Our story
Our story
Some backstory… Jacinthe Bergeron literally grew up in the shoe industry, as her father worked in it all his life. He started as a boot clicker in 1947, and became an esteemed designer in the mid-1950s. In 1997, while Roger Bergeron was involved in a company producing high quality boots very similar to Saute-Moutons offering, his daughter Jacinthe (mother of 3 then school-aged daughters), dreams up a new project to fill her days : waterproof, wool-lined winter boots for kids. With help from her father, Jacinthe’s ‘fourth baby’ is born, with a first collection in stores in autumn, 1998. The company’s first logo, a small sheep on a quilted background, was its perfect representation. As the years went by, ladies and men’s boots were met with strong demand and the company decided to discontinue its kids collection in 2001.
In 2015, it became urgent to update the company’s image in order to move away from its kids-oriented origins. At the same time, the company’s new models, while never forgetting its roots, were now targeted at younger and younger adults. Our new logo espouses this minimalist trend, meeting a new, daring generation who’s wary of superfluity.
La marque
La marque
The brand's name
It is important to us that our name makes reference to the sheep, that provides the material used for our boots lining. This is what distinguishes us from most other boots on the market, which feature synthetic lining. Also, «saute-mouton» is the French name of the popular children’s game leapfrog, quite fitting for the original lineup of our company.
People behind the brand
Saute-Mouton is the work of people passionate about shoes : 30 craftspeople share the tasks of cutting, preparing, assembling, finishing and shipping our boots. Two administrative employees and two salespeople complete the team.
The values that guide our decisions
The values of our company are first and foremost human : trust and respect are the foundations of our business relationships. Each person around us is an essential piece of our evolution and we cherish this reciprocity. As for our products, each of our craftspeople is motivated by the satisfaction of a job well done.
What sets us apart
While our consumers are privileged to be able to chose from a vast quantity of products, our unique, traditional signature, our high quality boots and our customized production are what set us apart. Each retailer can build its own specific lineup, matching leathers, colours, shapes and outsoles. This constitutes a tremendous market advantage, as needs and tastes vary from one region — and one store — from the other.
The most important thing setting us apart is certainly the fact that our boots are entirely made in Canada. Other manufacturers may assemble boots with outsoles here in Canada while all the prior steps, from cutting to sewing, are outsourced. According to Canadian law, these other manufacturers can advertise their products as made in Canada. We, Saute-Mouton, don’t play with words : «Fabriqué ici!» («Made here!») has been our motto for years and years.
Multiculturalism is a tremendous force guiding Canadian fashion. We are especially proud of our origins, and of our products entirely made in Canada. «Fabriqué ici!» («Made here!») is our motto.
Our pride
Persistence through time, maintaining high quality standards and growing are three things that make us proud, especially as it is very hard to manufacture boots in Canada and in Québec. While entirely earned, the high cost of labour constitutes a challenge in staying profitable and staving off overseas competition. This makes us appreciate even more the fact that we stay in business year after year and keep a growing place in the heart of our clients.
Innovation is what drives us daily
The urge to create is a powerful driver and we are stimulated by the will to improve constantly. But shoemaking is in our DNA. Our ambition for the years to come? Keep this passion alive, communicate our love for shoes, prepare the next generation and create a community… why not?