Exceptionally elegant André: Loro Piana’s Secret’s of Summer

 

As the Summer bought us the optimism of warmth and light Loro Piana celebrates the joys of summer.

The André shirt defines Loro Piana summer: utterly simple, perfectly conceived. The secret heart of elegance.

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 incarnation of impeccable informality.

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.

The summer elegance under the sun.

So ‘André’ 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.

This week, Loro Piana unveiled its new flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo. Designed by architect Jun Aoki, the new Loro Piana store celebrates the luxury fashion brand uniqueness with the light touch and elegance of over 50 metres of steel modelled to recall the soft suppleness of the Italian house’s iconic scarves.