After the T-shirt and the sweatshirt , we continued our summer saga with a new story… That of the chino. Also called “khaki”, it was first worn by soldiers looking for a light pair of pants and above all one that could blend in more easily with the landscape.
Nowadays, an iconic piece of workwear style, chinos are one of the essentials to have in your wardrobe, just like your favorite denim. Perfectly paired with casual or more chic pieces, they ensure an easy everyday style and come in an infinite variety.
A military uniform that became a symbol of the preppy movement before rising to the rank of an icon of the male wardrobe: what is the history of chinos? This is the success story that we invite you to retrace today. Not without emotion, because Hast and chinos, it's a great love story. A look back at the history of an essential pair of pants that has not finished renewing itself.
The origins of chino
Let's get back to basics. First of all: why were chinos invented? To begin with, chinos were born in two different places. First, in the middle of the 19th century, when the British armies occupied part of India. Officer Sir Harry Lumsden found the red and white military uniforms a little too flashy and above all very hot. He then had the good idea of creating cotton trousers in natural shades, between khaki and beige. This is where the name "khaki" also given to chinos comes from, which means "soil color" in Hindi.
At the same time, during the Spanish-American War, soldiers were found wearing these famous pants. The American troops stationed in the Philippines decided to abandon their woolen stockings for a less warm material, cotton. The fabric was then imported from China, which explains why the soldiers called this garment "chino", meaning "Chinese" in Spanish.
A star is born: the chino
Like other clothing items, such as the T-shirt, chinos were designed to meet a practical need before becoming the casual piece we know today. Thus, when the Second World War ended, American soldiers continued to wear chinos in their civilian lives, particularly at university. This greatly contributed to their democratization and chinos even became the centerpiece of the preppy style, a fashion movement launched by students from the wealthy American classes.
Then, as is often the case in fashion, the worlds of music, cinema and literature took hold of the trend to the point of creating a real myth. We find chinos on screen, worn by stars like Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando. Representatives of a new, assertive look, the icons of the time associated chinos with a liberated silhouette. Other personalities, like Jack Kerouac, leader of the b eat generation movement, wore chinos as the uniform of the new elegant rebel.
A little slump
Chinos have also had their bit of a downturn. After a dazzling success, they were less popular with later generations, who relegated them to the rank of dad's piece, a bit old-fashioned. But as in fashion, everything is a story of cycles and eternal restarts, chinos have fortunately since regained all their panache and their status as an essential. Playing endlessly, they come in timeless shades or brighter colors and are adorned with original details.
The chino by Hast
A true essential, chinos naturally joined the Hast collections in 2019. Very easy to wear with a shirt , a t-shirt or even a sports jacket, chinos by Hast are both simple, with discreet and elegant finishes, but also timeless and durable, thanks to their manufacture in quality fabrics, in Italian cotton canvas. For the season, we have chosen sunny colors, such as plum or ochre brown, which join the ranks of the faithful navy and khaki. A word of advice: slip them into your summer suitcase between your passport and a pair of sunglasses.
