In the shadow of the Paris Stock Exchange, in the heart of the city, is an airless building in which the offices of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry are established. An official institution thanks to which many entrepreneurial adventures are launched and lived. The “CCI”, as business jargon called it a long time ago, is today chaired by Dominique Restino. A man of joyful gestures, with the pedigree of a sales engineer, a true self-taught man, “ I did lots of odd jobs, and then one day I became a temporary consultant. I was selling people's jobs. That's how it all started. ”So, that’s how Dominique Restino started wearing suits.
You now hold official positions and you have also been a business manager for a long time, positions which require wearing a suit. What relationship do you have with this item of clothing?
The costume is not something that comes down to simple representation. It's more a question of respect for others. Since I was 20, I have worn suit jackets . When I was younger, it allowed me to appear serious, especially when it came to hiring people or being in contact with a certain clientele. And then, over the course of my life, it is a base that I have enhanced with different elements. I happened to wear flannel pants with a suit jacket. I also wore three-piece suits, I thought they were chic. At another time, I had double-breasted suits. I was not yet 47, I had not yet stopped smoking. This is no longer really the case today, so it is better to avoid this version of the costume, which is a little too prominent. In addition to the suits, I have a tuxedo in my wardrobe today. I bought it for the time I went to the Cannes Film Festival!
Do you consider wearing a suit to be the norm?
I am well aware that times have changed. In certain professional environments, if you arrive in a suit, you very quickly look stupid. It's best to wear jeans and sneakers, like in start-ups, for example. As an entrepreneur, I noticed that, yes. On the other hand, among old-fashioned business leaders, things do not change: the tradition of wearing a suit is well anchored. For my part, I sometimes don't always wear a tie . The tie is less in demand, it's less conventional. That said, I'm still in costume. Because I'm comfortable like that, but also and above all because this is my work overall.
The costume is not something that comes down to simple representation. It's more a question of respect for others.
Is clothing something that was important in your family?
I come from a family of immigrants, and I grew up in Aisne, in a small town, even though there is a castle there. My father did every job in the world, from mason to tailor. For a time, he managed a small textile business, a clothing workshop where a dozen seamstresses worked. When I was a kid, I folded clothes there to earn some pocket money. Dresses, sweaters, shirts … Let’s say that clothes have played a role in my life.
What do you look like when you're not in costume?
I like to wear sneakers and jeans. I have always been a fan of Kenzo, I like soft, light materials. When I was 16, I saved for seven months to buy my first Teddy Smith pants. It was 1978 and it was red. In the 80s, I started wearing leather pants. I know it's pretty old-fashioned these days, and I sincerely hope it's a trend that will come back. I still have one in my stuff, in brown leather, a kind of nubuck.