Saint James is a Normandy knitwear maker named after the town in the Manche where it still manufactures. Its origins are a spinning mill that became the Société Anonyme des Filatures de Saint James in 1889, the year it began selling its first sailor sweater in local salt-meadow sheep's wool. It remains built around the pull marin and the striped marinière, in Woolmark-certified wool, merino and cashmere, at about €175–655.
Key facts
- Trades on 'depuis 1889'; the precursor Moulin du Prieur mill dates to around 1850
- Still manufactures in Saint-James, Normandy
- Jumpers offered in Woolmark-certified pure new wool, merino and cashmere
- Majority stake bought by Luc Lesénécal in 2010
Fibres and construction
Saint James works principally in Merino wool, Sea Island & long-staple cotton, Cashmere. Construction and techniques associated with the house include fully-fashioned. It is based in France, France contributes two distinct luxury knitwear traditions: the Breton and Norman marinière, knitted in dense combed wool and cotton since the 19th century, and the Parisian cashmere specialists who source Mongolian fibre and finish it with French fashion sensibility..
How to judge Saint James quality
- For cashmere pieces, look for a stated micron count or grade, 2-ply yarn for sweaters, and a dense knit with no daylight through plain areas. See the cashmere grading guide.
- Merino quality depends on micron (extra-fine is under 18.5 µm) and on worsted spinning; fine-gauge pieces (21–30 gg) are a technical speciality worth paying for.
- This house knits fully-fashioned: check for fashioning marks along the armhole and flat, linked seams inside — the signatures of shaped, stitch-by-stitch construction.
Similar houses
Saint James: frequently asked questions
Where is Saint James knitwear made?
Saint James is based in Saint-James, Normandy, France. Trades on 'depuis 1889'; the precursor Moulin du Prieur mill dates to around 1850.
What is Saint James known for?
Saint James is known for the Breton sailor jumper and marinière, knitted in Normandy since 1889. Its principal fibres are Merino wool, Sea Island & long-staple cotton and Cashmere.
Is Saint James a luxury brand?
Saint James sits in the premium tier of this index (roughly $150–$400 for a sweater). Its construction methods include fully-fashioned. It is listed here on the basis of fibre quality, construction and provenance rather than price alone.
How much does Saint James knitwear cost?
Saint James is roughly $150–$400 for a sweater at the time of writing. Prices vary by fibre and style.
Sources
Facts verified against the sources above on 16 September 2026. Prices are indicative and change; check the house's own site.