In 1230, during the « Hundred Year’s War », the ‘Chevalier’ Belpuech accompanies the first creations in silk to Marseille (Massilia) to deliver the precious goods to the artisans of that city.
In 1685 Pierre Nissolle, living nearby the property of the descendants of Belpuech, begins to sell the first stockings for men at the fairs held in Montpellier and Nimes.
In the 1920s the first fine gauge silk stockings for women make their appearance and substantially add to the fame of the ‘Sumène’ silk stockings. Royal and Imperial Courts found in Sumène the finest silk workers in France. In those days artisans would spend an entire day in the creation of a single pair of stockings.
After the Second World War the production of silk stockings came to an end, to be replaced by nylons.
1939 Nylon, which has been recently discovered by William Carothers, is used as a textile fibre and on the 15th May 1940 (the famous ‘Nylon Day’) 4 million pairs of nylon stockings go on sale on the US market.
1965 sales of the seamless stockings are at their height.
1967 the arrival on the fashion scene of Mary Quant and the mini-skirt marks the decline of the stocking in favour of tights.
In 1996 Serge Massal, a worthy descendant of Belpeuch, decides to update silk stocking fabrication methods in order to create a product of the highest quality. In this way the silk stocking becomes, once again, a veritable cult.
As for nylon – Particular attention is applied, leading to the development of a range bringing back to prominence the ‘Cristal Nylon’. A first, and limited, collection is born – The Swing Time Stocking – named in honour of the music associated with the liberation of our country.
So, continuing creativity, high quality spun thread, specialised and exclusive weaving techniques have all come together to characterise CERVIN stockings.
STOCKING HISTORY
