The origins of the fisherman’s sweater are to be found in Brittany. It is from there that merchants left during the 18th century to travel to England for the sale of their onions. These merchants wore an item of clothing that made them recognizable from a distance. The French expression "marchand d’ail" (garlic merchant) which is what these people were called, became in everyday speech "chandail" referring to this item of clothing. Highly practical, very easy to put on as a result of buttons on the side, and in unwashed sheep wool. Several variants appeared : colors like red, white, striped, but it should be remembered that, in the Navy, the single colored sweater was reserved for officers, and the striped variety for sailors. In the French Navy, young recruits wear a striped tee-shirt during their three month onboard training period. Originally reserved for professional purposes, the Fisherman’s sweater has now become, like jeans, a 20th century fashionable clothing item. These original Fisherman's sweaters are from a French brand called Saint James.
