The J.M. Weston Story
The story of J.M. Weston begins at the end of the 19th century in the heart of Limousin, in a region where tanning and leatherwork are a tradition. This is also where Édouard Blanchard set up his manufacture of shoes for men and women in 1891. He was soon joined by his son Eugene, who was inspired by the modernity of the United States.
Edouard Blanchard’s son Eugène left Limoges to learn the Goodyear stitching technique in Weston (near Boston, United States), which allows shoes to be resole in the long term. On his return to Limoges, he introduced the process to focus on quality and service, by offering a selection of multiple widths.
A horse race seals the fate of the house when Eugène Blanchard crosses paths with Monsieur Viard, a great figure in Parisian social life.
The two joined forces by registering the name of J.M. Weston and opening the first boutique on Boulevard de Courcelles.
This unique alliance laid the foundations of the brand: a name, know-how and a Parisian spirit.
Customers choose salon at 114 avenue des Champs-Elysées and are already adopting the outdoor elegance of the house's great classics such as the Golf and the Hunting shoe.
Worn from generation to generation, the Moccasin 180 has become an icon of French elegance. Its unique line allows the man J.M. Weston to appropriate it freely in order to express his personality beyond styles and eras.
The first advertisements for the 180 Loafer appear in the Adam magazine.
The "Twinks" of the Bande du Drugstore des Champs-Elysées seize the emblematic Moccasin: they wear it barefoot, with jeans ... and thus rebel against the established order by diverting the shoes of their fathers. The myth is running. Very quickly, the twinks adopted the model as a rallying sign.
Acquired by the Descours family, J.M. Weston begins its development, increasing the number of openings in Paris and throughout France.
J.M. Weston takes posession of the Bastin Tannery in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, a few kilometers from Limoges.
The house inaugurates its first boutique abroad: New York is the chosen destination as a tribute to Eugène Blanchard's American voyage.
J.M. Weston opens a boutique in Geneva, followed by a boutique in Tokyo in 1993 and one in Hong Kong in 2004. Today, the company has built a worldwide network of 40 stores.
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac prints his colour on the emblematic Moccasin 180: he is the first guest designer of the House, followed by Kitsuné, Didier Van Cauwelaert, André, Cédric Klapisch, Charlie Casely-Hayford...
He dreamt of being a painter, instead he became a shoemaker. He wanted to escape the family tradition, and finally returned to his roots. A stylist dear to the hearts of women, for whom he combines the art of the heel and seduction with delicacy. A mad lover of traditional shoemaking know-how, he does not hesitate to heckle the past and to recompose it, "in shapes and in materials".
At J.M. Weston, style, of course, remains inseparable from the meticulous development of shapes in the workshops.
J.M. Weston brings together artisans and artists around the Humeurs project. Franck Gehry, Martin Szekely and Martin Parr are participating in the project.
J.M. Weston Foundation
To mark the 120th anniversary of the Manufacture, Christopher Descours launched the J.M. Weston Corporate Foundation, for the promotion and transmission of craftsmanship, in partnership with the Compagnons du Devoir and the Tour de France.
Michel Perry designs Grand Angle, a collection of leather goods inspired by the architectural dimension of his shoes.
243 rue Saint Honoré becomes the new Parisian address to showcase private collections that illustrate the know-how and creativity of the Limoges workshops.
Inspired by the Moccasin 180, the Weston Moc' gives way to the material: grained calfskin mingles with suede calfskin, cashmere touch, in seven original tones. After more than two years of research within the JM Weston Manufacture, the Moc 'Weston is a shoe reduced to the essentials: the internal buttresses are removed, the skins are chosen for their flexibility and their support, their assembly is carefully carried out.
On the occasion of the first anniversary of Moc 'Weston, the brand wanted to pay tribute to Yves Klein, the master of colour. Alimited edition of 1,500 pairs of Moc' Weston in the exact shade of International Klein Blue was thus developed and distributed in 9 stores worldwide.
A workshop spirit is chosen for the new Parisian boutique of J.M. Weston, located at 46 rue des Archives in the Marais.
J.M. Weston is making its mark by setting up a pop-up store at the Gaumont Embassy, 50 avenue des Champs-Elysées, for a one-year freeze-frame prelude to a new address on the Champs-Elysées.
J.M. Weston unveils 'Le Beau Dormant', a film directed by Oxmo Puccino and starring Omar Sy, Alexia Giordano and the new colours of Moc' Weston in a modern tale.
J.M. Weston is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Roland-Garros label with 3 limited editions of the Moc’ Weston.
J.M. Weston pays tribute to artist Yves Klein by unveiling the Klein Blue Sneaker (Basket Bleu Klein®), an exclusive edition for Men and Women.
Olivier Saillard has been the Artistic, Image and Culture Director of J.M. Weston since January 2018. He is responsible for the men's and women's shoe collections, the accessories collections and the house's image.
J.M. Weston has been providing the 500 riders of the Republican Guard with riding boots since 1975. On January 11, 2018, JM Weston and the Republican Guard signed a partnership agreement, thus celebrating the privileged links initiated more than 40 years ago, based on values of excellence, high standards and integrity also embodied by the know-how of the craftsmen who participate each year in the tailor-made manufacture of boots within the manufacture in Limoges.
