Luxury brands are omnipresent. Advertisements, perfume, makeup and celebrities convey the dreams and admiration of many.
Romain regularly treats us to very in-depth topics on the luxury industry and recently, we looked at a Louboutin test .
But BonneGueule also has the role of discovering good brands that are little talked about, with the desire to popularize fashion through analyzes of fashion shows , analysis of trends and many other subjects.
So in the same vein, I'm going to tell you about a brand that has done a lot for luxury: Bernard Zins.
Discovery and history of Bernard Zins, luxury trouser maker
A brand rooted in innovation
Founded in 1967 by Bernard Zins , the eponymous brand has long distinguished itself in the manufacture of high-end men's pants.
Some models were also made to measure, like at the tailor's. His reputation had even led him to collaborate with major renowned fashion brands.
Praised by the most cutting-edge tailoring communities, the Bernard Zins company nevertheless experienced major setbacks, which sometimes disrupted its history and could have led to its downfall.
Today, it still exists thanks to the determination and passion of Mr. Zins' son, who was able to take over the business and breathe new life into it, but also to a loyal clientele who welcomed this takeover.
This engineering degree is very important for the rest of the story.
Pants with an engineer's approach
Bernard Zins obtained his engineering degree from the École Nationale des Arts et Métiers d'Angers in 1947 and it was in 1959, after a trip to the United States, that he proposed a new industrial design of pants: he incorporates a stretchy belt that will revolutionize industrial manufacturing.
Not to stop there, he created his high-end pants factory in Lens in 1967 and a showroom in Paris, rue de Birague in the 4th (still the same today!).
Quickly, this passionate engineer will trigger a series of changes in textile manufacturing until he becomes the emblem of know-how . Indeed, Bernard Zins brought a dimension of industrial mastery that was completely new for the time, multiplying innovations on all points of quality: linings, flies, fittings, pockets, pleats, invisible seams, loops...
Technical data sheets are essential to garment design.
The major luxury brands will not escape this and will therefore take a close interest in it.
Lanvin, Balmain, Saint Laurent, Chanel and even Hermès (always the same) will entrust their production to the Bernard Zins company. “The genius of creators is to detect needs, our role is to interpret them” as he said!
At that time, the company employed more than 500 people and provided industrially adapted tailoring know-how. Pragmatic, Bernard Zins will say " the important thing is to adapt machines that help the hand, without ever denying man ".
A Herringbone fabric (close to the herringbone) very present on this Bernard Zins selection.
In 1999, after three decades at the forefront of trousers, Printemps Haussmann dedicated an exhibition in honor of Bernard Zins know-how: "30 years of Trousers". For the occasion, the most emblematic models are reissued; Louis Vuitton, Arnys, Yohji Yamamoto, ...
This may seem like name dropping to you, but Bernard Zins marked an entire era in fashion and brought about a radical turning point in many industrial applications. Hence these multiple collaborations.
A brand that is gradually being reborn
The budgetary constraints of luxury, however, almost caused the bankruptcy of the company: this fairly fickle industry turned to less expensive manufacturing alternatives. The brands then decided to no longer work with the Bernard Zins company. As a result, it declines and closes its production unit in Lens.
It was only in 2006 that the company timidly resumed the development of the eponymous brand in Japan and then, gradually, internationally, rekindling nostalgia among connoisseurs and interest among younger people.
To date, the company has around thirty employees and is gradually reinventing the stylistic signatures of the collections, far from the sales volumes of the past.
Some finishes should be familiar to you...
We will discuss the details present at Bernard Zins below, but I will take advantage of this image to draw your attention to the belt loops: these are "horseback" loops. They are “caught” in the belt increase , you will notice that this does not appear everywhere 😉
Bernard Zins pants cut with a scalpel
BZV3, BZV2, ... Does this appeal to you? Yes, a bit like an obscure datasheet name.
Remember, the brand was created by an engineer. These are in fact the names of the cuts offered at Bernard Zins , each with its own specificities.
Bernard Zins linen and silk pants - BZV2 cut - 290 euros
The BZV2 cut, semi-adjusted, gives fullness and a nice drape to the shoe. The material is also very surprising and a delight to the touch. I recommend this cut for those who feel uncomfortable in pants that are too close to the body.
Trousers in washed stretch cotton gabardine - BZV3 cut - 220 euros
The BZV3 cut is much more fitted, the leg is slimmer. More modern, we see the model wearing sneakers and it's not by chance. The stretch material allows you to use these pants wherever you go, without worrying about fabric tension.
An additional special category is the special travel pants (to be found in the test section). A cut and material designed for formal wear and unfailing comfort.
A brand that adapts to its traveler clientele by developing a specific range for this use inevitably scores points. The material absolutely does not have a synthetic feel. However, it is very stretchy and reacts very well to tension, creasing, splashes, etc.
Zins’ taste for beautiful materials
Making high-end men's pants is not easy. What good is a perfect fit if the material used does not allow the pants to last part of their life?
The reflections on the material speak for themselves.
Pure gray wool flannel pants with belt and “salt and pepper” pocket details.
Making high-end pants
The exterior is very neat: no thread protrudes, everything is very regular.
But what about those invisible details that contribute to the final look of the pants?
Note the fastening system and the satin band at the fly finishing the product nicely.
You should know that at each stage of its manufacture, it is ironed. This allows you to “pre-break” the fold before assembly, it is an easier job, but takes longer.
Then, the pants are worked "hanging", they will not be crumpled. This is a particularly important point, demonstrating respect for the product and the fabric until the end.
To respect the material, the fabric is worked "one way": the front and back parts of the pants are cut in the same direction. Thus, the two parts have strictly the same texture. This seems obvious, but it's not that obvious, because there are several ways to cut the material for pants:
- Head-to-tail cutting:
This is how 99% of brands cut their fabrics. #economy
The cutting is done "head to tail" to avoid too much loss in the fabric, but during assembly, the patterns or reflections do not match.
In this step, it is also possible to cut the tip of the pants from another part of the fabric, to then mend it, again for the sake of economy. This is called a “spike tip”.
- “One way” cutting:
The cut used at Bernard Zins, without added tip - Photo credit: omocubriruncuerpo.org
This configuration is more expensive because the material losses are greater, but we have the assurance that the front and rear correspond perfectly. Example with checkered pants, where the patterns are connected horizontally and vertically by hand, symmetrically.
To be rigorous, the pants are also worked in straight grain in warp and weft: the direction of the fibers is respected, whether vertically (warp) or horizontally (weft). Otherwise, the leg may twist.
The patterns are connected by hand
The pieces thus cut out are then sewn with textured thread, for a more aesthetic final result, instead of the usual "foam thread", less expensive. In fact, 300 meters of thread are used per pair of pants.
To make Bernard Zins pants, it takes 60 minutes of work compared to 24 minutes for mid-range pants. That's about twice as much work.
Bernard Zins applies an overcasting technique to the inside of pocket bags for superior comfort, preventing the threads from coming apart (a technique very rarely used for pockets).
You can find the complete characteristics of the assembly details on the brand's website (note from Benoit: don't miss this part of their website, it's very interesting!).
Bernard Zins pants test
In turn, I put on pants that made the customers of the time exclaim. “Mr. Zins, your pants work by themselves!” - a famous anecdote from the brand, today printed in the fitting rooms.
We have already addressed the subject of techwear at BonneGueule, by presenting brands that develop ranges of clothing designed for the user's comfort at all times (multi-pockets, water-repellent, stretch, etc.).
It is with this same desire for comfort that Bernard Zins designed the Voyage range. Combine a design that has everything in common with dress pants, wearable with a suit jacket, but with a 40% synthetic material.
Surprising? See instead...
BERNARD ZINS “special travel” pants – 240 euros
Once put on, I feel like I'm wearing sweatpants for comfort, and tailored pants for its undeniable elegance. How the hell did they pull off this magic? 😉
It's a BZV2 cut in size 38, while I usually wear 40 on this type of piece . It doesn't tighten my waist, it's extremely comfortable. And yet, it fits perfectly without a belt. It is also self-ironing and stain-resistant!
The material reacts like wool pants
The pants are made of 60% wool, 30% polyester and 3% Lycra (the composition changes depending on the season). While synthetic should be avoided for most clothing, it is essential for technical pieces.
An optimal cut without excess material or unsightly creases.
A hell of a stretch!
I wore these pants for several months in many conditions, and I can tell you that they live up to their “travel” name. The stairs (in the metro, not in Cannes) caused no discomfort. I also felt the thermoregulating effect of wool by not experiencing excessive heat or discomfort from an itchy fabric.
In summary, these pants adapt to my movements without problem, and have tailored details that have nothing to do with common stretch pants. It has the appearance of wool but greater comfort than it.
These Special All Seasons Travel pants are priced at 240 euros. Do the math, other brands would have sold it to you for two to three times its price. And this was the case at the time of Zins subcontracting!
Trousers with attention to finishes
To pay tribute to the work put into these pants, I wanted to show you some high-end details.
We find passers-by on horseback, of great elegance.
A cleanliness band whose seam is hidden under a satin edging.
The stopping point is located at the top and bottom of the pocket.
The trouser hook system is called "gun barrel hooks".
My opinion on Bernard Zins pants
An immense pleasure to see the pioneer of pants regaining momentum. It is a brand full of surprises, passion and whose quality approach is one of the most advanced in the field of ready-to-wear.
The multitude of samples that litter the design office.
Only one address: the Parisian boutique of Bernard Zins (but you can also send them an email if you have any questions). You will fall for their Winter range with chevrons , tartans and so on! They also have an e-shop 😉
A small downside however, I had difficulty understanding the sequence of letters in the product descriptions! GG means that the piping on the watch pockets and right rear pocket is Grosgrain. The TF for Fancy Fabric in the same places, and OC for Belt Opposition.
Nothing too bad, but it's always nice to know that the brand even takes the trouble to include the main details of the pants in its title.
In short, this brand is a real piece of French textile heritage and, beyond that, the wide variety of cuts and the know-how of Zins mean that you will inevitably find pants adapted to your body shape.
Wall of chinos!
