Since the sale in 2016 of its factory in Lanester (Morbihan), the French lingerie group Chantelle only has one workshop in France. It is located in Épernay, the historic site of the venerable brand created in 1876. “Originally, the company was the market leader in corsets and girdles. It was in 1960 that Chantelle launched her first bra and immediately opened a factory in Épernay,” says Daniela Diaz, human resources manager at Chantelle.
In recent years, the site produced the prototypes for the design office, the design being relocated to Eastern Europe, the Maghreb and South-East Asia. But for two years, Chantelle Épernay has returned to service. First by subcontracting its production tool to brands like Le Slip Français or Décathlon, for whom “producing in France has once again become a real subject”, explains Daniela Diaz. Then by creating new references for the Chantelle One line, 100% recyclable items that customers are invited to return once they reach the end of their life. “We couldn’t make an eco-responsible product anywhere other than in France,” says the HR manager.
This new dynamic forced Chantelle to recruit clothing operators. At the beginning of the year, seven people were trained internally and eight more are currently on deck. For this second “promotion”, the group joined forces with the Institute for Training in World Textiles, opened last September in Reims by designer Ousmane Ouedraogo and businessman François de Beaulieu.
“Unbelievable!”
Tatiana, a 49-year-old Russian, is one of them. A former pharmacist, she followed her husband to France ten years ago, thus putting her internship as a seamstress on hold. “But I never stopped sewing during all these years,” says the learner. I sent two unsolicited CVs to Chantelle, but there were no positions available. The third was the good one. It’s incredible ! I’m a little stressed because it’s new, but I’m learning a lot. “Alongside the Russian, women aged 19 to 56, with very heterogeneous profiles, and above all, no sewing professional.
With this training, paid for by the Grand-Est and Pôle emploi, Chantelle intends to highlight a certain social fiber. “We are committed to opening doors to people who want to get involved, learn and work to make quality lingerie,” says Daniela Diaz, Chantelle’s HR manager. The group shares these values with the Institute. “We are not just a training centre, confirms François de Beaulieu. Our missions are to safeguard know-how, revalorize trades that have been abused for years and reach out to people in integration and retraining. »
At the end of this training, a one-year CDD awaits the learners.