PULLIN, as seen by its creator
1/ What did PULLIN look like in its early days and how were customers received your graphic and innovative underwear concept?
At the beginning of the adventure, PULLIN resembled a classic 2000s startup : a garage, boxes piled up in the house, and work—lots of work . Admittedly, selling underwear with strawberries or camouflage isn't exactly easy. We had to remain determined in the face of ridicule and a complete lack of support from the banks. Our first customers discovered the quality , durability, and above all, comfort of our products. Soon after, brand ambassadors, television appearances, and events launched the brand's success .
2/ How do you define PULLIN's DNA and what are its values? How do you maintain the balance between creativity and technical performance?
It's a premium lifestyle brand with a DNA rooted in its heritage, movement, and music ; a brand from the Southwest of France, close to the ocean and the mountains. Creativity allows us to convey a message, a vision, but it must always be accompanied by comfort , quality , and authenticity . This has been our strength from the beginning: blending all these criteria to express our values through our creations .
3/ How do you make your choices (new products, new stores…)?
PULLIN is built on travel, discovery, and encounters . I never look at trend books; I analyze past and present fashions to create our own style with our own materials . I use everything that feeds my eye: architecture, color schemes, photographs, music, the layout of a boutique. I love wandering the streets of New York, London, Milan… and observing outfits, who wears what, how, the unusual style combinations . When choosing boutique locations, I only select places that are consistent with the brand, places where we feel legitimate, where I love being, and that challenge me , that push me out of my comfort zone.
4/ What was the pivotal moment in PULLIN's history and what challenges are you facing?
The opening of our boutique in New York in 2007 , at 252 Elizabeth Street. A dream I thought unattainable was coming true for a brand created in a garage in Hossegor, far from the stimulating madness of New York. We had entered another dimension, a new space-time .
5/ You value "Made in Europe". What is your view on the future of textiles in light of environmental challenges?
The textile industry will never be entirely eco-responsible; that's a fact. However, we can build a different economic model that is more consistent with our health and the health of our planet. That's what we do at PULLIN. For 25 years, we've worked with workshops in Portugal, using short supply chains for 90% of our products. It's not only a matter of ethics, but also of loyalty to these family businesses with exceptional expertise, with whom we've worked from the beginning; we share the same values. Fast fashion and the mass market don't interest me; I don't know how to do that, it's not who I am. They are the antithesis of the fundamentals of balanced and respectful commerce , and also the antithesis of my understanding of creativity and the rigor in work that I acquired during my engineering training.
6/ How do you manage customer loyalty, some of whom have been wearing PULLIN for 25 years?
You have to constantly question yourself, reinvent yourself, and take risks . Customers are loyal to a brand that respects them by being transparent and maintaining the quality they value. You also have to surprise them while preserving their familiar elements so they continue to identify with the brand. To stay connected with my customers, I try to spend time in my stores to listen, talk, and observe , discreetly.
July 2025 marks the return of the women's collection. Who is the Pull in woman?
Sensuality, character, strength … she is the ideal woman for the PULLIN man, his alter ego. The PULLIN woman is elegant and relaxed , a woman proud of her homeland, the Southwest of France . The products are sensual yet comfortable; this emphasis on comfort is paramount. Our Portuguese partners have, once again, perfectly created products with refined silhouettes, pleasant (lyocell) and luxurious (lace woven in France) materials .
8/ How do you stay inspired after so many years?
I'm always working, observing, learning, and adapting what I love and what I discover to help PULLIN evolve. I'm passionate, open-minded, but selective because I hate wasting time. I think my intellectual curiosity allows me to bring together different creative sources to build the brand. In fact, I'm constantly on the lookout . I compare fashion to mathematics, to a game of chess. I develop my ideas and projects by anticipating future options in the face of potential obstacles. And I have great support: my wife, Christelle, helps me focus my energy where it's needed, and she motivates me when necessary. My son, Louis , who is in his fifth year of business school, brings his youth and experiences gained abroad to PULLIN, grounding it in modernity. Teamwork.
9/ Who is your role model or source of inspiration? Which PULLIN product do you prefer to wear every day? What is your fondest memory as an entrepreneur?
I don't have a role model in fashion; I admire certain career paths, certain abilities, certain exceptional individuals . My partner, Jacques Veyrat, inspires me greatly: his astonishing speed of understanding and his astute strategic analysis always surprise me. He's fast, very fast.
I'm a fan of our Dening trousers . I love everything about this product: its cut, which allows for a variety of silhouettes, the many colours, and its comfort, which allows me to wear it casually or in a more refined way.
My fondest memory as an entrepreneur will always be my first order placed with a local shop. My first customer, my first signed order form; that's when I knew there was something there , that I had found my professional path and that from that moment on , things were getting serious … The PULLIN adventure had just begun!
10/ What are your plans for the brand? What will PULLIN look like in 5 or 10 years? Do you want to venture into other areas (new ranges, other sectors…)?
I want to keep the brand on the right track, preserving its solid and healthy foundation, its DNA, and its creativity . PULLIN evolves with the times; it must find the balance between protecting its roots, its values, and its origins while embracing modernity . We are moving confidently towards new markets and new projects with new tools. Seeing this Hossegor brand live and grow through time and across the world is a wonderful challenge, isn't it?