Laulhère

What Laulhère does

Laulhère is a French artisan headwear manufacturer with workshops in Oloron-Sainte-Marie (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) claimed to operate continuously since 1840, holding the Entreprise du patrimoine vivant (Living Heritage Company) designation. The company produces handcrafted berets (the core product line), caps (Casquettes), knitwear (La Maille: bonnets, scarves, snoods, mittens), children's headwear, and limited edition numbered pieces, using noble materials including French merino wool and cashmere. Manufacturing relies on traditional Béarn techniques transmitted across generations of master artisans, with each piece hand-finished and individually authenticated via the Laulhère rivet.

The business is privately held as a Société par actions simplifiée à associé unique under Rosabelle Forzy, a former Oracle executive who revived the company after its 2012-2014 restructuring. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the laulhere-france.com e-commerce platform, a flagship boutique at 14-16 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, and international shipping to more than 20 countries, supplemented by a separate B2B portal (shop.laulhere-france.com). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit sales across a price spectrum from €39 entry-level berets to €1,000 limited edition pieces (e.g., the Béret Ardiak), with luxury collaborations such as the 200-unit Dior x Laulhère Symbol béret at €890 providing high-margin halo SKUs and brand elevation. Reported annual growth since the turnaround is 10-12%, with recent strategic emphasis on product diversification into caps and knitwear and international expansion via the Dior runway partnership and selective artist and market collaborations (KASHINK, Benexy in Japan).

Name

Laulhère

Legal name

LAULHÈRE

Website

https://laulhere-france.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1840

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laulhère is a historic French artisan headwear manufacturer in Oloron-Sainte-Marie producing handcrafted berets, caps, and knitwear from merino wool and cashmere, sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, a Paris flagship boutique, and international shipping to 20+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Headwear Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Headwear Manufacturing (Hats/Caps/Beanies) (IMAOAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cold-Weather Accessories Manufacturing (Thermal Sets/Arm & Leg Warmers) (IMAOAFAJ), Gloves & Mittens (CRAAAJAG)

Keywords

• Handcrafted french berets
• Artisan millinery
• Made in france headwear
• Wool knitwear accessories
• Luxury beret manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct B2C product sales: Laulhère generates revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of berets, caps, scarves, mittens, and knitwear via its e-commerce platform and physical boutique. Products are sold at various price points from entry-level to luxury limited editions.
2. B2B/wholesale: The company operates a separate B2B e-commerce portal (shop.laulhere-france.com) for business customers, suggesting wholesale or corporate sales operations.
3. Licensing and collaborations: Revenue generated through luxury collaborations such as the limited edition Dior x Laulhère béret Symbol sold for €890, combining Laulhère's traditional craftsmanship with luxury branding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Laulhère manufactures and sells handcrafted French berets, caps (casquettes), children's headwear, and a "La Maille" knitwear collection (bonnets, scarves, snoods, neck warmers, mittens) using traditional Béarn artisan techniques and noble materials (French merino wool, cashmere, cotton, leather, straw). All products are Made in France in the Oloron-Sainte-Marie workshops, with individually authenticated limited editions and pricing spanning from €39 entry-level berets to €1,000 premium pieces.

Product overview

Laulhère is a historic French beret manufacturer founded in 1840, offering handcrafted headwear and accessories made in Oloron-Sainte-Marie. The product portfolio centers on traditional and fashion berets (Authentique, Basque, Campan, Plumes, Max, Ché, Panthère, Louvre, Haizea, Ardiak), caps/casquettes (Loop, Zintzurra, Oloron, Sorginak), children's berets, and a knitwear line called 'La Maille' featuring bonnets, scarves, snoods, neck warmers, and mittens in French merino wool. Products span categories including traditional, summer, fashion, limited edition, and children's styles. The company also sells archive/discounted items. Laulhère operates a boutique on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris and ships internationally to over 20 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bérets (Authentique, Basque, Campan, Véritable, Rosa, Plumes, Max, Ché) Laulhère's signature line of handcrafted French berets in French merino wool, cashmere, cotton, or leather. Includes traditional Basque berets, summer berets, feather-adorned models, and classic designs for men and women.
• Casquettes (Loop, Zintzurra, Instinct, Pilota, Beltxara, Oloron, Sorginak, Izadi) French-made caps crafted from French merino wool, leather, cotton, or straw. Includes traditional flat caps, rounded caps, and gavroche-style caps for men and women.
• La Maille - Bonnets, Écharpes, Snoods, Tours de Cou, Mitaines Knitwear collection including wool beanies (Bonet, Mendia, Urbasa), scarves (Eguskia), snoods (Argia), neck warmers (Otxoa), and mittens (Zubi), all made from 100% French merino wool.
• Bérets Enfant (Basque Enfant, Margaux, Cachemire) Children's berets made from French merino wool, including traditional Basque-style berets for children aged 3 and up, ear-covering designs, and cashmere options. Designed for parents seeking quality, traditionally-made headwear for children.
• Bérets Mode (Panthère, Louvre, Larrun, Ondoa, Zura, Chic) Fashion-forward berets including embroidered designs, veil-topped styles, pearl-embellished cotton berets, and cashmere pieces for women and men. Includes couture and seasonal fashion styles.
• Béret Haizea (Limited Edition) Limited edition mixed beret in 100% French merino wool, individually numbered 1 to 50, featuring gold embroidery inspired by autumn foliage, blue interior with Laulhère emblem, priced at €230.
• Bibi Élégant A hybrid between a beret and hat, this women's merino wool bibi features a discreet headband, 22cm diameter plateau, and elegant design suitable for weddings and ceremonies.
• Archives (Destockage) Archive collection of discontinued berets, caps, and wool accessories offered at discounted prices up to 50% off. Products are last remaining pieces from previous collections.
• Dior x Laulhère Limited Edition Béret Symbol Co-branded luxury limited edition beret resulting from a collaboration with Dior, combining Laulhère's traditional Béarn craftsmanship with Dior's luxury branding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10-12% annual growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• DiorflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2024Luxury fashion house Dior partnered with Laulhère to create a limited edition Symbol béret presented at the Dior Fall 2024 runway show in New York. The collaboration combined Laulhère's traditional Béarn craftsmanship with Dior's luxury branding, using 70% merino wool and 30% cashmere. Limited to 200 units sold at €890 each (seven times the price of traditional Laulhère berets), representing a significant brand elevation opportunity.
• KASHINKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaulhère collaborated with artist KASHINK on a limited edition collection, demonstrating the brand's engagement with contemporary artists and creative collaborations beyond traditional fashion partnerships.
• BenexyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese retailer Benexy distributes Laulhère products in Japan through their online store (mashimo-onlineshop.com), providing international distribution in the Japanese market.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Borsalino: Italian heritage hat maker founded in 1857, famous for felt fedoras and caps, revived from bankruptcy. Comparable as a European heritage headwear specialist focused on artisanal craftsmanship and premium pricing.
• Christys' Hats: Historic British hat maker (1773) producing felt hats, caps, and bespoke headwear. Comparable as a long-running European heritage headwear manufacturer with a similar premium artisan positioning.
• Maison Michel: Paris-based luxury hat maker owned by LVMH, producing couture-level hats, berets, and headpieces with heritage artisanal techniques. Most directly comparable to Laulhère as a French heritage hat manufacturer competing in the luxury fashion segment.
• Goorin Bros: American heritage hat maker (1895) producing artisan caps, fedoras, and casual headwear with a craft-driven, curated retail experience. Comparable as a multi-generational independent hat brand emphasizing craftsmanship and brand storytelling.
• Barbisio: Italian heritage hat maker (1862) producing artisan felt hats including fedoras, caps, and bespoke headwear. Comparable as a long-established European family-run hat manufacturer with similar artisanal production and heritage positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Kangol: Established global hat and headwear brand famous for the Kangol cap, offering a much wider range of casual and fashion headwear. Comparable as a major headwear brand but with mass-market distribution versus Laulhère's artisan focus.
• Stetson: Iconic American heritage hat maker best known for cowboy hats and fedoras. Comparable as a long-established heritage hat brand with similar cultural cachet and collectible appeal, though broader product range and North American focus.
• Hermès: French luxury conglomerate with leather goods, silk scarves, and headwear accessories. Comparable as a French luxury accessories house with overlapping artisan heritage and French craftsmanship positioning, though much broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Le Bonnet Français: Younger French heritage knitwear brand producing beanies, scarves, and gloves from French merino wool. Comparable as a Made-in-France headwear and accessories brand competing in similar Made-in-France channels with overlapping product categories (knit beanies, scarves).

Regional players

• Akubra: Australian heritage hat maker (1874) producing felt hats with strong regional brand affinity. Comparable as a long-running single-category heritage hat manufacturer, though focused on the Australian market and outdoor/cowboy styles rather than berets.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/laulhere_france
• Xx.com/laulhere_beret
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laulhere

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laulhère