Le Béret Français makes the official Olympic beret

After the Rugby World Cup in 2023, Bayonne-based Le Béret Français has been awarded the official licence for the Olympic Games. 

For several months now, the dozen or so employees of Bayonne-based Le Béret Francais (turnover in excess of €1 million) have been working behind the scenes to produce a range dedicated to the Olympic Games. "We started this type of contract with the previous Rugby World Cup before applying for the Olympic Games licence", explains Nathalie de Mauduit, the company's director.

A range "made in Bayonne

The company, which manufactures mainly for the French market but also for international market ("from the United States to Asia for milliners, concept stores and shops"), has increased its workforce to manufacture "several tens of thousands more berets" featuring the Phryge mascot, the Olympic flame or the French Olympic flame or the French flag.

"We anticipate orders equivalent to the Rugby World Cup. The distribution is taking place all over the place, from official shops to our website and retailers on the event sites or on the boats on the Seine", continues the spokeswoman.

Optimised production

The company began production upstream, working "hand in hand with the organising teams on creative specifications". The Bayonne-based company, which usually produces "around 500 berets a day", had to adapt its production rate.

"We optimised the internal organisation so that the machines could run faster and the teams could work longer hours. We had already done this during Covid, where we made masks, and for the World Cup licence. We used it for the Olympics. The SME acknowledges that it has already benefited from national media coverage and hopes to take advantage of this contract to raise its profile.