We have to admit it: our Lifestyle team discovered Avel & Men somewhat by chance… but from our very first exchanges, the entire product range made its way onto Un Jour Ensemble.
Meet Xavier Broise, founder of the brand, and a Breton!
Hello Xavier, how did you come to launch this brand, and above all these products?
What is your background, and who were the people you met who led you to take the plunge?
Avel & Men is first and foremost a family story, since I launched this project with my sister Agnès.
We spent long hours talking in our family home in Brittany to design this brand.
Above all, we wanted to speak to men and to center our products on the theme of Brittany and sailing, for several reasons.
On the one hand, because we believe the Lifestyle offering for men is still even thinner than the one for women.
On the other hand, because we chose an exclusive theme, a world we are passionate about, with strong expertise.
Finally, Bretons are everywhere in the world, and they make excellent ambassadors! The range was built by imagining which products a man might use in his daily life, keeping in mind that we wanted to work on combinations of materials as reminders of the world of the sea.
How did you imagine, design and finally manufacture your products, from the idea to leaving the workshop?
We knew we did not want to stick with classic shapes and products that are overexposed everywhere on the internet. So we developed each creation by thinking first and foremost about combinations of materials and the common threads of the range.
That is how the ideas came about for the logo engraved on a carbon plate, the Dyneema handle, and the "wind charts" inner lining. Finding suppliers for these elements was not easy: we were looking for premium-quality work that could be done in small runs, with a cost challenge, because we use highly technical materials found on Vendée Globe boats!
In the end, our carbon plate is made in the Creuse and our ropes are German.
For the more traditional leather goods materials, we selected leathers with a natural grain, and our cotton twill lining is printed in Normandy.
The leather is magnificent, and each product is unique thanks to the way it is cut from the hide.
Where does your range stand today, and how do you see it evolving?
Today we offer a backpack, a notebook, a key ring, a travel watch pouch, a watch roll designed for watch collectors, and a range of belts.
The range will be expanding very soon, but I can't tell you which types of products 🙂
However, I can assure you that we will keep our core common threads and that the spirit will always be urban!
Let's talk a little about your ambitions: what is your vision for Avel & Men and its products?
Any international plans?
Our ambition is to become a significant player in the luxury market that people associate with the world of the sea and regattas.
We want Avel & Men to be people's go-to choice when looking for a gift, for example, for someone who loves the sea.
And beyond that world, we want consumers to associate Avel & Men with outstanding craftsmanship, timeless style, and an investment in a durable, repairable product.
An important point for UJE: how do you see your relationship with your retailers?
We are clearly looking to showcase our world, and we help our retailers showcase it.
The ideal retailer is therefore one who takes an interest in the entire range and takes the time to understand our concept and the materials we offer.
I take enormous pleasure in explaining to retailers why carbon is used for the mast of a racing boat, or teaching them two words of Breton: Avel & Men!
Distribution cannot be massive given our high-end positioning.
On the other hand, since we are addressing a niche market, we want the broadest international coverage possible.
Showcasing the French art of living abroad fits our ambition perfectly!
Come on, a little teaser!
Will UJE customers one day be able to find exclusive Avel & Men products for UJE in our store?
It's possible that we are thinking about that kind of project 😉
