2023-05-27 07:02:36
No one can compete. Apart from the jeans, maybe. Since its appearance on the shoulders of French sailors in 1858 under the name of “knitting”, the sailor top has not aged a bit. Whether sported by Kate Middleton, Jean-Paul Gaultier or the seasonal server of a creperie in North Finistère, the stripes of the marinière always give style to whoever wears them. Sometimes chic, sometimes casual, this fashion staple succeeds where all its friends have failed: the sailor top is timeless and seems ready to stay that way. Emblem of Brittany, it has conquered the world, establishing itself as one of the symbols of French fashion. Occasionally Brittany Day, 20 Minutes chose to dwell on this garment like no other which embodies French charm better than anyone else, while cultivating a puzzling paradox. Today, barely 4% of marinières sold in France are made in the country. The rest of the stripes often crossed the oceans before reaching the shelves of ready-to-wear brands.
“A timeless garment that can be worn at all ages”
To better understand the hype around the sailor top, we started by interviewing several stripe enthusiasts. And there is an argument that keeps coming back. “It goes with everything!” explains Maryne. Light or dark jeans, black or white pants. I even tried with red pants once. “The young follower has several in her wardrobe and assumes to wear “once a week”. Caroline shares the same opinion. Based in Lyon, the young quadra has tried all the versions, from the short sleeve to the colors. “You can match it with everything and it’s very practical. It is a timeless garment that can be worn at all ages of life,” she explains. Her favourite? “The one inherited from my mom. A white sweater with black stripes and buttons on the shoulder from the Armor Lux brand. Despite the years, the colors have never faded.
If the marinière is so great, it’s also because it’s unisex. To take the metro, go to work, go boating or have an aperitif, men are also big fans of stripes. Since arriving in Brittany in 2021, Jean has had no choice but to adopt the local outfit: “I find it practical, neither too hot nor not enough and it suits me rather well. It’s dressy enough for work without being too formal.” In Finistère, Jean sees a lot of them. But he also comes across many elsewhere on the shoulders of “young urban CSP +”. “Bobos what”, he slips with a touch of humor.
Originally, the marinière was however far from being a fashion item for the general public and was first worn as a uniform. Inspired by the Russian army, the French Navy had imagined this textile made of 21 white stripes twice as wide as the 20 to 21 indigo stripes. A rhythm classier than the uniforms of the prisoners. A legend tells that they represent the number of victories of Napoleon. A second evokes the visibility of the pattern, easily spotted in the event of a fall at sea. Another advances the high price of the indigo tint, which would have prompted the Navy to save a few jars of it. “Today, it is still very much associated with the sea, with sailing but also with holidays. She has crossed the ages. We don’t really associate it with a generation”, analyzes Gladys Hermon, stylist and event manager at the Esmod school in Rennes.
Picasso, Bardot and Coco Chanel
If the marinière has known such a rise, it is also thanks to the panoply of celebrities who have displayed it. “It became more popular when Coco Chanel wore it in Deauville in 1916. It took on an air of nobility and we quickly saw it in the cinema”, continues the Rennes designer. By donning stripes, Pablo Picasso, the mime Marceau, Audrey Hepburn or even Brigitte Bardot propelled them to the top. The creators like Yves Saint Laurent or Jean-Paul Gaultier will also make it a true emblem, hoisting the uniform into the highest echelons of world fashion. “It has become the image of French elegance but at the same time it suits everyone. The brands have been able to revisit it to make it timeless,” says Gladys Hermon.
If it is still popular in the 21st century, the marinière has not been spared by the phenomenon of relocation. Long made in France, it had to bow to the diktat of a global market to be mainly designed in Asia for ready-to-wear brands, plunging French workshops into crisis. It is estimated that only 4% of parts sold in France are manufactured locally. The resurgence of “made in France” has, however, allowed a few emblematic brands to redo the icing with quality marinières. “People are looking for authenticity, for know-how. They know they are investing in something that will last over time, which will resist,” said Luc Lesénécal, CEO of Saint-James.
“We were able to make it evolve but without disguising it”
Established in the English Channel, a few kilometers from Brittany, the brand employs 300 people, including 260 solely on production. Heckled, it was able to hold its own during the bad years and was able to count on exports to save itself. In 2022, 40% of the 60 million euros in turnover (+12%) was generated abroad, in particular to Japan, China and North America. “We were able to make it evolve but without disguising it. We dared to add color to address a younger clientele. Right now, it’s yellow that’s a hit! “, continues the Norman CEO.
Japan also “saved” Le Minor, as its boss likes to remind us. Located in Guidel, in Morbihan, the workshop releases 100,000 marinières each year, the majority of which go abroad. Taken over in 2018 by the founder of the brand of bow ties and hats Le Flageolet, the Breton company is showing a clear resurgence in the French market which had long shunned it. “Apart from jeans, I don’t see any other garment that has stood the test of time so well. The marinière goes with everything but it also has a strong identity. It does not go unnoticed, you are noticed. It’s rock’n’roll clothing steeped in history,” says Sylvain Le Flet. The director of the company hopes to capitalize on the slowdown in mass consumption to attract new followers by attracting customers interested in longevity: “we can no longer afford to buy a T-shirt every week. The garment is not a disposable consumable, it is something that must be treated and maintained well. Capable of withstanding bad weather at sea, the sailor top appears as a robust element, made to last and endure.
There remains a major problem: the price. Sold for 80 euros (and 180 euros for the sweater), the striped sweater made in France will never be able to match the competitors from Taiwan or Bangladesh sold for 20 euros at H & M or Zara. A high price which is explained by the time and the know-how necessary for the design of this product cut to last. To make a Saint-James sweater, “it takes 21 kilometers of knitted yarn and 18 pairs of expert hands,” recalls its CEO. You’ll think about it the next time you put on your stripes. Admit that you already want it.
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