An ARNYS PARIS ‘Lambskin Leather Gilet’, estimated to date from around the 2000s.
A truly special piece has arrived.
ARNYS PARIS is a maison that began in 1933, when the brothers Léon and Albert, sons of the Ukrainian-Jewish tailor "Jankel Grimbert", opened a shop at 14 rue de Sèvres on the Left Bank of Paris.
Once spoken of as ‘Hermès on the Right Bank, ARNYS on the Left’, it was one of the great names of the Left Bank of the Seine.
Where the Right Bank leaned towards the aristocratic and the conservative, the Left Bank, so it is said, had a more popular, innovative and artistic character.
ARNYS brought its own interpretation to traditional French tailoring and classic menswear, and established a style of its own.
With refined design and high-quality materials, it expressed a distinctive French elegance.
While respecting the basic structure of classic business wear, it made subtle changes to elements such as pocket placement and the shape of the jacket, achieving a striking look and a slim silhouette.
It was mentioned in the same breath as Hermès, and its tailoring is first-rate in every piece.
The house even used different workshops depending on the item, such was its devotion to making things well, and you can feel that quality in every piece.
In 2012 it was acquired by the LVMH group, and ARNYS disappeared.
LVMH bought all of its shares and folded it into Berluti, so ARNYS no longer exists as a brand in its own right...
ARNYS held an important place in French menswear, known for its distinctive designs and fine tailoring.
Its closing is regarded as the end of a chapter in Parisian fashion.
From that house comes the "Bordé", made in rare leather, a lesser-known model within the house.
The "Bordé", a model seen now and then among ARNYS gilets.
Its detailed history and background are unknown, but the buttoned martingale at the back is a defining detail.
Five buttons at the front, flap pockets at the hem, a curved cut to the hem: a simple yet refined presence that seems calculated down to the last detail.
The greatest feature of this piece is, without doubt, that it is made in "leather".
Among the many ARNYS items, those made in leather are especially rare and almost never circulate on the market.
I have been looking for them myself, and I rarely see any, whatever the condition or price.
The front buttons are stamped "ARNYS-PARIS" and edged in the marbled finish particular to ARNYS.
A design so accomplished that you find yourself admiring a single button is probably something only ARNYS achieves.
The details are ARNYS through and through, but what must not be forgotten is the "singular sense of colour" that this piece also displays.
The shell is in "camel brown", a refined and sophisticated colour.
The lining, by contrast, is in a "yellow gold" that pairs perfectly with browns.
They could hardly fail to work together, yet the way this combination is shown with such perfect nonchalance is simply masterful, and it is a singular "experience" that ARNYS can truly claim as its own.
ARNYS's singular sense of colour is sometimes said to have been inspired by the kimono, since the wife of Jean Grimbert, the third head of the house, was Japanese.
Beautiful. There is nothing more to say.
The fabric is a generous use of "Lambskin".
Lambskin is the leather of lambs less than a year old.
It is less durable than cowhide, but it has a distinctive hand that seems to cling to the skin, with a fine grain and a supple, soft texture.
It is so light and soft you might doubt it is real leather, making it remarkably light and effortless to wear.
Many people avoid leather because it can be stiff, but with this piece there is no need to worry.
The leather ARNYS used, in particular, is in a class of its own.
The fineness of the grain is second to none, and the leather is neither too thin nor too thick but just right; words cannot express it all, but in a word, it is "superb".
Refined design, tailoring, fabric and colour.
A piece born of this golden combination deserves to be called a garment for life, and we warmly recommend it to anyone looking for something they can keep wearing for years, regardless of trends.
It lends dignity to the wearer and blends into any combination, while keeping a presence all its own.
A piece we recommend with confidence to anyone seeking a classic style that is loved across time.
Marked size "54"
This corresponds roughly to a Japanese "XL".
The actual measurements also show a generous size, so it should suit a larger frame without difficulty.
It can be enjoyed either true to size or oversized.
There are signs of use such as abrasion, but no significant damage that would affect wear, so it has plenty of life left in it.
Whatever the era or model, it almost never appears on the market: "ARNYS PARIS", a brand that no longer exists.
We would love for you to wear this superb piece, made in its day by a legendary maison once named alongside Hermès.
This is not something money alone can buy, and we cannot promise that another will come our way.
A piece that is as at home in the wardrobe as it is in a collection or as a source of design reference.
The brand has recently been receiving renewed attention, with features in magazines and elsewhere, and given that it no longer exists, prices are certain to keep climbing; if you have been looking, we suggest considering it soon.
