The Port: a place of work, identity, and inspiration
The Port of Genoa has never been just a workplace. It has always been one of the city’s beating hearts, a crossroads of cultures, goods, and people that have shaped the Genoese identity.
There’s an old story that says that Genoese people are reserved because they’ve always had to defend themselves from attacks coming from the sea. Who knows if it’s true?
But let’s go back to clothing.
The garments worn by dockworkers and seafarers were designed to protect them from the elements, to keep them warm, dry, and safe, and to last through time.
At some point, though, those garments left the sea and reached the streets, transforming into symbols of everyday style. One of the clearest examples? The coverall.
The coverall: from workwear to casualwear
The coverall was originally a single garment meant to protect one’s clothes during heavy-duty work on the docks, in factories, or in workshops.
Its simple, T-shaped cut ensured freedom of movement and durability, and was made from sturdy fabrics like heavyweight cotton or gabardine, often in navy blue, with reinforced seams and button or zip closures.
In the 1920s and 1930s, coveralls spread throughout Italian ports, becoming a symbol of daily labor.
Meanwhile, in 1919, Florentine artist and designer Thayaht created his own “civilian” version, a practical and elegant leisure garment that was simple, universal, and easy for anyone to sew.
Over the decades, the coverall became part of the collective imagination: a comfortable, functional piece that evolved into a streetwear and workwear staple.
From dockside protection to the contemporary jumpsuit.
Like many other garments, we at Lucarda supplied coveralls for various companies, both port-related and beyond, including the Fiat model proudly displayed in our Bottega.
The “Pidocchiera” sweater
Another emblematic garment is the Pidocchiera, a wool sweater originally made for sailors.
In our Bottega, we preserve one embroidered with the logo of the Italia shipping company, a reminder of the years when Lucarda supplied uniforms for the port and for major companies such as Fincantieri.
Founded in 1932, during the Fascist era, Italia was one of the most important Italian shipping companies.
Back then, ships were the only means of intercontinental and domestic connection; today, they serve mainly for cruises and freight.
The Pidocchiera Italia thus represents a tangible fragment of maritime labor and travel history.
Originally made of coarse, itchy (and aptly named!) raw wool, these sweaters are now crafted from softer, more comfortable fabrics, yet their design and function remain faithful to the original.
Jeans: from the port to the runway
Jeans are one of fashion’s great paradoxes: universal yet personal, they embody our shared desire to both fit in and stand out.
Their story begins on May 20, 1873, when Levi Strauss (born Löb Strauß) and Jacob Davis, a Nevada tailor, patented the first work trousers for pioneers of the American West, reinforced with copper rivets at stress points such as pockets.
Strauss, a German immigrant, had arrived in New York with a suitcase full of European fabrics, including the serge de Nîmes (from which “denim” derives), a sturdy French textile, and the blue de Gênes (blue jeans), a cotton fustian dyed indigo and exported precisely through the Port of Genoa.
A simple idea for a simple product.
Originally worn by workers, sailors, and miners, jeans symbolized endurance and practicality.
Among Lucarda’s upcoming projects is the revival of vintage models, a new line of jeans inspired by the styles of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
“I’ve often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, practical, relaxed,** and** informal garment. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, everything I hope for in my clothes.”
— Yves Saint Laurent
The Marinière: from uniform to icon
You can’t talk about the sea or about ports without mentioning the Marinière, the striped jersey of the French Navy, officially introduced in 1858 to help spot sailors who had fallen overboard.
In the 1920s and 1930s, thanks to Parisian fashion and Coco Chanel, the Marinière shed its purely uniform identity and became a chic, urban garment, a symbol of relaxed elegance and nautical style.
Today, everyone wears it, from the docks to the city streets, from the catwalks to daily life, proving how a garment born at sea can become a timeless fashion icon.
From the coverall to the Pidocchiera, from jeans to the Marinière, maritime clothing tells the story of Genoa, its ports, and its sailors.
It’s the story of how garments born for work, protection, and function became part of everyday fashion and cultural heritage.
But it’s also Lucarda’s story.
Preserving these garments, studying their fabrics, cuts, and histories, means safeguarding a piece of the city’s memory and the lives of its people, so it can be passed on intact to the next generations.
