The pattern of the cotton canvas jacket is inspired by a tattoo: three horse heads embroidered in chain stitch, the famous stitch that traditionally finishes the bottom of jeans. This customization which adorns the back of work clothing has become Jean Laumet’s signature. After managing the Levi’s retouching workshop in Toronto (Canada) – the brand’s largest alongside that of New York –, this Lille native trained at the Beaux-Arts in Valenciennes crossed paths with Benjamin Viapiana, Canadian tailorprobably one of the best denim artisans in the world.
“Ben taught me everything I know today and he had the immense generosity of giving me around ten sewing machines the day I returned to France,” says this 37-year-old bearded man. These precious mechanisms are the soul of the workshop that he shares with Léa, his apprentice, rue de Valenciennes, in Lille. Each has a single function and Jean Laumet moves from one to the other with the dexterity of a dancer. His favorite: a Singer overlocker from 1917, which allows you to sew at the edge of the garment.
“I have a particular attachment to my Reece 101 buttonhole machine, which I cherish like a child. I kiss it as soon as I turn it on, because I wouldn’t be able to fix it myself and I’m too afraid it’ll give up on me.” he laughs. It’s a bit as if modernity had no place in this workshop located in the popular post-industrial district of Moulins…
The rope effect
“My inspiration is workwear from the period 1900 to 1950, so I prefer to work on old tools to reproduce the details and imperfections of the period. » Jean Laumet receives a good number of customers who do not want to part with their old denim. This may involve reweaving the canvas in the direction of the twill weave, adapting to the nuances of the aged denim or “refuse” a 501 from the 1970s, that is to say readjust it without modifying the proportions and retaining the original assembly.
Some customers ask to add a chain stitch hem to achieve the effect roping similar to a rope, signature of denim from the golden age. “A collector of French workwear from the 1920s even recently asked me to repair several pieces entirely by hand, without using any of my machines. »
If Jean Laumet made his name through restoration and retouching, his clientele is growing and the offerings are diversifying. Thus, the rolls of cotton sheets stored at the back of the workshop could one day be transformed into jackets or pants. On the rack at the entrance, a short cycling jacket, two or three work jackets, a hunting jacket… Achievements intended to inspire the client, although the craftsman makes it a point of honor to create from scratch (“from scratch”), including its custom-made jeans.
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