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Le Mont St MichelMirlett

Le Mont St Michel, clothing artisans

Le Mont St Michel is a brand specialized in workwear since 1913 and was absorbed in 1998 by Alexandre Milan, who turned it into a modern urban fashion brand, but in line with the functional soul that comes from its legacy of workwear. Alexandre Milan added to this legacy his own family craftsmanship, the legacy of Les Tricotages de L’Aa (“Aa Knitting Factory”), a factory founded by his great-grandmother in 1919. The brand’s design studio is still located in the same location. in French Brittany, where we meticulously store decades of textile archives – a true treasure trove of inspiration and which we review for every collection.

Le Mont St Michel in the 20th century

The Mont St Michel brand was founded in 1913 in Pontorson, near the famous landmark. It was first a family workshop before growing in the 1920s and 1930s and becoming the famous brand used by artisans and farmers in Brittany and Normandy throughout the 20th century. The collections are simple and functional above all. The brand used to offer at the time a wide range of products that became legends such as the Genuine Work Jacket made from heavy moleskin fabric, shirts for schoolboys, corduroy pants from Amiens or even hunting clothes made from timeless cotton coutil. Often copied, never combined, Mont St Michel garments set a new standard of quality that made them famous and sought after by numerous collectors of vintage and workwear around the world. Le Mont St Michel embodies the allure of the French paradox. A unique and effortless style that never compromises on quality. Reconnects with the pleasure created by a perfect and rare product, reinventing ancestral techniques. The spirit of Le Mont St Michel claims its independence from the unbridled race of fashion «to wear and throw away.

Alexandre Milan

Alexandre Milan has been a weaver from the moment he was born. It has been one of the last witnesses and stakeholders of the French knitwear industry, which has now almost completely disappeared. He learned about knitwear from his parents, at Les Tricotages de l’Aa, and developed a passion for rare yarns and complex fabrics. Attentive witness and tireless fabric developer for the biggest French brands during the 90s – he chose in the early 2000s to make a personal commitment by taking over Le Mont St Michel with his wife. Alexandre also appreciates French traditions and crafts, as well as more contemporary creations or pop-rock music and design. His work has to do with transmission: transmitting a craft that comes from his family, how to share what he likes and what he is. From an early age, he felt the desire of consumers to return to their roots and rediscover things from the past to better deal with the contemporary lifestyle. Alexandre offers tangible elements in a world that is too virtual.

Discover Le Mont St Michel women’s clothing in our online store and in our physical boutique located in the El Born district very close to Vila Viniteca.

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