Fashion Show Who's Next Paris/SHOOTING BY OLIVIER NALIN
Sénas celebrates a centenary, the saga of the Chapels 1906-2006
At the dawn of the twentieth century, many Italian families are coming from Piémont (Varaite Valley). They all opt for the job of clothing sellers, draper and hawker. The Chapels, all cousins, are the most numerous. The products of the extensive variety are composed of 80% of overalls, jackets, boiler suits in the shade of grey, blue bugatti, blue hydrogen and colourfast treating. While some profession (cooker, pastrycook, painter...) require new techniques to respond to their needs. Most all of raw materials which were cottons used as velvet, imitation leather and drill...).
Later, after the Second World War Mr Jean Chapel who had already understood the mass production with home workrooms (in Gardanne, Avignon and Sénas), he also opens warehouses in Nice, Marseille and Perpignan.The headquarter which is located in Senas is then extended with the purchase of the cinema “Les Trois Louis”.Mr Jean Chapel builds a manufactory unit of 120 female factory workers devoted to the making of overalls and jeans. The time goes by and it is the arrival of Mr Christian Nalin in the firm, he is married with Miss Suzanne Chapel, one of the two daughters of Mr and Mrs Jean Chapel. Mr Christian Nalin decided to launch with Mr Jean Chapel new ranges of jeans. Touchy fading and the creativity will be the success of these years. The trade Jean Chapel is then more than ever recognize in the world of the jean.
Afterwards, the economic circumstances and the manufacturing costs more and more expensive reduce the production unit of Senas. In order to resist, Mr Christian Nalin begins with the opening of retail shops as in Salon de Provence, Avignon and Arles. The manufacture in Senas is stopped but an industrial laundry is conserved to keep a whole independence. Mr and Mrs Nalin continue the development of retails stores and to franchise in various center towns.
In 1994, Mr Christian Nalin bet to open a big shop in the mind of a concept store at the same place of Mr Jean Chapel's firm in Senas. This new big store mainly based on the jean is a risky bet because Senas is a little village. But as soon as its opening "Blue Fox" (translated by "le renard bleu" in French, it's a tribute to the first clothing trade of Mr Jean Chapel), meets a clear success. The infatuation is so important that Mr and Mrs Nalin decided to concentrate themselves only on the jeannerie of Senas.
Some years later and Mr Luca Morel arrived in the firm, husband of Miss Manon Nalin daughter of Mr and Mrs Nalin. BLUE FOX - JEAN CHAPEL reinforces with the passing years its image of jeannerie with a very American model. The price and the variety are the main words of the success of the store.
The 2000's arrived and Mr Olivier Nalin enters to his turn in the saga. He is the son of Mr and Mrs Christian Nalin. Now the firm continues to distribute its own trademark (Jean Chapel, Blue Fox, VIP Jeans), to this is added a choice more and more important of jeans, trousers, cowboy boots, men women and children clothing and American items.
Today, the store is composed of a very dynamic team and turned in to its customers.
In 2006, the firm blows out its 100 candles...
