THE HISTORY OF LE MINOR

The company manufactures marine sweaters for fishermen.
The sailor sweater, well before becoming a fashion garment, has always been an armor against bad weather for the workers of the sea. The ancestor of Le Minor hosiery, MBL, for Manufacture Bonneterie Lorientaise, founded by Mrs. Berthe Etui, set itself the goal of protecting these sailors with the best possible sweaters, by creating a first manufacturing workshop in 1922, on the street of the 62nd Infantry Regiment in Lorient.

Breton sailors have a rough life, in contact with the elements, like the Terre-Neuvas. These sailors, from all Breton families, left at the age of 14 for 9-month cod fishing campaigns across the Atlantic, off Saint John and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. At the time, the sailors took with them the MBL knitwear made of local wool, which they sometimes wore next to their skin, and which had to be warm and resistant.

This emblematic garment quickly became part of the sailors' gear before becoming a must-have in men's and women's wardrobes, as a symbol of French elegance.

In parallel, in 1936, another Breton symbol was born in Pont L'Abbé. Le Minor is first the name of its founder Marie-Anne, who created the company in the 30s.

She gathered around her the embroiderers of the Bigouden country, who perpetuated a traditional Breton decorative art, by making first traditional folk clothes, doll clothes, then table and household linen, and very quickly ready-to-wear.

The Kabig, emblematic piece of the Le Minor range, has been dressing Breton children and adults since the 1950s. A woolen coat, a sort of hooded coat, this garment is said to be inspired by that of the "goémoniers" (seaweed gatherers), these people who live at the time of the collection of seaweed at low tide, to make fertilizer or medicine. This garment must be warm, covering and weatherproof. To make it a trendy garment, Marie-Anne Le Minor had it redesigned by René-Yves Creston.

Through new collections and new products inspired by the marine world, the brand continues its development.

During the 1930s, MBL continued to grow, but was forced to move to Quimperlé and Pluméliau during the Second World War, before returning to Lorient at the end of it. Under the direction of Juliette Corlay, the company moved to the current factory in Guidel in 1963 and began to dress the general public by making sailor sweaters and sailor shirts in cotton.

Although the French Navy market truly took shape in the 1980s, MBL had been supplying French sailors since the end of World War II. This period marked a turning point: through contact with British officers, French officers adopted a sweater style inspired by the English “woolly-pully,” recognizable by its reinforced panels.

MBL would go on to produce between 5,000 and 15,000 officers’ sweaters per year until 2010. Even today, the workshop in Guidel carries on this tradition by crafting a sweater designed to last a lifetime.

At the same time, Le Minor established itself as a major player in the Breton textile industry, employing up to 500 people in Pont-l’Abbé and becoming a true regional icon.

To better represent the excellence of Breton manufacturing, Le Minor and MBL merged in 1982 and moved together to Guidel.

The company is taken over by the Grammatico family in 1987. Under her management, MBL labels gradually gave way to Le Minor. Passionate about design, Marie-Christine Grammatico remained at the head of the factory for 31 years, designing colorful sailors' shirts with ever-changing stripes.

The Minor is going through the crisis of the French textile industry (1990-2010) by successfully carving out a nice place for itself in the export market, especially in Japan, where coquettish women swear by this traditional sailor made in Brittany.

In 2010, following the loss of the French Navy contract—which had decided to have its sweaters manufactured abroad—Le Minor reoriented its business. The company then developed its expertise as a manufacturer in France, producing for high-end and luxury brands.

This strategic shift marked an important turning point, allowing the company to capitalize on its long-standing expertise and ensure the long-term viability of its workshop.

In 2018, Le Minor was taken over by two friends who intend to perpetuate a quality know-how that has become very rare in France.

For the first “Made in France” exhibition, Le Minor was selected by the Morbihan Prefecture to represent the Élysée. The brand showcased one of its iconic sweaters there, the 92012 in ecru and navy—a symbol of its Breton craftsmanship for nearly 100 years—alongside brands such as Guy Cotten, with whom the company would later produce nearly 100,000 masks during the COVID-19 crisis.

That same year, Le Minor strengthened its commitment to sustainable fashion by launching the development of its secondhand collection. True to its belief that sustainability depends above all on the longevity of garments, the brand initiated a program to revitalize its vintage pieces, drawn from its archives or brought in by customers. Each garment is carefully sorted, cleaned, and repaired if necessary, thereby extending its history and useful life over time.

This year marks the redeployment of the brand on French territory, after a long period in the desert, during which it had developed mainly in export markets. The brand is distributed at Merci and Centre Commercial in Paris, a sign of a successful premium repositioning.

The centennial year is packed with events, starting with the relaunch of the Kabig, the brand’s iconic coat. As this centennial marks a step toward modernity, Le Minor is investing 2 million euros in renovations to build a new production workshop, a new factory outlet, and to open a museum in Guidel. 

This 100th-anniversary year also marks the launch of unprecedented collaborations with Monoprix, L’Étiquette, and Norse Projet.

After a lengthy application process, Le Minor has been awarded the “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” designation. This mark of excellence recognizes the craftsmanship at work in its workshops, as well as the special attention paid to passing it on to future generations. To highlight these, Le Minor has emphasized three key pillars: the full integration of the skills involved in knitwear production, the knitting of an iconic thick jersey—nearly 400 g/m²—used for its historic sailor-striped sweaters, and the revival of traditional techniques to breathe new life into the Kabig, a Breton hooded coat deeply rooted in the company’s history.

Beyond these initiatives, this distinction celebrates more than 100 years of craftsmanship and the passing down of traditional skills, and recognizes a committed business model, driven every day by the women and men at Le Minor.

As part of this effort to celebrate its textile heritage, Le Minor is also relaunching the Altimer collection, which originated in the 1970s in its factories in Morbihan. Originally designed for sailors, outdoor enthusiasts, and skiers alike, Altimer embodies a sturdy and functional knit, crafted to withstand everything from sea spray to winter conditions in the mountains. Through this relaunch, the brand reaffirms its commitment to bringing its archives to life by integrating them into the present.

In 2024, Le Minor joined the Bretagne brand as a partner, thereby reaffirming its regional roots and deep commitment to Breton identity. This recognition honors a company that, for over 100 years, has actively contributed to showcasing the region’s textile expertise through production carried out entirely in its workshops in Morbihan.

By joining this network of committed stakeholders, Le Minor stands alongside companies and institutions that share common values: authenticity, high standards, creativity, and openness. This partnership reflects the company’s commitment to flying the flag for Brittany, both in France and internationally, while helping to preserve a unique cultural and industrial heritage.

In 2025, Le Minor was honored at the Trophées de la Bretagne, receiving the title of “Ambassador”—a strong recognition of its commitment to promoting the region and its textile expertise. Seven years after its acquisition by Sylvain Flet and Jérôme Permingeat, the company has established itself as a key player in the “Made in France” movement, with production still entirely carried out in Brittany.

This year also marks the opening of the Musée de la Marinière, a unique space dedicated to this iconic garment that Le Minor has been manufacturing for over 60 years. Through this tribute, the brand celebrates the history of a classic intimately linked to Brittany, while highlighting the enduring legacy of a living artisanal craft, kept alive in its workshops. The museum is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with free admission.

In the same spirit, Le Minor has been invited by the Parisian concept store Merci to participate in its exhibition “Trugarez la Bretagne.” There, the brand showcases its world and its century-old history, and collaborates on the creation of an exclusive piece: a reversible, unisex Breton jacquard vest, designed as a fusion of heritage and contemporary design. This collaboration illustrates Le Minor’s ability to bring tradition and modernity into dialogue, far beyond its region of origin.

In 2026, Le Minor will celebrate 90 years of history and craftsmanship. To mark the occasion, the company is presenting an exhibition titled “90 Years of Craftsmanship,” tracing its history since 1936. From its beginnings in Pont-l’Abbé as an embroidery workshop and “designer of traditional dolls” to its evolution into a ready-to-wear fashion house and then a knitwear specialist in Guidel, the exhibition highlights a rich history of tradition and evolution. Vintage dolls, archival pieces, embroidery, and scarves illustrate this journey through nine decades of creativity. This celebration will continue with several highlights: an exhibition at the Guidel factory outlet this spring, the launch of anniversary products, and the production of a film tracing the brand’s history.

In this symbolic year, Le Minor is also launching a collaboration with Fragonard. The meeting of Breton stripes and floral patterns inspired by Grasse gives rise to a collection that celebrates a century of craftsmanship and passion. This collaboration between two century-old houses illustrates a shared commitment to French craftsmanship and to creations designed to last.

Finally, 2026 marks the first Gwidel Fashion Week, an event conceived by Le Minor to foster a dialogue between contemporary design and local roots. Held in Guidel, close to its workshops, this groundbreaking initiative highlights the region’s vitality and opens the house to new forms of expression, spanning fashion, culture, and engagement with the public.