K-WAY

Its small English-sounding name has often made people forget its ch'ti origins. The nylon banana pouch that turns into a brightly colored windbreaker was in fact designed by Léon-Claude Duhamel, son of a textile industrialist from Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Red, yellow, blue, green are thus interfering in the dull wardrobe of the French who had not yet opted for the boldness and freedom of the sixties.

A revolution of codes and mentalities was underway, and K-Way, without knowing it, contributed to it. Iconic and modern clothing, it was adored as much as hated in the schoolyards of the 1970s and 1980s. Having become a collector with its tricolor closure, the K-Way ended up disappearing from France when the word entered the world. the dictionary alongside Bic or Scotch. Twenty years later, at the dawn of the 2000s, Italian elegance took a liking to Claude or Le Léon, original models whose cuts have been revisited. Slipped under a jacket, it becomes THE fashion touch, light, comfortable, technical and ultra trendy. Marc Jacobs, Maje, Petit Bateau, Colette and l'Eclaireur are launching their capsule collection with the brand which is rediscovering its French roots by opening its first boutiques. The range is expanding (reversible down jacket, parka, luggage, bag, polo shirts ...) and the quality goes upmarket. The K-Way 3.0 is tear-proof, 100% waterproof but breathable, and keeps its DNA: protect against rain, wind and cold while being resolutely pop, whether oversized or curved. And that's how the K-Way makes the umbrella out of date! Who can resist K-style? Photo credit: Courtesy of K-WAY