Sebastien James is building a fashion brand from the ground up. After concluding that manufacturing standards were slipping, the 39-year-old European entrepreneur decided to take matters into his own hands – well, his and Spanish artisans'. Today, the business-minded designer oversees the creation of high-end dress shirts and trousers at a constellation of family-owned factories in Catalonia. Finding tradition haberdashers skilled enough to realize his vision was no mean feat, but James, who grew up playing in his grandfather’s factory had a very specific idea of what manufacturing should look like. He knew that if he could make the sort of comfortable, stylish clothing he wanted to buy, he’d have no trouble finding customers.
We sat down with the up-and-coming designer to talk getting into the business and how to make an impact...