In 1975, Christian Restoin entered the market in women’s ready-to-wear apparel with Equipment, an up market line of women’s shirts. Wanting to revolutionize the way women dressed, Restoin introduced men’s dress shirts into women’s wardrobes; he took his inspiration from the subtle seductiveness, and glam appeal of 1950’s American film.
Since then, Equipment has undergone a few changes, including Restoin’s replacement by Serge Azria. Since taking over, Azria has maintained the classic minimalism, and French sophistication of the brand, while adding an effortlessness associated with laid-back, California style. The modern androgynous silhouettes and subtle sexiness of Equipment blouses have attracted the attention of women world wide, including screen sirens Charlize Theron and Katie Holmes.