From the beautiful, rugged coast of northern France, where the Brittany and Normandy regions meet, and the beautiful Mont Ste. Michelle stands proudly, lies a town called Saint-James. There has been a mill in this town for over a hundred years, creating warm sweaters for local fishermen and sailors.
In 1889, the mill was commissioned by the French navy to create a new uniform for it's sailors and the Breton Stripe was born! The mill officially took the name of its town that same year.
While on holiday from Paris in the early 1900's, Coco Chanel saw the locals in this region wearing striped sweaters and tops. She incorporated the look into her Paris show in 1917 and "voila!" the Breton Stripe that we all now associate with nautical, coastal style, was brought to the fashion world! It is referred to as the Breton Stripe because "Breton" means "of Brittany."
This look has become synonymous with the nautical look and we're still wearing it today! In 2019, Saint-James celebrated its 130th anniversary. Their quality is unparalleled and their attention to detail is second to none. When you buy Saint-James, you're not just buying a brand, you're buying a rich nautical history. You're buying from the creators of the original Breton Stripe.
