Introducing Vetra

Introducing Vetra

Vetra was created by Edouard Beerens in Paris, France in 1927. The name is an abbreviation of VETements de TRAvail (Work Wear in English). For nearly a century, this family business has been making chore coats, coveralls, and not much else. There’s a reason they’ve barely changed the design over the years: it’s perfect the way it is. Functional, versatile, comfortable and stylish, Vetra’s chore coat is truly a menswear essential.

Vetra has always manufactured its own products in its own factory since it started in Paris in 1927. The original workshop was located Beerens' house. As the firm grew, the workshop buildings encroached more and more on the family garden. Over the decades, as production and demand increased, new facilities and modern techniques were used. In the 21st century, with worldwide competition coming from low-cost countries, the fate of "made in France" work wear has had to move to a few smaller scale factories providing niche markets with high quality garments.

Vetra has been renowned globally since the 1950's when maintenance technicians in airline companies were wearing 100% cotton uniforms. Throughout the 50's and 60's, exports were mainly aimed at French speaking countries. In the 70's and 80's, the US became a "new frontier", with teenagers enjoying the Vetra overalls in cotton twills and herringbones. In the 90's, Vetra was identified in Paris by a buyer of a famous Japanese shop and began to distributing to some of the best shops in Japan.

Vetra continues to explore its past to reinvent new products while keeping in mind the functionality of their work wear roots.

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