New president for France’s FFM
Leathergoods industry body the Fédération Française de la Maroquinerie (FFM) has named Frédérique Laval as its new president. She takes over from Arnaud Haefelin, who headed the organisation from 2015 to 2019 and, again, from 2021 to 2026.
For more than 15 years, Ms Laval has helped run her family’s company, Groupe Fleurus. Founded in 1942, Fleurus has built up a strong reputation in the luxury industry, specialising in products including leather watchstraps.
More recently, the company has been a manufacturer of high-end leathergoods, producing on behalf of several prominent brands. It has also set up its own leathergoods brand, Maison Fèvre.
On being chosen as the new president of FFM, Ms Laval said: “The leathergoods sector in France is our living heritage, carried forward by committed companies, savoir-faire and excellence. FFM must continue to speak with a strong, unifying voice on behalf of the whole industry. We must help our companies face up to current challenges and help ‘Made In France’ shine, here at home and overseas.”
