Meet Beckett

One of my favorite memories in Paris was my visit to Cimetière du Montparnasse.

We’d spent the better part of an afternoon searching for the grave of Samuel Beckett, having had a general idea of where it should be located, but no luck finding it. Other tourists crossed our path with a question in their eyes and a slip of paper with his name in thick scrawl. We shrugged, made a universal gesture that said, “We don’t know, either,” and – without formality – joined forces.

When we finally found his grave, it was right there in the middle of it all: unobtrusive, classic, quiet. Maybe it was the partnership of strangers, or that I’m drawn to minimal, understated beauty, but either way, I’ve always thought of that quiet afternoon as one of my favorites in Paris. Searching for his grave led me to many other literary favorites I hadn’t even known where there.

Beckett is the quintessential minimal classic: lightweight, perfect for pairing and layering, and balanced with elegant details. It’s understated but not boring. At first glance it’s a simple, top-down, seamless pullover. Look more closely and you’ll find clever details like side cables and reverse stockinette. With a cropped length and ¾ sleeves, this pullover wears beautifully over a crisp white collared shirt or over a tank top on a warm day.