investigation
4
HowWell
Why TheySellStripes
Appeal
DanaGoodin,
aPh.D.candidatein
fashion,explainsthe
enduringobsession.1
The New Ones in Town
StrategistwriterHilaryReidtestedfourtopsfromnewstripe-specificstart-ups.2.MonBreton
Thebrand:“Authentic”
Frenchstripesmade
byFrenchartisans
inafactoryinFrance.
Thestripes:(^5) / 16 -inch
Thefit:Thefabriconthis
shirt($73)isthestiffestof
theonesItried,which
givesitaverysecure
(albeitalmostitchy)
feeling.
Theverdict:Thoughit
mighttakeawhileto
breakin,itlookssturdy
anddignifiedon.
3.Entireworld
Thebrand:Startedby
ScottSternberg—formerly
ofBandofOutsiders—
Entireworldhasavibethat
feelslikeacrossbetween
MujiandSesameStreet.
Thestripes:
(^5) / 16 -inch
Thefit:These($45)fitlike
shrunkenbabyteesbutin
anI-left-it-in-the-dryer-
too-longway,notina
flatteringway.They’realso
extremelyclingyinthehips.
Theverdict:Thefitjust
wasn’tright.
4.Kule
Thebrand:Initially
aluxurychildren’sbrand,
Kulehassincecometo
focusonstripesforwomen.
Thestripes:From
(^3) / 16 -inchto (^5) / 16 -inch
Thefit:Veryflattering.
Theshirts($88)are
boxyandoversizewithout
beingshapeless.
Theverdict:
Thebestofthebatch.
Apleasuretowear—
softandacooleralternative
totheslightlystale
“Frenchgirl”aesthetic.
2
IntheWild
Overthecourseof
threehoursatthe
cornerofPrinceand
Elizabeth Streets
on a recent Tuesday
afternoon, writer
Kayla Levy spotted
94 striped shirts.
3
- La Ligne
The brand:Founded
by former Vogue editors.
The stripes:(^3) / 8 -inch
The fit: The short-
sleeved Seberg ($95) is
boxy but not too large,
and the crewneck gives it
a camp-counselor vibe.
The verdict:It has a
nice cut and is high-
quality, but the price is
also high. The kind of
shirt you might pack for
vacation when you want
your nicest basics.
DAVID BERNIER,
Studio Assistant,
Stuyvesant Heights
“Stripes, in my mind
at least, are casual,
classic, and striking.”
“the simple explanation is that it’s a visually arresting
pattern. But I think it’s more complex. On the surface,
stripes represent a kind of casual luxury, an idea of a
moneyed summer, which, for a century, people have loved
to subvert. They were popular in New Wave films, which we
might think of as chic but was actually a time of social
upheaval: All the old fashion houses were losing money
because the new generation didn’t have the money for them;
the striped shirt, its uniform, was a rebellion against the Old
Guard of dress. Then there’s punk—Johnny Rotten of the
Sex Pistols loved a striped top. And now, when we’re experiencing economic
pressure and there’s a heightened focus on gaudy wealth, the popularity could
be explained as a different rebellion, the freedom to be relaxed in dress.”
J.Crew has been selling
stripes—a lot of stripes—
since the brand launched
in 1983. “They tend to
rank in the top three of
our T-shirt sales,” says
Lisa Greenwald, J.Crew’s
CMO. But sometimes,
she says, a surprise trend
will emerge: like rainbow
stripes, which recently
began selling like crazy.
Jen Mankins, the owner
of the Brooklyn-based
boutique Bird, has
noticed something
similar. “We’ve been
seeing lots more colorful
stripes, reminiscent of
the ’70s and the ’90s.
But no matter the style
of the stripe, it’ll sell.”
That stripes-centric
businesses are doing
so well right now makes
sense too, according
to retail strategist
Georganne Bender.
“In 2019, consumers like
companies that have a
niche, offer clothing with
gender-neutral wares,
and emphasize quality,”
she says. “Stripes check
all those boxes.
Plus, Americans are just
perennially obsessed
with the French.”
PAULINE BETHEL,Volunteer, Soho
“I’mwearing this today because I’m going
totheBowery Mission, and the people there
likeit when I look spiffy, like in stripes,
instead of not so spiffy in my grubbies.”
AMEEN KAMLANA,Doctor, London
“I got this shirt in San Francisco
on my last visit to the U.S. I like stripes
because my wife wears them a lot.”
PREVIOUS SPREAD: ENTIREWORLD (NAVY AND GREEN, LEFT); LA LINGE (WHITE AND BLUE, CENTER; BLACK AND RED, RIGHT); KULE (WHITE AND BLACK, CENTER)
By
Katy Schneider
50 new york