There are signs of life in manufacturing. France and Spain are making moves. It’s not just Hermès building new leather goods facilities. In Sainte-Savine (around two hours from Paris), Maison Jean Rousseau is constructing a new building to increase production capacity. Meanwhile, Spain is seeing a notable rise in employment in the footwear and leather goods sectors. At the end of March, the workforce was up by an impressive 10,400 compared to the same month a year earlier.
Signs of life in production
Maison Jean Rousseau, which specialises in luxury leather goods and watch straps, is pushing ahead with the construction of a new production site in Sainte-Savine (in the Aube department). The facility is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025. The company has acquired a 13,000-square-metre plot of land, with 2,200 square metres occupied by the building, which is expected to accommodate 200 staff. Around thirty employees are already working in rented premises in Sainte-Savine. “Starting production before moving into the new facility was essential”, Jacques Bordier, who bought the Jean Rousseau brand in 1999, told Le Parisien.
The third factory
Once completed, the new site will become the brand’s third factory, joining those in Pelousey (Besançon) and Győr, Hungary. According to Bordier, mastering the artisanal skills involved takes at least a year of training. “In truth, it takes around six years to become truly skilled in all aspects of the job”, the French entrepreneur added.
Employment growth in Spain
Employment in Spain’s footwear and leather goods industries is soaring. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the two sectors created 1,200 new jobs — marking the fifth consecutive quarter of growth. Employment levels are now approaching those recorded at the end of 2022. According to the latest Active Population Survey (EPA), published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and analysed by Revista del Calzado, there were 56,800 workers in the two sectors as of 31 March. This represents a 22.4% increase compared to the same period in 2024 — an annual rise of 10,400 jobs.
Image: Maison Jean Rousseau
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