Joseph Pollet founded La Redoute in the year 1837. Pollet opened the world's first worsted spinning operation in Roubaix, France, where he invented several novel spinning processes. Charles Pollet, Joseph’s son, built the first La Redoute factory. Today, La Redoute is the second-largest women's clothing retailer in France. This company now operates in 26 countries and serves over 10 million customers worldwide.