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Chic Nautic
French apparel ships up to Boston
By MELISSA JELTSEN
del.ico.us
reddit!
Nautical themed clothing has been huge in high-end fashion for years, but Chic Nautic, a new online store offering authentic French maritime designs, transcends the mainstream. "It's more about spirit than trendiness," says Vincent Geffray, who launched the site (back in December) with his wife, Elisabeth. "It's a way of life."
The classic sailor stripes that we all know today originated from Geffray's home of Brittany, France. Geffray moved from Brittany to Boston in 2001.
"I wanted to bring this product here to New England," Geffray tells the Dig, explaining that New England reminds him of Brittany. "Same type of landscape, same kind of way of life," he says. "I felt like I had to do something here that reminds me of home."
The site offers striped sweaters, striped T-shirts, striped ... well, pretty much striped everything. One of the more ubiquitous nautical items is the Breton sweater, a woolen sailor sweater that originated in Brittany and was worn by sailor merchants traveling to England in the 18th century. Over time, the easy-to-wear sweater developed into a modern work uniform for seamen.
Though his store is currently only available online, Geffray has not ruled out introducing the product to Boston boutiques. "People need to feel what they wear," he says. "How do you explain how good the quality is just with a picture?"
For now, we'll just have to trust the brand Geffray's site carries. Brittany-based Armor Lux is the 70-year-old French clothing manufacturer that produces all of Chic Nautic's current offerings.
