The man and the sea. The marinière was born in 1858, when it was included in the official uniform of the French Navy. It has also another name: “breton”, related to Brittany, where it was worn for the first time by fishermen. And the fishermen of Deauville, Normandy, gave Coco Chanel the idea of her striped sweater with the boat neck: but this is certainly a men’s garment. The marinière refers to a maritime atmosphere and it’s usually reintroduced in s/s collections but, if the knitting is thick, it could also work for the f/w season. From the 50s on, the breton has gone round the world: from Sartre to James Dean, to Cary Grant (in To Catch a Thief), and in the 80s appeared on the catwalk thanks to Jean Paul Gaultier, that Pierre et Gilles portrayed with imaginative irony. Jean Paul Gaultier in a famous picture by Pierre et Giles (1990).

The top of style. Sporty and classy: in the mountains with style. The technological development of the fashion industry has often favoured comfort at the expense of appearance. Bright down jacket with a reflective effect, stuffed trousers, absurd boots, which are waterproof but also horrific. Luckily there’s a U-turn from this season on: waterproof garments and accessories that are also warm, comfortable and windproof, now become more fashionable and, above all, more appealing. Store your synthetic fluo jackets in mothballs and opt for neutral colors and wool fabric. Store your down mittens and buy a pair of gloves made of waterproof leather; wear a turtleneck instead of the sweatshirt and velvet trousers. Finally, free yourself of those old laced boots and try to imagine the coolness of a pair of leather shoes with non-slip sole and snowproof upper.