SNFC has released a styling guide for its railway staff-Image: KEYSTONE
A new brochure for “French elegance” is causing a stir at the railway company SNCF – now it’s coming back.
Mar 13, 2026, 2:51 p.mMar 13, 2026, 2:51 p.m
The railway company SNCF operates almost all rail transport in France and Monaco. This also includes the TGV high-speed train. To ensure that its employees exemplify “Élégance à la Française”, French elegance, the company launched a clothing label – and got itself into a lot of trouble.
The 40-page brochure contained tips for slimming the silhouette. Like the broadcaster BFMTV Reported, a woman with a triangular body shape should avoid tight skirts and voluminous pockets on the hips. Instead, she should wear a bright or colored top, a structured jacket, shoulder pads, or a wide collar.
The brochure used images.Image: Screenshot/bfmtv
A man with an H-shaped figure should avoid “jackets that are too straight or too baggy and loose shirts” and instead choose “a fitted but not tight shirt with a structured collar”.
The men also had to believe in it in the brochure.Image: Screenshot/bfmtv
The brochure also contained make-up tips for women and information for men on how to wear their beards. For example, it says: “Avoid very intense black eye shadow, which makes the look appear harsh.”
According to that Mirror There is a requirement in the SNCF employment contract for some employees to wear a uniform, but not for adjusting their appearance.
“A disgrace”
Reactions to the guide were prompt and anything but positive. The Sud-Rail union described the guide as “a disgrace” and called for the brochure to be “immediately withdrawn”. Dividing people into different body types that need to be “corrected” is “sexist and fatphobic.” So discriminatory against overweight people. Make-up tips are also something you would know from the 1960s and have no place in today’s world.
A quelques jours du #8marsthe direction #SNCF diffuse un guide formulant, between other, des injonctions directes à l’égard des femmes.
SUDRail exige le retrait immédiat de ce guide Élégance #TGV Le corps des travailleurs•ses n’est pas à la disposition de l’entreprise. pic.twitter.com/2zYqGTGc4v
— SUD-Rail Fédération ⏚ (@Fede_SUD_Rail) March 11, 2026
SNCF long-distance transport boss Alain Krakovitch reacted promptly to Sud-Rail’s accusation. The 56-year-old had the guide withdrawn immediately and wrote on X: “The guide was completely unnecessary. It does not correspond to our values or our methods towards our employees.”
The «guide élégance TGV INOUI» is also a raison d’être. J’ai immédiatement demandé sa dépublication !
There are no values and no methods vis-à-vis the agents. The internal inquiry is permissible and can be reproduced.— Alain Krakovitch (@alainkrakovitch) March 11, 2026
An internal investigation should now ensure that such an incident does not happen again. The brochure is said to have been distributed without permission. (sav)