Written by Nick Hendry

There is a special reverence in French culture for luxury, hand-crafted clothes, thanks largely to the excellence of brands such as CHAPAL. Much of France’s population holds a deep appreciation for the skill and creativity involved in the manufacture of such garments, and the world-class standard of French fashion and tailoring brands enjoys global renown. An elite handful of those storied houses enjoy long and illustrious histories in the hands of their founding family – CHAPAL is one of those few.

Jean-François Bardinon Showroom (photographer: Emmanuel Fradin)

My name is Nick Hendry - I’m a writer covering travel and luxury menswear for publications including The Week and Robb Report, and through The Sartorial Club have had the pleasure of meeting and writing about Maison CHAPAL. As our Parisian correspondents, Anne & Gilles, mentioned in Episode 1, the house’s magnificent showroom will be the club’s gracious hosts for a glamorous Parisian evening on the 13th of September.

Nick Hendry by Photogropher Henry Kincaid

From 1832 Origins to Iconic 1914 Vest – A Heritage of Leather Mastery

All great brands begin with mastery. In the case of CHAPAL that mastery is of leather: from the tanning process to the design of exquisite leather jackets and coats, to the manufacture of each garment by hand and in France, every step of the journey is handled in-house. This was the vision of current Creative Director (and eighth generation of the founding family) Jean-François Bardinon: to confirm CHAPAL’s position among the upper echelon of French fashion dynasties by overseeing every aspect of the creation of their garments.

It was in 1832 that Jean-François’ ancestor opened the first CHAPAL tannery. Skills acquired in the dyeing of silks were applied to rabbit fur, to great success. That success led to quick expansion, with a larger tannery being opened on the outskirts of Paris before the fourth generation of CHAPAL ventured to America to establish another property in Brooklyn. The knowledge passed down through the generations ensured that the CHAPAL business continued to flourish until, in 1914, war changed the world.

CHAPAL opened a factory at 401 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn in the 1880s

Today, the 1914 Vest is CHAPAL’s most iconic work. The original was designed by CHAPAL to clothe the French airmen who fought in the First World War; the modern version was created by his descendant Jean-François to pay tribute to the heritage of his family brand. The glossy leather and dramatic sheepskin collar make the 1914 Jacket instantly recognisable as a CHAPAL piece, and the quality of the materials used make it as functional as it is elegant.

1914 Vest in blue, with a matching fur collar (Photographer: Yacine Fourati)

Mountain Sheepskin, Crafted to Perfection in Crocq

Every aspect of each piece is undertaken by CHAPAL themselves, and takes place in France. A total of twelve sheepskins will be used – from sheep raised freely in the mountains of the Massif-Central region, whose hides will develop a natural strength – which are tanned, dyed, and finished by the artisans of the maison at their factories in Crocq. Once these steps are complete, the Master Cutter will sort each hide by size and colour before they are sent to be assembled into the finest leather jacket in the world.

Hides at CHAPAL's Crocq workshop (Photographer: Craft Partners)

Pattern cutting on leather (Photographer: Craft Partner)

The final part of the process sees hides, metalwork, and linings being sorted into individual bundles for each garment and handed to one single craftsperson to be assembled into the spectacular jacket a client will take home. Each piece contains around 30 different shapes of leather, cotton gabardine lining (dyed and cut in-house, in keeping with the Chapal philosophy) and 40 metres of string. Quality is monitored through every step of the manufacture, with further checks carried out when applying finishing touches like the natural horn buttons, before the completed jacket is handed back to the Master Cutter to be given a final patina and polish. Only when he is satisfied is the garment officially ordained as a Chapal Leather Jacket, and with his blessing sent off to its proud new owner.

The making process of USAAF Flight Jacket

Military Roots: CHAPAL’s Legacy in Aviation Gear

The success that original jacket brought to CHAPAL was swiftly built upon in the years following WW1, and two new factories in America expanded the brand’s creations to include felt hats made with rabbit fur. The business continued to grow, developing the patented process used to create nappa shearling still used today to make the B3 Bomber Jacket, until in 1940 war once again forced change. All French factories were compelled to cease activity; those based in America continued the CHAPAL tradition for clothing airmen by providing varnished sheepskins for use by the US Air Force. Those jackets are paid tribute today in the best-selling USAAF Flight Jacket, a modern interpretation of the model first developed more than 80 years ago. When peace returned to Europe, CHAPAL returned to creating luxury clothing, with a range of rabbit fur coats debuting in London.

A well-loved B3 Bomber, photo credit: jamaisvulgaire.com

USAAF Flight Jacket (Photographer: Emmanuel Fradin)

Reviving la Maison’s Legacy in Luxury Fashion and Motorsport

Subsequent decades saw CHAPAL continue to establish a reputation as a world-leading manufacturer, creating the rabbit fur coats for Maison Christian Dior and outfitting French Formula 1 drivers in their signature jackets. Jean-François Bardinon joined his family business in 1982 with the desire to create a true luxury fashion house bearing the CHAPAL name, using the expertise honed by his ancestors and paying tribute to the automotive and aeronautical associations CHAPAL had enjoyed throughout the years. His first collection did just that.

In the years since Jean-François arrived at the helm of the company the CHAPAL name had gone from strength to strength. Collaborations with leading French automotive brands, a signature house perfume, and the establishment of art centres in former factories – after all production was centralised at the spiritual home in Crocq – have all come under his leadership, but arguably his finest achievement as head of the business is the establishment of the extraordinarily beautiful showroom on rue de Rivoli – aptly named the Showroom Jean-François Bardinon – where loyal clients can visit to browse the full CHAPAL collection or to commission a bespoke leather jacket.

Jean-François Bardinon in 1914 Vest, President & Artistic Director of Maison CHAPAL (Photographer: Emmanuel Fradin)

The contemporary CHAPAL collection comprises not only luxury leather jackets, but also jeans, t-shirts, and knitwear, and an extensive range of racing gear. The affinity with speed stretches back more than 100 years to Simone Bardinon and now sees clients from across the world travel to rue de Rivoli to commission and collect their racing suits, gloves, and goggles. Even with all that expertise and choice, it is a bespoke leather jacket which represents the pinnacle of CHAPAL’s powers.

A corner of the beautifully decorated showroom (Photogrpaher: Yacine Fourati)

An Exclusive Parisian Soirée with Maison CHAPAL

On the evening of 13th September, TSC members have an exclusive chance to sample that experience at the Parisian soirée as members join together to celebrate the heritage of the house. It promises to be an evening of friendship and new connections, liberally strewn with Parisian joie de vivre and glamour, as sartorial aficionados from three different continents learn more about this beautiful and unique atelier.

To have a sumptuous and stylish piece of outerwear crafted by hand to your exact specifications is the height of luxury; to be able to design and commission the work in a spectacular apartment on Paris’ most famous street, directly opposite the Louvre and mere steps from the Place Vendôme, is an experience which only one brand can provide. In Maison CHAPAL you have found a true bastion of that legendary French luxury.

In the next episode, I’ll hand things back to Anne & Gilles, who will share a recap of the wonderful evening with our readers.

(2) La Maison CHAPAL - A Legacy of French Luxury