Dating to the early 2000s, this is the ARNYS PARIS 'Forestière Jacket'.
A genuinely exceptional piece has arrived.
ARNYS PARIS was founded in 1933 when Yanckel Grainberg, a Ukrainian-Jewish merchant, established his maison at 14 Rue de Sèvres on the Left Bank of Paris.
Once known as 'Arnys on the Left Bank, Hermès on the Right Bank', it stood as the preeminent house of the Seine's left shore.
Whilst the Right Bank carried aristocratic and conservative sensibilities, the Left Bank embodied something more populist, progressive and artistic in character.
Arnys established its own vocabulary within French tailoring tradition and classical menswear, creating a distinctive aesthetic entirely its own.
The house employed refined design and materials of considerable quality, expressing a particular French elegance that was unmistakably theirs.
Whilst respecting the fundamental structure of classical business wear, subtle modifications to pocket placement and jacket silhouette produced pieces of remarkable visual presence and slim proportion.
Standing alongside Hermès in reputation, every piece represented first-rate craftsmanship.
The house was known to employ different factories according to each garment type, demonstrating an obsessive dedication to manufacturing excellence. Every piece carries this quality palpably.
In 2012, ARNYS was acquired by the LVMH group and effectively ceased to exist.
Several years later, the trademark itself was sold to Berluti, leaving no institutional reality to the name.
Arnys occupied a critical position in French menswear, renowned for distinctive design and exceptional tailoring.
Its closure marks one of the notable endings in the Paris fashion narrative.
From Arnys, we present what is perhaps most sought by collectors—the enduring masterwork: the Forestière Jacket.
The 'Forestière' ('Keeper of the Forest'), serving as the house's casual standard, originated in 1947 as a special commission for Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret), the towering figure of modern architectural theory.
Le Corbusier required a jacket both elegant and practical—one that would not impede the gestures of his raised arm whilst sketching on blackboards or drafting surfaces.
His inspiration came from the hunting jacket worn by gamekeeper Gaston Modot in the 1939 French film 'La Règle du Jeu'. He commissioned Léon Grainberg, Arnys's second generation proprietor, to realise this vision.
The Forestière thus prioritises freedom of movement—sleeves maintain consistent width in the manner of traditional robes, whilst shoulders are constructed without lining or internal structure.
Le Corbusier's own commission featured black corduroy exterior and black silk lining, a palette reflecting the architect's personal preference for black—a choice Grainberg honoured in the commission.
Le Corbusier actively managed his archive with considerable intention. The scarcity of photographs showing him wearing the Forestière was deliberate—a means of preserving his idealised intellectual image.
By the 1950s, Arnys introduced the Forestière into its prêt-à-porter line, where it immediately became synonymous with the house itself.
This particular piece is constructed entirely of cotton—a jacket suited to year-round wear.
The cotton employed in the Forestière is distinctive: a lightly napped fabric of the peach-skin or moleskin character, possessing a smooth, tactile comfort that defines the piece.
The interior carries the Forestière's characteristic label.
Front buttons bear the simple inscription 'ARNYS PARIS'.
Colour: dark navy—a shade rarely sought that approaches near-black.
Those drawn to darker tonalities will find particular merit here.
Arnys, naturally, was celebrated for distinctive and unconventional colouration, yet for one's first Forestière, this foundational palette proves serviceable.
Refined in design, tailoring, cloth and colour.
The convergence of these elements produces something that merits the designation of a lifetime piece. For those seeking apparel beyond the reach of fashion's cycles, this warrants serious consideration.
No size marking remains legible, though it appears to correspond to modern Japanese size M, or European size 50—the most coveted proportion.
Measurements suggest this represents the golden standard for Japanese proportions, suiting a broad range of builds.
Period catalogues show the Forestière worn with dropped shoulders and generous ease, proving equally accomplished on smaller frames.
This piece exhibits the expected patina of age, yet presents no conspicuous soiling or damage. The condition is sound.
No structural compromise affects wearability.
ARNYS PARIS—a house now extinct—surfaces in the secondary market with remarkable scarcity, regardless of era or model.
We urge you to consider wearing this exceptional piece born from the legendary maison that once stood beside Hermès.
The Forestière in particular—now recognised as a masterwork—remains profoundly difficult to locate. Its status as a true lifetime piece is without question.
This is not a commodity. Future availability cannot be assured.
As wardrobe staple, collection piece or design reference, this jacket yields to no criticism.
The Forestière has experienced renewed attention in recent editorial coverage. Given that Arnys no longer exists as an entity, appreciation is certain to intensify considerably. Should you find yourself drawn to this piece, we suggest prompt consideration.
