Behind every hairbrush Altesse Studio , lies the expertise of our brushmakers. Day after day, they perpetuate and perpetuate the ancestral techniques of French brushmaking . Meet Jean-Jacques. Jean-Jacques is experience, quiet strength and humility incarnate. A Swiss Army knife (who knows how to do everything with his hands), dedicated to a job well done and to teamwork.
Would you like to introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Jean Jacques and I've been working at Altesse Studio since 2009, that's 15 years now. Like many people here, I used to work in an old brushmaking factory, and it was after it closed that I joined theAltesse workshops. I was close to retirement, but with my 14-year-old child still at home I decided to keep working. Since then, I've never stopped making handmade products.
What is your first memory of the Altesse workshops?
I remember an organization that was different from today's, more of a bric-a-brac affair. It was the beginning of history...
What do you think makes Altesse Studio hairbrushes unique?
It's our work that makes these brushes unique. It's a laborious job, and you'd think it would be simple, but it's not. To make a brush, it's all in the detail. For example, at drilling, you need to prepare the hole for the mounting machine, and unclog it so that you can stack the bristles as easily as possible. All these little tricks require careful preparation. But it's also a team effort. At each stage of the production process, each person uses his or her know-how to get the best out of the process. And if one prepares for the other, it makes everyone's job easier.
Making a Altesse Studio brush involves 22 steps and 7 hours of work. Where do you come in?
For the 100% handmade brushes, I intervene at the drilling anddrilling stages, just before Véronique's work on canvas. Sometimes, I also do a little polishing and shaping. And I help out wherever I'm needed, whether it's to loosen a nut or change a part. After all, if you don't know, you don't know. Having worked in the repair and maintenance of machinery and mechanical equipment, whenever I can help, I do. But I'm not the only one, we're all like that.
How did you learn these techniques?
It all goes back a long way. I started working at the age of 14. When I started at brushmaking, I didn't know much about it. I learned on the job, and a priori, I was the best at drilling anddrilling. I learned a lot in my various experiences, but one thing was certain: paperwork wasn't for me. I was made to work with my hands, even at the most difficult and meticulous tasks. At Altesse, it's the same thing: I learned a lot by working on the machines, with the carpentry... by doing.
What do you like to pass on to Enzo?
I really enjoy passing on to him all the techniques I've learned myself, my know-how. I know what needs to be done, so Enzo has to do it that way. When I tell him something, it's like this and no other, I won't be changed. It's a job that requires experience, you have to do it over and over again to master it perfectly. But Enzo already knows everything there is to know.
What would you like Enzo to take away from this transmission?
Good memories, and that's all. He knows that. And of course, he has to remember the techniques I've taught him. When counter-drilling, the drill always goes in on the left and out on the right, otherwise it gets stuck. When counter-drilling, hole by hole, you mustn't force it, but be gentle.
Altesse Studio has been awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label. Does this distinction make your day-to-day work any more special?
It's a source of pride, though. Normally, when a brush passes through my hands, it shouldn't come back. I'm committed to excellence; I like a job well done.
What's your favourite hairbrush from the Altesse Studio collection?
All the ones I make, from the Prestige collection. But I also love other brushes. To tell the truth, I don't even use them at home - I don't care about my hair! What's important is that the customers who use them like them.
How does it feel to have your brushes exported to New York?
It makes our brushes shine, which is great.