Au-Delà du Cuir (ADC), a new organisation that promotes young French leather designers, has celebrated its formal launch in Paris.

ADC is a joint-initiative of a range of industry organisations in France, with The French Leather Council (le Conseil National du Cuir), the French Footwear Federation and CTC (The French Professional Development Committee for Leather, Footwear, Leather Goods) among the most prominent.

At the Paris event, ADC unveiled the names of 17 designers and brands, whose work it will help topromote. The total number of companies involved can expand to 20 in future.

The idea is to encourage young French companies in all sectors of the leather industry, helping them to develop their manufacturing operations in France, rather than be obliged to produce elsewhere for economic reasons.