Berets, Anyone?

[Nico]

You had better buy that woman a beret!
Michael

Already got her two. A red Laulhere and black B.A.
Not sure if the Laulhere XV Rugby beret is still available.

 

[Daan]

Already got her two. A red Laulhere and black B.A.
Not sure if the Laulhere XV Rugby beret is still available.

At the time of writing this, there are 2 left on the shelves at South Pacific Berets!

 

[Nico]

At the time of writing this, there are 2 left on the shelves at South Pacific Berets!

Thanks for the info Daan. I will get in touch with my daughter.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

The Chirloa 31cm in Navy and the Etchea beret 30cm in black.

Each is very comfortable one size fits all.

 

[Okay]

Knitting berets was certainly a man's job, its origins lying with lonely shepherds in the Pyrenees of France. When flocks were taken to the high pastures for the summer months, being a shepherd became a very lonely existence. The story goes that shepherds started knitting from the loose wool that was left behind by the sheep in thorny bushes and such, keeping themselves busy and productive at the same time.
Not only did they create woolen beret shaped hats, they also learned how to felt these raw woolen hats by beating the fibers in the mountains streams - thereby creating berets very similar to how we know them today.

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The same situation occurred in Les Landes (a province in the south-west of France). These wastelands of Gascony were great level plains covered with stunted bushes and dry heath that turned into marshland with the slightest rainfall. To walk on stilts became the norm for shepherds and anyone having to travel. These shepherds too were known for their knitting of berets, typically while resting on their stilts, balanced by their shepherd's staff.
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However, when the manufacturing of berets became more of an economic enterprise, it were women who did the actual knitting; sometimes in a shared space of the factories, often from their own homes (until knitting machines were introduced during the Industrial Revolution).

Thanks a lot Daan for the information, and the great photographs.
I'm grateful for your response to my posting.

Michael

 

[Daan]

South Pacific Berets has expanded its range of (custom, handmade) ‘txapeldunak’.

The txapeldun is the quintessential Basque beret, the most perfect embodiment of a tradition that goes back centuries, a symbol for champions (in the Basque Country the txapeldun is used as a trophy in competitions of sports and the brain), the ultimate protection from sun, rain and snow for the Basque shepherds in the Pyrenees mountains, a hat widely adopted by artists with a reminiscence of the Renaissance and generally, a fantastic beret to wear.

South Pacific Berets stocks two sizes of txapeldunak, the 15 pulgada and the very-very large diameter in 16 pulgada (which equals 34.9cm and 37.2cm in the metric system and 13.7" and 14.6" in US inches, respectively), in Black and Navy.
South Pacific Berets also has an exclusive line of custom-made colours: Azul-Blue, Saviem-blue (cobalt), Crudo (off-white), Colorado (Spanish red), Granate (Bordeaux) and Khaki.

It takes a bit of courage to wear a txapeldun, but once you do - you won't want anything smaller. Most customers buying our txapeldunak find it an excellent hat for hiking and tramping, offering the best possible protection from any weather and still easy to roll up and fit in a daypack or pocket.

$72.50 - $74.50.

 

[Tchoupi]

South Pacific Berets has expanded its range of (custom, handmade) ‘txapeldunak’.
View attachment 164852 View attachment 164853
The txapeldun is the quintessential Basque beret, the most perfect embodiment of a tradition that goes back centuries, a symbol for champions (in the Basque Country the txapeldun is used as a trophy in competitions of sports and the brain), the ultimate protection from sun, rain and snow for the Basque shepherds in the Pyrenees mountains, a hat widely adopted by artists with a reminiscence of the Renaissance and generally, a fantastic beret to wear.
View attachment 164854 View attachment 164855
South Pacific Berets stocks two sizes of txapeldunak, the 15 pulgada and the very-very large diameter in 16 pulgada (which equals 34.9cm and 37.2cm in the metric system and 13.7" and 14.6" in US inches, respectively), in Black and Navy.
South Pacific Berets also has an exclusive line of custom-made colours: Azul-Blue, Saviem-blue (cobalt), Crudo (off-white), Colorado (Spanish red), Granate (Bordeaux) and Khaki.
View attachment 164857 View attachment 164856
It takes a bit of courage to wear a txapeldun, but once you do - you won't want anything smaller. Most customers buying our txapeldunak find it an excellent hat for hiking and tramping, offering the best possible protection from any weather and still easy to roll up and fit in a daypack or pocket.
View attachment 164858 View attachment 164859
$72.50 - $74.50.

Realy nice, I also like the new super lujo's in dark green!

 

[Tchoupi]

View attachment 163696 View attachment 163697
Fear' naught (fēr´nạt`)
1. A fearless person.
2. A stout woolen cloth of great thickness; dreadnaught; also, a warm garment.
3. Official motto of the (British) Royal Tank Regiment
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Following the success of the Chyldish Fear Naught berets in wool, I am happy to now introduce the cotton versions of these illustrious berets.
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A cooperation between Billy Childish and South Pacific Berets; down to earth, pure cotton berets made for every day wear by workers, artists & artisans.
The berets are fitted with a solid cotton lining and the Chyldish Fear Naught label.
View attachment 163704
Available in Raven-Black and 3 earthy colours: Earth, Rock and Indigo - Exclusively at South Pacific Berets @ $49.40.
View attachment 163705

They look as though they have been doing the boxe française of the chausseurs alpins...

 

[alanfgag]

Just a guy in his Elosegui.

 

[Daan]

Great photo!

I'd say you should have a look at the new Super Lujo, in tūī-green!

 

[alanfgag]

Great photo!
View attachment 166331 View attachment 166332
I'd say you should have a look at the new Super Lujo, in tūī-green!

I'm actually thinking that the smaller txapeldun in crudo might be a must have...

 

[Okay]

I'm actually thinking that the smaller txapeldun in crudo might be a must have...

Me too Alan
I've been interested in getting one since watching the movie 'The Devil and the Blacksmith'

Michael

P.S. your choice of words "might be a must have" made me chuckle. It's certainly a want in my case.

 

[Nico]

Just had a new pergola and deck installed. Enjoying the cool morning here and wearing my 10p Marine Boneteria Auloronesa.

 

[alanfgag]

Me too Alan
I've been interested in getting one since watching the movie 'The Devil and the Blacksmith'...

A new film to me but I found a still of a character in a big white beret without having to get the hat scared off my head! Was it good?

 

[Okay]

Alan, yes quite good I'd say.
Dark but not bleak, well acted, a bit melodramatic, beautifully shot and set/staged.

I'm a sucker for magical realism, and I liked this movie very much.

I would hope you enjoy it too.

Michael

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

A carte postale showing an old man wearing a beret from early 1900's booklet of Saint Jean-de-Luz, the French Basque town where Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660.

 

[Nico]

Wet one at work. Wearing the trusty Elosgui 28cm Super Lujo.

 

[Humanfactor]

Just a guy in his Elosegui.

View attachment 166330

Nice photo Alan, can you tell us what town you are in... I'm thinking somewhere in the EU. Cheers! - Michael

 

[alanfgag]

Nice photo Alan, can you tell us what town you are in... I'm thinking somewhere in the EU. Cheers! - Michael

Thank you Michael... I live in Buffalo, NY, USA.

 

[Daan]

For many decades, the only true “Basque” beret manufacturer was Boinas Elósegui (from Tolosa, in the Spanish Basque Country). Not anymore though, as Le Béret Français has moved its factory from Làas (in Béarn) to Bayonne (the capital of the French Basque Country).

Le Béret Français has done extremely well, since starting only 6 years ago. Numbers are up, but much better in my opinion, is the enormous work they have done to re-popularize the beret. Although Béarn is the birthplace of the beret, I really like the fact that after some 40, 50 years, there are again Basque berets made in the French Basque Country.

With the move to Bayonne, Le Béret Français has expanded its range of berets with some really beautiful models. Made from Pyrenean spun Merino wool, the ‘Vintage Béret Basques-Français’ berets are knitted in a higher density (weight) and fitted with beautiful long vanished traditional French-Basque beret labels. These Vintage Béret Basques-Français have the Le Béret Français trademark red cabillou.

Another exclusive by Le Béret Français are the ‘Bérets Marbré’. Berets made of 100% Merino wool with a marbled (camouflage-like pattern) that are not only extremely comfortable to wear, but also absolute head turners.

New in the range of Éco Bérets Printemps are the ‘Rouille’ (rust) and Wild Blackberry.

Last in the range of new wool models, is the Béret Casquette in khaki; a beret made in Bayonne and finished in the Pays de la Loire. South Pacific Berets has now 2 dedicated pages of Le Béret Français berets: wool models and
Éco/cotton models.