An ARNYS PARIS ‘Forestière’ jacket, 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 enduring classic that is probably the most sought-after of all: the "Forestière Jacket".
The "Forestière (keeper of the woods)", the house's casual standard, is said to have begun in 1947 as a special custom order for "Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret)", the master of modern architectural theory.
Le Corbusier, the story goes, was looking for a comfortable, stylish jacket that would not get in the way as he raised and lowered his arms while writing or sketching on a blackboard or drawing board.
He is said to have found his inspiration in the 1939 French film ‘La Règle du Jeu (The Rules of the Game)’, in the hunting jacket worn by the gamekeeper played by the actor Gaston Modot, and to have commissioned one from "Léon Grimbert", the second head of ARNYS.
For ease of movement, the Forestière therefore has sleeves of a constant width, like those of a kimono, and shoulders with no lining or structure.
The Forestière Le Corbusier himself commissioned is said to have had a black corduroy shell and a black silk lining, a colour scheme chosen in keeping with the architect's preference for black clothing.
Le Corbusier managed his own archive carefully, and the scarcity of photographs of him wearing the Forestière is thought to have been deliberate, to protect his idealised intellectual image.
In the 1950s the Forestière was introduced into the house's own prêt-à-porter (luxury ready-to-wear) line, and it quickly became synonymous with the brand.
This piece is tailored in 100% cotton and can be worn all year round.
The cotton used for the Forestière is a little unusual: slightly brushed, with a smooth, pleasant hand like peach skin or moleskin.
Inside, it carries the label particular to the Forestière.
The front buttons are simple ones stamped "ARNYS PARIS".
The colour is a solid dark navy, one many people are looking for.
The colour is very close to black, which will please anyone looking for a dark tone.
The distinctive ARNYS colourways are of course very appealing, but personally I think a basic colour is a fine choice for a first piece.
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.
The marked size cannot be read, but it corresponds roughly to a Japanese "M".
It feels like a marked "50", the size most in demand.
Judging by the actual measurements, it is an ideal size for Japanese builds and should suit a wide range of frames.
Period catalogues also show it worn large, with dropped shoulders, so it will look good on a smaller frame too.
There are some signs of use with age, but no noticeable marks or damage. Good condition.
Naturally, there is 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.
The "Forestière Jacket" in particular, regarded as a classic, is hard to find even on the vintage market, and this piece truly deserves to be called a garment for life.
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.
