At the origins of the House

The story of Le Jacquard Français begins in 1861 in Gérardmer, in the heart of the textile Vosges. Benjamin Baer worked there as a merchant-manufacturer, in a region where weaving had already shaped local life for generations.

At that time, part of textile production was still carried out at home, particularly during the long Vosges winters. This regional expertise would give rise, a few decades later, to the rise of the great textile manufactures of Gérardmer.

1888 — 1902

From workshops to manufacture

Upon Benjamin Baer's death in 1888, Nathan Lévy took over the business with his brother Élie. Together they founded the company “Nathan Lévy et Compagnie” and continued to develop the textile business in Gérardmer.

Nathan Lévy

Co-founder

Élie Lévy

Co-founder

In 1902, the House reached a decisive milestone with the creation of its first mechanical weaving workshop. Vosges textile expertise then entered a new era, driven by the early days of industrialisation.

1945 — 1974

Reconstruction and transmission

Like much of the Vosges textile industry, the House was deeply marked by the Second World War. After the war, activity gradually resumed in Gérardmer and production grew around a complete range of household linen in cotton, linen and cotton-linen blends.

These years of reconstruction marked a new chapter in the House's history, driven by the modernisation of the workshops and the transmission of textile skills.

“A family story deeply tied to the rise of Vosges textiles.”

1968 — 1974

Innovation as a legacy

At the end of the 1960s, the manufacture entered a new phase of modernisation with the installation of 65 latest-generation Jacquard looms. This technical development opened up new creative prospects and marked a turning point in the House's history.

A signature that already asserted what still defines its identity today: mastery of jacquard, a sense of colour and a certain idea of the French art de vivre.

1978

Primrose Bordier

At the end of the 1970s, Primrose Bordier, a major figure in French decoration, brought a breath of fresh air to Le Jacquard Français. At a time when household linen was still largely dominated by white and ecru tones, she imagined a resolutely contemporary approach, driven by generous patterns and a palette of vibrant colours.

Her vision lastingly transformed the House's identity. By introducing colour into the very heart of Jacquard weaving, first in the weft and then in the warp, she revealed designs with unprecedented depth and intensity. Monumental flowers, bold compositions and chromatic harmonies became the signature of an instantly recognisable style.

This meeting between the textile expertise of Le Jacquard Français and the creative eye of Primrose Bordier marked a turning point in the House's history. More than an aesthetic evolution, it affirmed a conviction that remains at the heart of our identity today: to make household linen a true territory of creative expression, where colour, material and design tell a story.