Bootmaking and feminisation at the heart of the 13th edition of the Rencontres du Cuir

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The 13th edition of the Rencontres du Cuir, organised by the Conseil National du Cuir, took place on Monday 15 November in the workshop of master bootmaker Philippe Atienza, who is also France’s best opener. It was an opportunity to talk about bootmaking and the training courses that lead to it, as well as the feminisation of the craft trades.

 

The French leather industry is recognised throughout the world, in particular thanks to its exceptional know-how and high-quality products. In terms of figures, the leather industry is supported by 12,800 companies employing 133,000 people and generating a turnover of 25 billion euros per year, of which 13 billion are exported.

 

The sector is above all made up of small and very small companies, sometimes even of craftsmen working alone in their workshop. They are the ones who give the leather sectors, such as tanning and leather goods, their letters of nobility. “It is above all the craftsmen and small businesses that hold the know-how of the sector“, declared Frank Boehly, President of the Conseil National du Cuir. “Know-how that is ancestral and which is constantly evolving and adapting“.

 

The trend is also towards the feminisation of the profession. Among leather craftsmen, nearly 70% are women, although this proportion varies according to the trade. As far as bootmaking is concerned, the feminisation only appeared in 2004, when the Compagnonnage opened up to women. Since then, the trade has achieved a certain parity.

 

Entering the leather trades and bootmaking is not as complicated as it seems. The best way is to join the Compagnons du Devoir, which alone accounts for 80% of the students trained to CAP bootmaking level. This is the benchmark organisation for training in the bootmaking profession.

 

Frank Boehly and Philippe Atienza also point out that there is no age limit to start training as a bootmaker. “We are present at a large number of training fairs. We very often meet profiles of former managers and employees, mostly women, who wish to retrain in our professions in search of meaning and manual creation,” he explains.

 

This is the case, for example, of Laura Puntillo, Philippe Atienza‘s associate, who was present at the Rencontres du Cuir to talk about her career. An anthropologist and designer by training, she became fascinated by the profession of bootmaker during an exhibition devoted to Maurice Arnoult. She is particularly fascinated by women’s shoes and their design. Today she devotes herself to the creation of women’s shoes. “I thank my masters, those who accompanied me and helped me to find my true vocation“, she confides.

 

The leather professions are therefore experiencing a real craze. Driven by the luxury houses and by the influence of French know-how, these sectors of activity are coveted by profiles that are as diverse as they are varied. A breeding ground for jobs, the boot industry is looking for its future talents to innovate and perpetuate its know-how.

 

 

Lire aussi > TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COP26, THE NATIONAL LEATHER COUNCIL CALLS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SUSTAINABLE WORLD

 

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The 13th edition of the Rencontres du Cuir, organised by the Conseil National du Cuir, took place on Monday 15 November in the workshop of master bootmaker Philippe Atienza, who is also France’s best opener. It was an opportunity to talk about bootmaking and the training courses that lead to it, as well as the feminisation of the craft trades.

 

The French leather industry is recognised throughout the world, in particular thanks to its exceptional know-how and high-quality products. In terms of figures, the leather industry is supported by 12,800 companies employing 133,000 people and generating a turnover of 25 billion euros per year, of which 13 billion are exported.

 

The sector is above all made up of small and very small companies, sometimes even of craftsmen working alone in their workshop. They are the ones who give the leather sectors, such as tanning and leather goods, their letters of nobility. “It is above all the craftsmen and small businesses that hold the know-how of the sector“, declared Frank Boehly, President of the Conseil National du Cuir. “Know-how that is ancestral and which is constantly evolving and adapting“.

 

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The 13th edition of the Rencontres du Cuir, organised by the Conseil National du Cuir, took place on Monday 15 November in the workshop of master bootmaker Philippe Atienza, who is also France’s best opener. It was an opportunity to talk about bootmaking and the training courses that lead to it, as well as the feminisation of the craft trades.

 

The French leather industry is recognised throughout the world, in particular thanks to its exceptional know-how and high-quality products. In terms of figures, the leather industry is supported by 12,800 companies employing 133,000 people and generating a turnover of 25 billion euros per year, of which 13 billion are exported.

 

The sector is above all made up of small and very small companies, sometimes even of craftsmen working alone in their workshop. They are the ones who give the leather sectors, such as tanning and leather goods, their letters of nobility. “It is above all the craftsmen and small businesses that hold the know-how of the sector“, declared Frank Boehly, President of the Conseil National du Cuir. “Know-how that is ancestral and which is constantly evolving and adapting“.

 

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Thanks to its extensive knowledge of these sectors, the Luxus + editorial team deciphers for its readers the main economic and technological stakes in fashion, watchmaking, jewelry, gastronomy, perfumes and cosmetics, hotels, and prestigious real estate.
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