French surf brand Saint Jacques’ very existence is about being different and they run this approach through the soul of the business. Founder Stan Bresson gives us the details on his unique company. Viva La difference!
How did Saint Jacques get started and what was the idea behind the brand. We were tired of black wetsuits and the ultra standardized neoprene market. Our aim is to offer high-performance, high-quality wetsuits while creating elegant designs, which incorporates the codes of the great classics of French fashion. This is the very essence of Saint Jacques Wetsuits. First and foremost, the goal was to gather a community of dedicated watermen and women, within which aesthetics and performance do not collide and differ. The name ‘Saint Jacques’ appeared as obvious. It brings together 3 essential criteria: the sea / French / high-end.
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What are your best selling products? Saint Jacques targets different customers depending on the season and the location by offering 3 categories of products which are almost balanced in terms of sales over the year. Firstly, elegant neoprene vests and jackets which embody our “wet à porter” concept, in particular the “Noé” sailor top and the famous “Paulo”, secondly technical full suits for men and women, including the new Yamamoto neoprene collection and finally quality accessories such as our cotton ponchos, boardshorts and lycras.
Tell us more about your key technologies used in your wetsuits. In 2022, we teamed up with the Japanese company Yamamoto, an international reference when it comes to neoprene, to create a line of high-end and technical full suits. As versatility is very important in our concept, we attach great value to patterns in order to feel comfortable whatever the watersport: surfing, kite, sup, wing, wake... We have also developed a tubular compression system for our wetsuits which strongly limits water entry via the ankles, in particular for wind sports such as kitesurfing or windsurfing. And finally we
