Kennedy Arrow Cashmere Sweater

Designed in Paris

Zadig&Voltaire was founded in 1997 in Paris, and since that moment all the brand’s collections have been designed in our offices in the heart of the French capital. No sketch or silhouette, not even a print, has been designed or drawn anywhere but in Zadig&Voltaire’s nerve centre.

Stylists, designers and the heads of our workshops work hand in hand, led by our Artistic Director Cecilia Bönström, to create the pieces which have made, are making and will go on to make the brand’s success.

In order to offer you the best possible pieces, we have sought out the skills we need wherever they are located, to ensure we can have confidence, whatever the design or level of technical difficulty, and always while promoting production that is as sustainable as possible.

Why this choice of manufacturing country?

While it is often denigrated, “Made in China” is now far from the clichés that circulated during the 20th century. The country has successfully developed its traditional know-how and acquired new skills to become a first-rate clothes maker. China is the world’s leading producer of silk, viscose and cotton, and has the necessary infrastructure to work with these raw materials. Its wide-ranging technical know-how is undeniable, as is its recognised expertise in a crucial stage in the production process: assembly. At the cutting edge of innovation, our partners based in China contribute to producing collections that are more sustainable, in particular by producing viscose sourced from sustainably managed forests and by developing more and more products in organic cotton.

Silk, specifically Chinese know-how - Sourced in China, the silk used by Zadig&Voltaire is spun near to where it is produced, to preserve its quality. Silk is very sensitive to changes in temperature, so this proximity is key to obtaining high-quality fabric. We have worked for a long time with the same factory, whose technical skills we value highly. We have a relationship of trust with our factories, who we consider to be partners.

Military cotton - Chinese manufacturers have real know-how when it comes to working with materials. They know how to wash cotton in such a way as to give it the finish sought by Zadig&Voltaire. The brand buys “real” military cotton canvas that our partner factories then soften. These factories develop highly innovative and eco-friendly know-how.

Outerwear, technical fabrics mastered by China - Waterproof, water-repellent and windbreaker fabrics are perfectly mastered by our partner factories. They develop them themselves and are at the cutting edge of these technologies.

Specialists in printing on viscose – Zadig&Voltaire’s viscose garments are primarily printed. The prints are all developed by in-house graphic designers, in their Paris design offices. To ensure the design and colours of the original print are respected, it is necessary to work with partners with recognised know-how in the area of printing. Made using fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests, the viscose used by Zadig&Voltaire is printed by our partner factories who have inimitable know-how, and with whom we have worked for many years.

Knits – Approximately 40% of our knitted fabrics are produced in China. This includes virgin cashmere, which comes from Inner Mongolia and which is GCS (Good Cashmere Standard) certified, and merinos, which are RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certified. When it comes to merino wools and virgin cashmere, Zadig&Voltaire works almost exclusively with partners who are RWS certified and Good Cashmere Standard certified respectively. Our manufacturers master techniques like embroidery, intarsia and feathers, know-how that is exclusive to the brand.

Assembly, know-how all of its own - Product development is much easier in China as its factories perfectly master assembly, that is to say the techniques required to assemble and finish garments, in particular for large pieces such as outerwear.