Introducing Uniforme, a Small-Batch French Menswear Brand Committed to Sustainability

Uniform means the same, but Uniforme is a statement of change. Founded by co-designers Rémi Bats and Hugues Fauchard, this label is based in the Brittany countryside so they can remain close to the network of small-scale small-batch suppliers with which they are working. They espouse a philosophy of “conscious minimalism” to create garments that explore traditions of uniform and which they promote as sustainable.

Bats, who previously worked at Hermès, Balenciaga, and AMI, said down a Zoom: “Our way of being sustainable is to work as locally as possible, and to create the minimum waste by being very precise and concise to minimize our footprint.” Fauchard, formerly at Wooyoungmi, Lanvin, and Carven, said: “This collection starts with the Ivy League and also the work of the pioneering American botanist and ecologist John Ernest Weaver, and we imagined creating a uniform for a new generation of elite students who are studying environmentalism.” 

Weaver’s negatives of root formations, spindly and delicate, were used on shirting and hoodies. Collegiate lines were added to the loden coats, pullover cagoules, and rib-knit sweaters and vests. Some of the pieces were Econyl-coated for patina, and check shirts were cut in zero-emission wool. A fetchingly roomy pair of boy scout shorts in tight double cotton weave was, the designers said, a signature piece for them while pants included robustly colored chinos, cords, and a chino/jean hybrid. A derby made in collaboration with the Limoges shoemaker J.M. Weston—the fundamental footwear provider for French preppies since the 1950s—added a deeper layer of authenticity to the theme.

Courtesy of Uniforme

Courtesy of Uniforme

Bats conceded that just like those imaginary environmental freshmen, the designers are on a learning curve with Uniforme. “Even if our voice is a small one, we know some people are listening. People are looking for alternatives in fashion now, and small brands with a different point of view have a part to play. We want to ensure that we always have an eye on everything in our company—and if there is ever a time when we do not, then we will be too big.”