No, the men's suit has not had its last word.
Blogs, magazines and influencers have been announcing its disappearance for many years; but it seems that many sold the skin of the suit before killing it.
At Hast as elsewhere, This monument of the men's wardrobe is holding out , and we have personally never sold so many of them as in 2023.
Last stand or real comeback? This is the question we ask in this paper.
The suit is dead, long live the suit!
If you have read our article dedicated to the jacket , you know that Modern costume was born in the first half of the 19th century thanks to Beau Brummell , arbiter of elegance during the English Regency.
Over the decades, it replaced ceremonial clothing in bourgeois and aristocratic circles and then gradually became more democratic with the rise of commerce and industry.
Symbol of Western modernity , It conveys an idea of the male body but also a form of connection to the current economic dynamic , which quickly makes it "the uniform of progress" (as it was then perceived).
In the aftermath of the Second World War, industrialized mass production reshuffles the cards and disrupts both the fate of the costume and that of clothing:
- Inspired by the ready-to-wear North American ready-to-wear floods the European market with standardized suits made from pre-selected fabrics. Accessible and available imtely, they quickly replaced the traditional artisanal measurement which was then legion. From the 1950s onwards, fathers and sons no longer went to the tailor when they needed a suit, but went straight to the nearest store.
- At the same time as ready-to-wear, it was the whole of American culture that was spreading across the Old Continent in the aftermath of the War. While James Dean, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and Cary Grant were stealing the show on the other side of the Atlantic, a new aesthetic is emerging where blue jeans and the white t-shirt are gradually dethroning the suit.
If you add to this the philosophical Moment of the 60s and 70s (libertarianism, pacifism, emancipation, anti-authoritarianism, anti-materialism) and the repeated assaults of decolonized countries against this symbol of the imperialist West, you will easily perceive the context of the end of his reign.
Since that time, it must be recognized that the costume for men is failing. Hegemonic between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries, these last decades seem like a long agony for him.
Haunted by an imaginary world that sticks to his chest, mistreated by fashion designers, mocked by the self-proclaimed advocates of the new world, ridiculed by the leaders of Silicon Valley, destroyed by the Covid crisis and the advent of the era of comfort: The anachronistic male costume seems more than ever to be on the verge of extinction. Unless?
The costume's burst of pride
It is in this rather moribund context that we at Hast achieved the best year in our history in terms of costume sales.
Whether it's summer linen pieces or more wintery wool models , we have noticed - not without surprise and pleasure - an unprecedented craze for our two-piece suits. How can this be explained?
Hypothesis #1: The eternal return
Open secret: Fashion is a cycle in which outdated pieces never stay outdated for long. After having deserted the streets and then businesses, keeping a private preserve only for ceremonies and big occasions, perhaps it was time for the suit to make a strong comeback?
Hypothesis #2: The fight for elegance
In response to the explosion of the streetwear , It does not seem absurd to imagine the assertion of a counter-current advocating a return to the sure values of classical elegance. The underlying movement, the renewed interest in sartorial matters observed in France in recent months, seems to confirm this.
Hypothesis #3: a backlash from the Covid crisis?
The various episodes of confinement and the widespread use of teleworking initially benefited sweatshirts and jogging pants. After the wave of relaxation, could it be that men once again want to dress up for the sake of it? Possible.
Hypothesis #4: Social networks and the reinvention of the costume
Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok are inexhaustible sources of inspiration. If the traditional costume seems to have lost its splendor, it is becoming clear that a contemporary vision of it is gradually taking over thanks to the new standards conveyed on these platforms. : mismatched, casual, modernized, combined with sneakers or even worked with innovative volumes.
Hypothesis No. 5: the development of second-hand goods
Driven by ecological awareness, a decrease in purchasing power and/or an adaptation of consumption patterns, Second-hand has unearthed many nuggets straight from the past. Along with its lines, its materials and its aesthetics, it is a whole style that the Man of the 21st century has (re)discovered by coming across these relics; a style from which he seems to draw inspiration crescendo.
The costume according to Hast
At the crossroads of all these conjectures, The revival of the suit is great news for lovers of elegance like us. The embodiment of timeless refinement, this iconic ensemble is - along with the shirt - the beating heart of any wardrobe worthy of the name. Ours included.
At Hast, we approach this sacred monster of the locker room with passion, humility and high standards. ; firmly convinced that excellent ready-to-wear is better than poor custom-made clothing.
.jpg)
While working balanced cuts and selecting noble and labeled natural materials , we offer today's men elegant and coherent suits with clean and harmonious lines.
Respectful of tradition, although with both legs in their time, our creations claim a balance between the immortal lines of yesterday and the realities of the world of tomorrow, to become the allies of your daily life.
From the most classic to the most original, you will find on our racks these legends so often condemned and so often returned: these invincible heirs of a certain idea of Beauty.
