Stripes can be rebellious, subversive, or emblematic, but the classic print will always be in the fashion hall of fame.

Originally worn by <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/french-girl-style-designer-runway-inspiration">Breton</a> fishermen, the striped shirt became the official uniform of French sailors in 1858. They argued that, thanks to the 21 blue and white stripes, it was easier to find a man if he fell into the sea. Before this, in the Middle Ages, they were a sign of transgression with a negative connotation because of their use on black and white prisoner uniforms. Striped fabrics also&nbsp;made an appearance during the French Revolution, as a symbol of political upheaval. Meanwhile,&nbsp;in the United States,&nbsp;stripes, together with&nbsp;stars, came to embody freedom. The American flag, which appeared in 1777, symbolized the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

In the 20th century, stripes became a key part of the fashion iconography for many brands. The pioneer was <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/adidas">Adidas</a>, which established its&nbsp;three-striped insignia in&nbsp;1928, on the sneakers worn by athlete Lina Radke. Then it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/sonia-rykiel-eric-and-michael-dayan-interview">Sonia Rykiel</a>, who began to design her own clothes at the end of the &#39;60s. Her first piece was&nbsp;almost surrealist, a simple but eccentric striped pullover that became a hit with the international press and ended up on the cover of <a href="https://www.elle.fr/">Elle France</a>. At the end of the &#39;80s, American designer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tommy-hilfiger-zendaya-2019">Tommy Hilfiger</a>, further underscored the power of red, white, and blue stripes. Linked to the colors of the U.S. flag, they became a true symbol of the American dream. A Brit also wanting in on the fun, Sir Paul Smith revealed a hyper-colored dandy version in the &#39;90s, poised among the designer&#39;s classic tailoring, humor, and rock allure.

Although ubiquitous, each designer has made stripes uniquely their own. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/jean-paul-gaultier-final-couture-show-dita-von-teese">Jean Paul Gaultier,</a>&nbsp;for example, broke down gender differences with his Breton-striped clothing collection, which was inspired&nbsp;by the queer film Querelle, a homoerotic story of a Belgian seaman. Also linked to the maritime theme are the stripes&nbsp;of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/influential-fashion-families-hermes-fendi">Ottavio and Rosita Missoni</a>, the multicolor beach &ldquo;deck chair&rdquo; pattern, which was woven into their knitted creations.

Today,&nbsp;brands such as <a href="https://www.petit-bateau.us/">Petit Bateau</a>, the French children&#39;s clothing maison, and&nbsp;<a href="https://sunnei.it/">Sunnei</a>, the Italian label from&nbsp;Simone Rizzo and Loris Messina,&nbsp;carry on the passion for stripes. Sunnei has even made the print a signature of its collections, offering&nbsp;thin, thick, mono, and multicolored versions mixed with its modern tailoring and streetwear.

How Stripes Evolved From Political Statement to Timeless Uniform

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