophy : « A know-how doesn't belong to anyone, it is to be passed on". In his long career, Olivier was a teacher in a professional high school, is very implicated in the follow-up of aspiring compagnon du devoir apprentices, and is an outsourced trainer in a Hermès production site.
Naturally, he trains each new arrival in the workshop to his methods, whether they are people in professional reconversion, or young apprentices who stop in Bordeaux during their "Tour de France" The main interest with the "Made in France" is that it is generating local employment, and it protects a traditional know-how for future generations... Unfortunately, the demand is way bigger than DE GRIMM's workshop's hiring capacity the time being.