The marinière is surely part of your wardrobe but where does it come from? A signature of the “terrible child” of fashion Jean Paul Gaultier and an emblem of Coco Chanel, the legendary combination of white and blue striped stripes never ceases to seduce without taking a wrinkle.
Linked to the maritime world since the 18th century, where it appears in English and Dutch paintings, it is only in 1858 that a state order imposes the marinière as an official costume for sailors.
A precise number of stripes and widths is then defined to the nearest millimeter: 21 white stripes 20 mm wide and 21 blue stripes 10 mm wide for the chest and, for the sleeves and always alternating white and blue, 15 stripes maximum.
It is said that the number 21 was chosen as a reminder of Napoleon's victories and that the stripes allowed to spot a sailor at sea. In reality the reasons were much more pragmatic: indigo was very expensive for the time, the use of white allowed to save money.
Originally a body knit, the sailor's jacket went down to the knees and was used as underwear.
Coco Chanel was the first to divert the original function of the garment, which she also feminized in passing, making it silky and very fashionable in 1916. A fashion that has not wavered for over 100 years with numerous and frequent variations.
Even today, haute couture shows often feature this pattern, which over time has become a true marker of France around the world, just like the baguette and the beret.
Valerie from Comme des Français
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