French worker jackets have become synonymous with the black and red plaid of the hipsters in Williamsburg, but offer so much more character.

When I first moved to Paris I hadn’t yet come under their spell. It wasn’t something worn - even tongue in cheek at the headquarters of Louis Vuitton.

Then Virgil started. For each show for all the people working on the collection got a staff shirt. In June of 2019 I finagled my way - by working really hard - and pitching a design that made to the backstage collection, not on the runway for Virgil’s show, but I inched it closer. I was so tired, and I was proud. The standard t-shirt that season got an upgrade. We had short sleeved worker jackets in a dark green with a white screen print on them. They are crisp jackets that will last forever. I sadly sold the Jacket to an artist for 500 euros when I needed money after Covid and I’d been laid off.

But I have a photo:

My in 2018 after Virgil’s LV Men’s show in my staff green Jacket. Photo taken my Pierre Hulot.

Over the years in France, I came to look at all the work wear at Marche aux Puces in a different light - in fact I’d purchased overalls there. I’ve often had over-all in my wardrobe but then I didn’t, then I found a pair like I’ve never seen before with a metal zipper in the top bib. I bought a jump suit and send it to a friend back in Brooklyn, she loved it.

When I bought my apartment in France I bought a jumpsuit as my intention was to do some of the work myself, and it was a marked memory of that time, the paint and stains would become part of the apartment story.

Then, I found a jacket - the perfect kind once at a flea market, it was inexpensive 35 euros - vintage 100% cotton and never worn. However it had, only after getting it indoors maybe had soaked in a gallon of oil, hence the price. I washed it, hung it outside in the sun for some days, washed it again, hung it outside. Posted it on Instagram, and sold it. I didn’t even realize how awesome it was. But fair is fair and I shipped it off to its new home. I started to look for another just like it for myself.

As my french practice grew I searched for more jackets like this online, and purchased some. I learned a lot. Looking for 100% cotton, and dead stock, I started to know brands and weights of jackets pretty quickly. Even in France the more beat-up the higher the price. These jackets have history. They have grit. They have been worn, and repaired with love. I have one, which I keep, that was sent with a note of the history of the jacket:

“The work jacket was worn in Berry (center of France) and repaired by my husband's grandmother, done by fairy fingers.”

As I moved back to the US last year I tried to take as many as I could reasonably find. They sold rather quickly at the Brooklyn Pop-ups - one to Spike Lee - yeah -still running high on that one - and the Grand Bazaar.

Not long ago Denis, who renovated a fair share of my home in France messaged me about this father’s jackets - did I want them? Mais OUI! I quickly sent him money, and not long after a box of jackets, a pair of pants, a jump suit and a little cap arrived. They’ve now been a double washed; since his father’s passing the work wear has been hanging out in a damp basement.

“My grandfather worked at EDF (French equilvent of Con Edison), feeding coal into the boilers that generated electricity. It was very hard work and he died young. But because of that, my father was able to attend the EDF school. He learned about electricity. It was the beginning of automation and computerization. He worked on the control circuits for power plants. Then he worked for Framatome in nuclear power plants. He never really talked to me about his work, but he traveled quite a bit as the power plants were being built. We even went to New Caledonia for six months when I was less than a year old...”

"Hello Kathleen, I hope that my old work clothes will be useful to people who can use them." MN

I’m now ironing and repairing them. With each repair I’m amazed at how good the quality of the cloth is. This is THICK cotton twill. Over time naturally brushed, and in many cases already patched, buttons re sewn on. And Even for work wear, no mixture of poly. As I rework then, they will be good for another 100,000 miles.

*I’m debating if I should add in my logo and loop - I’d love your feedback.

These and other vintage French findings will be available for sale on Sunday at Bar Florine from 1-4 pm located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, 163 East 92nd Street.

Follow me on Instagram as I post this week my process and sneak peaks of the work wear.

I’ve also posted this to Substack.

French Worker Jackets

Chez Moi