Father & Son Duo From the French Alps: Venturon Interview [Exclusive]
The family owned French brand merging traditional tailoring with outdoor aesthetics
Venturon is an emerging menswear brand based out of the French Alps. Led by a father & son duo, the brand reimagines outdoor clothing through the lens of traditional tailoring. The brand has quickly built a cult-like following, who flock to stockists, such as C’H’C’M’ & Meridan, to pick-up the brand’s newly released SS23 collection.
TFC: How did you get into fashion/design?
V: I have been immersed in the world of textiles for over 15 years. I don't necessarily like to talk about fashion but rather about textiles because fashion is ephemeral, and textiles have more of a craft connotation. To come back to the original question, I started my secondary education in textiles. I started with a diploma in pattern making at a fashion school, and then I perfected my skills in textile production. At the same time, I worked as a designer for a sock brand. I then moved on to a position as a product developer for Kenzo Kids. My passion for trail running and the outdoors led me to a position as a designer for a trail-running and hiking brand. I am now complementary with experiences in the fashion and outdoor worlds with more technical and elaborated products.Â
TFC: How would you describe your personal style?
V: My style can be summed up quite quickly; it is simple and effective. I prefer comfort and functionality to style. Of course, it is important to combine the two. I wear rather technical clothes in everyday life because I live in the mountains and have to be ready for changing weather conditions.Â
TFC: How have the early years of the brand been? What obstacles have you had to overcome?
V: The first few years of the brand were very difficult. We launched our first collection in early 2020. A few weeks after the first trade shows, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped everything. We didn't move for a year because it's really complicated for a young brand to develop and get known without trade shows.
Today our main obstacle is, unfortunately, the made-in-France. French manufacturing is both a strength for our business, but it is also a real obstacle, a real brake on our development. In our desire to produce ever more technical products, we are confronted with the lack of know-how in the French textile industry. With all the relocations suffered by this industry for many years, the companies still present have not innovated, and their technologies are behind those of Asia or Eastern Europe.Â
TFC: Venturon is a family business based in the French Alps. How have these two aspects of the brand impacted how you operate & design? How would you describe your approach to design?
V: Indeed, Venturon was created by my father and myself. We structured ourselves well from the beginning to avoid interfering with our respective tasks. My father is in charge of administration, logistics, and production follow-up, while I oversee design, communication, and sales. Of course, we constantly exchange on the design, and every decision is common.
Luckily, we have the same passions and approach to design. We are based in a small mountain village of 900 inhabitants where the biggest city is 45 minutes away by car. We rarely visit the city. This explains our authentic approach to design. We don't follow fashion magazines. Inspiration comes mainly from hiking in the mountains or trail running. But also from archive pieces of our neighbours who still wear ski or hiking clothes from the 70-the 80s.
Roya 2nd Shirt
V: To echo what I said earlier, this ROYA popover shirt, which can also be described as an overshirt, is purely inspired by the mountains and their world. It has been designed to be worn over a tee-shirt or a shirt and to be quickly removed in case of overheating. The material is light, water, and wind resistant. The first prototypes had a smaller pocket, but during tests on the trail, we realised that it would be interesting to be able to fold it up and store it so that it could be easily slipped into a bag. So we reworked the pocket to make this shirt packable. For the record, during one of our river hikes, we met a friend from the village who was fishing. He was wearing a multi-pocket jacket that day, and one big pocket caught my attention because it was very heavy. This big pocket is the one you can find today on our shirt.
Bellecombe 2nd Jacket
V: When I designed the Bellecombe jacket, I wanted a jacket with maximum storage capacity, many pockets, and the possibility of storing large items. The idea came to me while talking to a member of the village fishing club. It has easy-to-use pockets around the body and a hidden inner pocket with a carabiner. We selected a unique water-repellent fabric made of cotton, nylon, and polyester with a waxed treatment giving it a unique feel. The fit is relaxed and loose so as not to block movement during all outdoor activities. It has a clean style that is both city and mountain friendly.
Castillon 3rd Pants 
V: The Castillon has been designed for hiking, whether in the city or in the mountains. It is made from heavy, water-repellent organic cotton. It has a partially elasticated waistband, wide belt loops, three deep pockets with breathable mesh lining, and 'Autolock' zips. The special feature is the lower leg tightening system. It has an adjustable pleat from the waistband to the hem, which can be adjusted with buttons. This allows the trousers to be cinched at the ankle, which is very practical when hiking.
TFC: What should people be keeping an eye out for from the brand?
V: We have entered new stockists for the SS23 collection, notably in Europe with the very sharp DERU shop in Munich, which fits perfectly with the Venturon philosophy. We will also be present at Oi Polloi in Manchester and, of course, in other shops (you can check our points of sale on our website). We will also be present at the MAN/WOMAN show in Paris in June and also at a showroom in Tokyo.
Check out Venturon
Venturon Website: http://venturon.fr/about/
Venturon IG: @venturon_fr