1921.
Born from Marc Millet's imagination and his wife Hermance's unwavering will, Maison Millet was founded.
The story began in a small grocery store in Saint-Fons, near Lyon, where shopping bags and grain sacks were made.
Eventually, the workshop expanded its range of canvas bags, attracting many customers.
The couple, originally from the Savoie region, had René in 1920 and Raymond in 1921.
In 1929, the family moved to Annecy, known for its clear air, for Marc's recovery from illness.

In 1942, the family purchased land at 36 Rue de Chambéry in Annecy.
There, a symbolic MILLET building was constructed, housing three generations of the family and featuring workshops and a factory on the ground floor.
"Family" and "company" were inseparable.
This was the Mane's belief.
For 28 years, the family and the brand lived and grew together in this house.
Eventually, the "family" circle expanded further.
Many alpinists, such as Reinhold Messner, Walter Bonatti, and René Desmaison, stayed at this house whenever they visited Annecy.
Meanwhile, about 20 craftsmen worked in the workshop, and in 1962, the factory was expanded due to business growth.
Exports to Japan and Germany also began, and MILLET grew into an international brand.
Brother René and brother Raymond had contrasting personalities, but they deeply respected each other, and their strong bond continued to support the brand.

MILLET's history has always been intertwined with the mountains.
Family trips always led to the mountains.
The van used for product delivery was also the same vehicle that took them to Chamonix.
"Rene only ever talked about the mountains." Such was their passion that in 1960, the brothers decided to focus on making mountaineering backpacks.
This marked a significant turning point for MILLET.
The brand clearly positioned itself as a "mountain brand," and this DNA has been passed down to the present day.
Prominent alpinists of the time joined in the development.
Louis Lachenal co-developed the first mountaineering backpack, and Walter Bonatti became the first technical advisor.
Furthermore, Reinhold Messner participated in the development of the Everest GTX 3L jacket.
The iconic blue, still spoken of today, originates from this jacket.
In 1980, the brothers reluctantly sold the company.
However, they never imagined that a hundred years later, the brand would return to family ownership.

Raymond's son, Jean-Pierre Millet, grew up on the upper floors of the factory.
Ever since the company was sold when he was a boy, he dreamed of one day bringing MILLET back to the family.
In 2006, he became a shareholder of the Lafuma Group and was appointed to its board of directors.
He pursued that dream for many years.
And 30 years later, the opportunity finally arose.
While Jean-Pierre proceeded with acquisition negotiations, he asked his nephew, Romain Millet, who was working at LVMH in China, to become CEO.
Romain decided to leave his career and return to Annecy with his family.
On Christmas Eve 2021,
Jean-Pierre told his family:
"I did it. I got MILLET back."
More than just business, it was the moment when the family's story began again.

In 2021, Jean-Pierre Millet, the founder's grandson, brought the brand back to the family. At the same time, Romain Millet, the founder's great-grandson, became the fourth CEO. Furthermore, his cousin Sacha also joined the brand, and a new generation is leading MILLET into the future. The headquarters are still in Annecy. Building on the inherited technology, they continue to create new collections. Walking through the company, one sees a new generation of athletes such as Charles Dubouloz, Symon Welfringer, and Émilie Harrop, carrying on the spirit of the past greats like Lachenal, Bonatti, and Messner. Thus, the story of MILLET will be passed down through generations, along with the mountains, into the future.