By Yasmine Maylin
In Paris, behind a discreet façade on the rue des Vinaigriers, a factory has stood the test of time for nearly two centuries. Born with the world of horses, having experienced the splendor of the Second Empire before becoming a benchmark for leading luxury artisans, the Poursin House could have disappeared in 2016. Its revival today tells a different story of success: that of a company that moves forward without erasing its history.
Au 35, rue des VinaigriersIn the 10th arrondissement, Maison Poursin retains this strange power. Behind its storefront, drawers filled with buckles, rings, carabiners, and brass fittings are revealed, along with tools patinated by time, antique machines still in operation, and above all, techniques that cannot be learned from books. For at Poursin, history is not displayed in a glass case. It continues to work.
Founded in 1830Today, the company is considered the oldest Parisian manufacturer still in operation, specializing in brass buckles and copperware. It will soon span two centuries of French industrial history, having achieved something particularly rare: transforming its heritage without ever breaking with it.
When it all starts with the horse
Poursin's origins lie in the world of horses. Indeed, in 19th-century France, the horse was ubiquitous. It transported people, goods, and armies. It was present in daily life as well as at grand official ceremonies. Saddlery, harnesses, and carriages were veritable industries, where the quality of a buckle or a piece of metal reflected both a need for strength and a quest for elegance. And Poursin specialized in this world.
The factory produces parts for harnesses, cavalry equipment, cartridge pouches, stirrups, ornaments, and horse-drawn carriages. Its work accompanies the great moments of the 19th century, and the company becomes, in particular, supplier under Napoleon III. Ancient pieces still bear witness today to this period when buckles were not a simple accessory but an essential element of military, equestrian and ceremonial equipment.
From the very beginning, Poursin built its reputation on a simple requirement: a piece must be functional, durable, perfectly crafted, but also beautiful. This approach to work would remain with the Maison throughout its history.
From horse to luxury
Then the world changed. At the beginning of the 20th century, the automobile revolutionized everyday life. The "steam horse" began to replace horse-drawn carriages in the streets and profoundly transformed an entire artisanal economy. For Poursin, the risk was considerable.
But the company has a key advantage: it doesn't just master the manufacture of equestrian equipment. It masters the metal, the shapes, the assemblies, the finishes and the detailSo she adapts.
His expertise naturally found its place in leather goods, luggage, footwear, and then sewing. The technique remained essentially the same; it was his field of expression that evolved.
During the 20th century, the great saddlers, trunk makers, leather goods manufacturers, and fashion designers of the time came to Rue des Vinaigriers seeking a level of craftsmanship that had become a benchmark. Today, their names belong to the House's private history. Ultimately, they matter less than what they reveal: at that time, The Poursin finish already has a true signature.
People come to Poursin because attention to detail matters. Because a buckle must function perfectly. Because a metal component must seamlessly extend the design of a bag, harness, or belt without ever compromising it. Because, in the very high-end market, what the customer doesn't consciously notice sometimes contributes even more to the quality of the object than what they immediately see.
« Luxury is the beauty of what cannot be seen "Karl Lemaire sums up this philosophy in a few words."
This sentence could almost serve as a manifesto for Maison Poursin.
Because true luxury doesn't necessarily lie in what immediately catches the eye. It also resides in the precision of a mechanism, the smoothness of a polished surface, the balance of a curve, the strength of a buckle, or the way a metal part meets the leather. A few millimeters can change the perception of an object.
A poorly proportioned buckle, a metal finish lacking depth, or a sloppy mechanism can be enough to disrupt the harmony of a design. Conversely, when everything is just right, the details almost disappear. That's precisely when they become precious.
Poursin's philosophy is based on this form of silent excellence: to do perfectly what, once integrated into the final object, will seem obvious.
In the workshops, the hand remains irreplaceable.
This requirement takes shape in the workshops. The brass is worked there through a series of operations where the craftsman's experience remains essential. The metal must be cut, shaped, bent, assembled, welded, deburred, ground, and then polished according to the desired piece.
Deburring removes excess material and imperfections left after manufacturing. Grinding then progressively refines the surface and curves. Some of these movements are almost akin to sculpting.
The company also preserves old machines. Not out of nostalgia, but because they can still produce with a precision and manufacturing logic perfectly suited to historical pieces.
In this world, innovation and heritage are not contradictory. A machine can be decades old and still be relevant, and a technique can be passed down through generations while meeting the demands of a contemporary designer. It is this continuity that gives Poursin's expertise its value.
Thousands of references, like a memory of French luxury
The Maison's drawers and archives constitute another exceptional treasure. Indeed, for nearly two centuries, shapes, dimensions, and models have accumulated. Karl Lemaire mentioned several tens of thousands of references preserved by the manufacture: this heritage goes far beyond the notion of a catalogue. It constitutes a veritable library of forms.
A loop designed decades ago can suddenly regain contemporary relevance. A forgotten reference can become the starting point for a new creation. A piece historically intended for horses can inspire fashion, furniture, or decoration. At Poursin, the past is therefore never truly over, because sometimes it simply awaits a designer to open the right drawer.
2016, the year when everything could have disappeared
But this exceptional story almost came to an end. In 2016The factory is threatened with extinction. And closure would not have simply meant the disappearance of a company. It would have taken with it an entire system much more difficult to rebuild: machines, archives, historical references, but above all, technical knowledge accumulated over nearly two centuries.
This is when Karl Lemaire takes over Maison Poursin.
His ambition is not to transform the company into a mere heritage brand using its history as a backdrop. On the contrary, he chooses to preserve the production facilities, the know-how, and the identity of the Parisian factory.
« I wanted to save it. For me, it's part of Paris's industrial heritage. " he will explain regarding this revival. The nuance is essential and Poursin does not become the memory of a vanished workshop.
To keep heritage alive rather than to preserve it
This is probably where the success story makes perfect sense. But saving a nearly two-hundred-year-old house is one thing, and giving it a future is another.
Since its acquisition, Poursin has cultivated precisely this balance between preservation and development. Historical know-how remains at the heart of production while new uses emerge.
Saddlery, leather goods, accessories, decoration or lifestyle : the brass piece sometimes leaves its traditional functions to enter new creative territories.
The Maison has also opened itself up more to individuals, young designers, and artisans, who can discover products previously known mainly to professionals. It's a different way of passing on knowledge, because expertise only truly survives if it continues to be in demand.
The horse, always at the heart of the story
Nearly two centuries after the founding of Poursin, the equestrian world remains deeply ingrained in its identity. This is not merely a nod to the manufacture's origins. The Maison continues to work with harnesses and carriages, while also contributing to the promotion of a certain culture of equestrian elegance.
Le Poursin House Elegance Award This constitutes one of its most symbolic expressions.
Awarded at carriage driving competitions, this distinction does not only reward a sporting performance. It takes into account the whole: the horses, their harnesses, the carriage, the driver, the grooms, the outfits and the overall coherence of the presentation.
It's all about harmony, and the carriage then becomes a composition in which no detail should appear isolated. The quality of the carriage complements that of the leather; the metal responds to the colors; the elegance of the driver and his team extends that of the horses.
This perfectly reflects Poursin's philosophy: beauty is born from the attention paid to each element.
Au Pine National StudIn July 2026, this Elegance Award was awarded to the Belgian driver Sylvie DevachtAlready noted at the previous competition, she once again won over the judges with the quality of her presentation, the precision of her harness, and the remarkable harmony of the whole. On July 19, 2026, she also took first place in the overall standings across all categories of the international traditional driving competition.
A distinction that closes almost two centuries of history: in 1830, Poursin was already manufacturing for the horse; in 2026, the House continues to celebrate its elegance.
In an industry where the word "heritage" has become a marketing tool, Poursin possesses something much harder to manufacture: a truly lived legacyThe success of the House is therefore not solely due to its exceptional longevity. It lies in its ability to have weathered several industrial, automotive, stylistic, and commercial revolutions without losing what constitutes its identity.
Product photos: Jimmy Mettier
