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JAN DE LUZ (zhäN-da-lüz) was born in the Basque region of Southwestern France in 1949. His first work as an apprentice with a cabinetmaker taught him pride in workmanship and the honor of manual labor. In his 20s, he discovered an ancient Basque handloom with an interesting piece of old cloth still attached. Intrigued with its wonderful texture, de Luz decided he would learn whatever he needed to know in order to recreate its exact texture. Soon he found himself researching the lost art of Basque weaving and mantes à bœuf (Basque cattle blankets).
This spirit of following your passion is essential to Jan de Luz, and, in fine karmic tradition, led to his first successful business – a chain of retail stores throughout France featuring the finest quality natural-fiber linens designed and woven in his own workshop.
An interest in one lost Basque art led de Luz to his next passion – helping to preserve other important elements of Basque history. In 1990, these efforts culminated in the opening of the first éco-musée in France celebrating regional culture and craft at Saint Jean de Luz, France, in the heart of French Basque country. Other museums quickly adopted his focus on the artisanal aspects of a culture, and now there are dozens of éco-musées throughout France for important cultural developments and crafts, from bread making, to chocolate, paper and perfume. In typical fashion, the gratification of hunting for authentic pieces to exhibit at the éco-musée led de Luz to another successful passion – finding and saving fine architectural pieces from abandonment or destruction. In 1996, he and his family moved to California. In the eight years since, he has re-established production of the linens, opened three company-owned retail stores and two licensees, and greatly expanded the second aspect of the business-antique furnishings and architectural elements.
De Luz lives on the Central Coast of California, with his wife, Brigitte, daughters, Carla and Léhéna, and son, Olivier.
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