Wear In
Among iconic garments, few balance function and style quite like the French bleu de travail. Originally designed in the late 19th century for craftsmen and laborers, this moleskin or cotton drill coat was built for durability with plenty of pockets for tools, hard-wearing fabric, and a cut that allowed freedom of movement.
Today, the jacket lives far beyond the workshop. Its boxy fit and distinctive shade of blue have made it a quiet icon of everyday wear. Bill Cunningham famously wore his daily, the very one he discovered in the basement of the BHV in Paris, transforming it into his personal uniform as he chronicled the style of New Yorkers on his bicycle. What was once a garment of the working class can be found in vintage markets, boutiques, and curated closets around the world.
Bill Cunningham at work by Scott Schuman.
What makes the French worker’s jacket truly special is its ability to wear in with daily wear. Much like a pair of raw selvedge jeans, the jacket begins stiff and uniform in appearance, but with time and movement it softens and molds to the wearer. The indigo-dyed cotton fades slowly, developing unique patterns of creasing and wear. The elbows lighten, the collar frays just so, and the fabric relaxes to your shape. Each day you wear it, you imprint your own story into the cloth. Two identical jackets, after a year of use, will look nothing alike and each becomes a record of its owner’s habits, travels, and work.
I bought my first jacket near Les Halles in Paris in the early 2000s, and since 2017 we’ve been selling Le Laboureur jackets to others who appreciate this timeless piece. My own rotation includes a hydrone blue jacket, now 15+ years old, and a black one worn for the past eight. Both carry their own patina, softened by years of wear, proof of how beautifully these garments age.
In a world of disposable fashion, the bleu de travail stands apart. It’s built to last, to be lived in, and to become more beautiful over time. It pairs easily with any style, thrown over denim, matched with chinos, or even dressed up with sharper tailoring. Wearing one every day is less about fashion and more about ritual. Each crease, fade, and threadbare edge is a reminder that clothes aren’t just objects we own, but companions we carry through life.