The André Shirt: impeccably informal

When the shirt was still a ‘chemise’, little more than an item of underwear, a tunic to be worn under jackets and doublets, what denoted its value were the neck and cuffs, that is, the only visible parts.

When Loro Piana imagined its own version of the shirt, it was as an object of exquisite simplicity, capable of interpreting a certain relaxed elegance that is the essence of its way of dressing. Thus it explored the sartorial traditions of fifties Naples, where they are masters in dressing the most refined men in the most refined fashion, ensuring the perfect paradox of relaxed flawlessness. The ‘André’ sports a meticulously designed collar without a band - forswearing the traditional construction of a shirt - its facings obtaining structure simply by the folding of the fabric of the front two sections. These wide facings conceal the stitching. Thus the neck opens with a softness so well studied that it appears natural. The cuff is sartorially rounded, with two Australian mother-of-pearl buttons which ensure it sits flawlessly above the hand, keeping the sleeve and its well-ironed folds in the perfect position.

So ‘André’, the incarnation of impeccable informality, was immediately adopted among the gentlemen who frequent Loro Piana who embraced it enthusiastically as the ideal shirt for one’s free time, perfect alone in summer, under a sweater or a sports jacket. Not long after, it was equally ardently adopted by the ladies who appreciated its innate class without frills.

Thus ‘André’ moves with natural elegance from success to success, from fabric to fabric, year after year, from the mid-nineties until this summer of which it has become the symbol, revealing, or rather whispering its own secret.