Petit Bateau
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Clothing, Textile |
| Founded | 1920 (roots from 1893) |
| Founder | Pierre Valton |
| Fate | Acquired by Rocher Group in 1988 |
| Headquarters | Troyes , France |
Area served | Europe, Japan, China, Middle East, Russia, United States |
Key people | Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki (artistic directors since 2013) |
| Products | Children's apparel, underwear, adult clothing line |
| Parent | Rocher Group |
| Website | www |
Petit Bateau is a renowned French brand specializing in children's apparel and underwear, established in 1920 with roots tracing back to 1893 in Troyes. Since becoming part of the Rocher Group in 1988, Petit Bateau broadened its appeal during the 2000s by introducing an adult line, transforming into a brand that spans multiple generations.
History
The origins of Petit Bateau date to 1893 when Pierre Valton founded the Valton-Quinquarlet & Sons hosiery factory in Troyes, focusing on manufacturing underwear items like underpants and vests. Situated in Aube, a historic hub for France's textile industry, the Saint-Joseph plant managed all production processes. In 1918, Étienne Valton revolutionized underwear by creating legless underpants crafted from unbleached white cotton, replacing traditional buttons with elastic bands to enhance comfort. The name "Petit Bateau," inspired by the children’s song Maman les p'tits bateaux, was officially registered in 1920 and represented by the mascot Marinette.
The company earned the "Grand Prix de l'innovation" at the 1937 Paris Universal Exhibition but experienced substantial growth only after World War II. Confronted with financial difficulties in the late 1980s, Petit Bateau was purchased by the Rocher Group in 1988, joining other brands such as Yves Rocher and Stanhome.
During the mid-1990s minimalist fashion wave, Petit Bateau gained significant visibility when Karl Lagerfeld styled Claudia Schiffer wearing a Petit Bateau T-shirt beneath a Chanel suit. This exposure prompted the launch of adult-sized versions of the children’s T-shirt and resulted in a tenfold increase in sales over three years. The brand officially entered the adult ready-to-wear sector with its inaugural fashion show in 1994.
Petit Bateau inaugurated its flagship boutique on Paris's Champs-Élysées in 2000. In 2013, Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki were appointed as artistic directors overseeing the adult collections.
Currently, Petit Bateau distributes clothing and underwear across Europe, Japan, China, the Middle East, Russia, and the United States. Its merchandise is accessible through close to 400 exclusive stores, over 4,300 partner retail locations, and an e-commerce site launched in 2006. All designs are developed by creative teams based in Paris.
The little panties
Before the early twentieth century, both children and adults typically wore long wool underpants that were uncomfortable and lacked hygiene. Étienne Valton, son of Pierre Valton and father to thirteen children, drew inspiration from the nursery rhyme “Maman les p'tits bateaux” to innovate by shortening these long underpants. This led to the invention of washable cotton panties, which replaced buttons with elastic bands for easier wear.
Valton also coined the brand name "Petit Bateau" and secured its trademark registration in 1920. In 1937, these panties received the "Grand Prix of Innovation" at Paris’s Universal Exhibition and became a daily wardrobe essential for women, supplanting heavy wool garments.
Today, Petit Bateau produces approximately 3.5 million pairs annually, utilizing 2,520 meters of pure cotton yarn alongside natural rubber elastic. These panties have been favored by celebrities such as Jane Birkin and Inès de La Fressange.
The bodysuit
Drawing inspiration from American soldiers’ T-shirts designed for ease of use with helmets, Petit Bateau launched its first baby bodysuits in 1950. The design featured an oval neckline to facilitate pulling garments over a child's head comfortably. In 1980, functionality was improved by adding press stud fasteners between the legs to simplify dressing and allow greater freedom of movement for toddlers.
Materials
In 1960, Petit Bateau introduced terry velours, a fabric primarily crafted for children's sleepwear due to its excellent thermal insulation qualities. The brand also utilizes terry cloth bouclette in pajamas and childcare products, prized for its gentle texture and comfort.
The renowned pinstripe cotton fabric was launched in 1970, produced using specialized knitting equipment to form delicate patterns linked to childhood. By 1990, Petit Bateau innovated by blending wool and cotton yarns, creating a textile that combines warmth with softness, specifically designed to shield children from cold conditions.
Finishes
Petit Bateau is recognized for its distinct finishing techniques: the picot stitch and the cocotte stitch. The picot stitch produces small, free-form loops, whereas the cocotte stitch features dense stitching developed through a method patented by Petit Bateau during the 1960s.
Petit Bateau icons
Drawing inspiration from nautical aesthetics, Petit Bateau’s collections include timeless pieces alongside innovations such as panties, pinstripe cotton, and terry velours. Classic items like the Breton marinière striped shirt, T-shirts, vest tops, panties, waxed raincoats, and peacoats are refreshed each season for both children and adults.
The Breton striped shirt made its first appearance in the spring-summer 1995 lineup and is updated annually with new cuts and color variations. The yellow waxed raincoat, inspired by fishermen’s oiled garments, was introduced in 1996 and remains a staple piece; it is periodically refreshed with different hues and lined with pinstripe cotton.
Initially produced as an undergarment in wool and later fine cotton, the Petit Bateau T-shirt rose to fashion prominence during the minimalism trend of the mid-1990s. It gained notable exposure when Karl Lagerfeld styled it beneath a Chanel suit worn by Claudia Schiffer, boosting its popularity. Transitioning from children's underwear to adult outerwear, the brand expanded its size range and color options in 1996. This shift resulted in a tenfold increase in sales over three years and led to Petit Bateau’s presence in adult fashion sections by 1999.
Today, Petit Bateau sells approximately four million T-shirts each year. While continuing to offer children’s sizes to honor its heritage, the collection now extends up to age 18, complemented by adult lines developed since the early 2000s.
Early campaigns
Petit Bateau has engaged in advertising since 1920, initially represented by Marinette—a character created by English illustrator Beatrice Mallet. Marinette’s playful and cheeky persona established the brand’s identity through lighthearted campaigns celebrating children’s vitality, imagination, and freedom.
Turning point
From the early 1990s onward, Petit Bateau partnered with BETC agency for its advertising efforts. The 1994 campaign "Don't do this, don't do that," featuring Jacques Dutronc's song, introduced the slogan "What's the use of having clothes if you can't do anything in them?" along with the exclamation "Petit Bateau!" In 2004, the brand expanded its focus to adults with "For adults too," which was further developed in 2008 through the "Les Mois" (“The Months”) campaign aimed at reclaiming the adult demographic. This slogan evolved into "Forever," highlighting adults’ ages expressed in months to convey timelessness. In 2013, BETC reinforced this cross-generational message with "Never old forever," portraying lively and spontaneous imagery.
Expanding internationally
In 2015, Petit Bateau unveiled its The Mini Factory campaign, which emphasized both the superior quality of its products and the natural spontaneity of childhood. This campaign, directed by Patrick Daughters and produced by BETC, showcased children inside a hidden factory, symbolizing the brand’s intricate manufacturing and rigorous testing procedures. By March 2016, the company rolled out a print campaign featuring the English tagline "For serious kids", presenting lively images of children donning whimsical cardboard masks as they explore urban settings.
The following year, in 2017, a fresh advertisement directed by Luis Cervero traced a Petit Bateau Breton stripe sweatshirt throughout a day filled with children's activities. This commercial highlighted the garment’s robustness and the essence of the brand through 72 dynamic shots set to Plastic Bertrand’s track Ça plane pour moi. Reinforcing its musical heritage, Petit Bateau also revisited Jacques Dutronc’s 1978 classic, underscoring its enduring ties to popular tunes and its name inspired by traditional nursery rhymes.
Collaborations with guest designers
Petit Bateau collaborates with prominent fashion houses and designers to create exclusive capsule collections that reinterpret its timeless classics. Among these collaborators are Guillaume Henry from Carven House, Tsumori Chisato, Didier Ludot, Cédric Charlier, Christian Lacroix, Maison Kitsuné, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, and Inès de la Fressange. For instance, in 2015, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac developed a collection inspired by Brittany vacations, incorporating Breton stripe sweatshirts accented with patent-leather shoulders and waxed raincoats designed for cycling enthusiasts. Additionally, Petit Bateau reimagines iconic pieces from other brands, such as its collaboration with K-way that blends the classic waterproof jacket with the marinière style.
Collaborations with guest illustrators
Petit Bateau partners with illustrators from varied backgrounds including modern children’s literature and 1980s alternative art scenes. Noteworthy collaborations include work with the house of Deyrolle, Keith Haring, Hervé Tullet, as well as authors affiliated with L'École des loisirs like Claude Ponti and Tomi Ungerer. These artistic partnerships influence designs on T-shirts, panties, and bodysuits, enriching the brand’s appeal through creative expression.
Support for Palais de Tokyo's Tok Tok workshops
Since February 2017, Petit Bateau has been a sponsor of the Tok-Tok workshops at the Palais de Tokyo, aimed at children aged between 5 and 10 years old. This program encourages engagement with contemporary art by fostering creativity and experimentation among young participants. Furthermore, Petit Bateau produces educational videos in which artists showcase their work and guide children through home-based creative projects inspired by these artworks, reinforcing the brand’s dedication to cultural initiatives.
Manufacturing and quality standards
Petit Bateau has been criticized by UFC-Que Choisir for allegedly misleading consumers about its production origins, as only about 20% of manufacturing takes place in France—primarily in Troyes—while 80% occurs in North Africa. Nevertheless, company officials emphasize that they employ 1,100 people in Aube and a total of 2,000 across France, surpassing industry averages for hosiery sector employment.
Around 45% of knitting and dyeing operations are carried out at the St Joseph factory located in Troyes, with the remaining 55% performed at their Moroccan facility established in 1989. The bulk of manufacturing—including underwear, pajamas, panties, and T-shirts—is predominantly (85%) completed in Marrakech and partner factories within Morocco and Tunisia. In 2017, former French President François Hollande acknowledged that relocating part of production to North Africa was necessary to preserve jobs in Troyes. The other 15% of products such as raincoats and trousers are sourced from approximately thirty external suppliers mainly situated in Eastern Europe and Asia.
Petit Bateau incorporates eco-friendly practices into its packaging by removing plastic materials altogether. In 2017, it launched “Faites passer les Petit Bateau,” an initiative promoting circular economy principles by enabling free peer-to-peer recycling of durable garments through an online platform—thereby reinforcing environmental responsibility while actively involving customers.
