Saint James

Rising suddenly and high from the sea in northern Bretagne coast, Mont Saint-Michel is like an island from a fairytale. In the bay, William the Conqueror established the village of Saint-James.

The local sheep grazed the surrounding salt marshes, providing the perfect, hard-wearing wool for sweaters to keep sailors and fishermen warm at sea. In the 1700s the sweater got the characteristic stripes and shoulder buttoning we recognize today as the Marinier.

In 1850, the company Saint James was formed to produce dyed and weaved wool. And soon another original was born – the Breton. The design requirements were 21 white and 21 blue stripes on the chest and back and 14 blue stripes on the arms.

Today, the Breton from Saint James is a true, French icon, copied by brands and designers all over the world. But there’s only one original.