Family
In 1925, the leather craftsman Jacques Hopenstand opened the doors of his first workshop in Paris.
J.Hopenstand keeps serving customers who care about details, and look for unique products. Their wishes and endless imagination remain the source of inspiration of the J.Hopenstand craftsmen.
In 1927, Jacques Hopenstand married Francine Gauthey, the former first-hand at Poiret and Vionnet.
Francine used to help Jacques in the making and selling of the creations. Following the example of their great grandmother, the great grandchildren join their forces to keep writing the family history.
Jacques Hopenstand liked to share his passion for leather with his great grandsons.
90 years later, maintaining the spirit and traditions of the name, the new generation reinvents the Maison. J.Hopenstand becomes a Swiss brand, specialised in small bespoke leather goods. The iconic creation is the reversible belt, customizable online.
Bespoke
Jacques's goal was to make his customers' ideas come true in the shape of leather creations they could respond to and identify with.
To find a leather that would be as green as a Mexican avocado, to design the clasp of a bag that would use pearls from a family necklace, such tasks were Jacques's everyday job. The line available today offers a large choice of materials, colours, threads and clasps. All these details that allow you to make the creations yours.
Jacques used to meet with his customers, so they could define and choose the design together, the materials and colours that would be used to create bespoke items.
Today, our workshop can be reached from the intimacy and tranquillity of your own place, to guide you through designs and colours to create and order your bespoke piece.
J.Hopenstand worked with many fashion houses such as Schiaparelli & Sacks Fifth Avenue.
He was able to bring their creative ideas into life, ensuring at the same time resistance, elegance and imagination. Attributes that are found in our iconic piece: the reversible belt.
Crafts
In order to create quality pieces, made to last, Jacques put a lot of care in selecting his craftsmen.
They all belong to the Compagnons du Devoir, Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, Entreprises du Patrimoine Vivant Français. Our tanners, leather workers, jewelers and designers have been rewarded for their unique savoir-faire and for respecting the past traditions.
Jacques used to cut, put together, thread and sew by hand each of his creations.
Rémi is dedicated to creating high-quality products, making the most of all the French and Swiss talents around him, in order to maintain the Maison's standards. The edges of his creations are sanded and coloured up to five times, the linings are leather, the buckles hand-polished and covered with gold, palladium and lacquer.
Noble materials, perfect cuttings and thorough when putting together, these have been the standards of the brand for almost a century.
The leathers that we use are all reared under controlled conditions, also chosen for their flexibility, resistance and unique grain in order to offer a range of choices in colours and materials.
Art
Jacques used to draw and sculpt each of his creations, as an artist he made pieces that would last forever.
The Maison cares about each and every item created and wants them to be unique pieces of art that would highlight your waist and dress up your outfits.
Jacques was able to share his great taste with his daughter, and she, taught her grandsons and made them sensitive to contemporary art.
In 2016, the great grandsons launch their project that spotlights on Art and Crafts. In that purpose, they invite international artists to join the J.Hopenstand family to revisit the iconic item, the reversible belt.
Jacques Hopenstand got inspiration from a movement that gathered simplicity, geometry and symmetry: Art deco.
To pay tribute to their grandfather who opened the doors of his first workshop in 1925 and to commemorate this movement from the 20s, Rémi and Renaud create a line of sophisticated buckles.
