When I think of terry polo shirts I think of 1950s France, film stars, surfing, the sun, summer and generally looking super suave, so with all that in mind I decided to create an homage to one of those pieces of clothing that you never knew that you needed!
About 8 months ago I started work on the Vallauris polo shirt. I wanted to recreate and update the top that Pablo wore whilst in his atelier showing off his work. To me, it exudes a relaxed, effortless kind of cool that I’d never seen before. Many call Picasso the king of summer dressing and so I decided we needed something in the shop that gave a nod to that.
Towelling polos were originally made from actual towels (surprisingly) and were designed so that you could go for a dip in the sea, dry yourself off and nip out for lunch all without carrying a beach bag around with you. Our towelling fabric is a mid-weight that ensures you can keep cool whilst wearing it and dry off in no time once you’ve been for a swim.
The fit is relaxed but by no means baggy. Luca (who usually wears a medium) has gone up a size to make the polo look extra flowy and summery, but if you go for your normal size it will fit a treat. There is a split side seam for extra mobility, a pocket for storing and losing your train tickets and an open ‘camp’ style collar without a button so that you can show off your chest and get a bit of air circulating.
The fabric is dyed using a super-special process to give it a ‘worn-in’, soft feel. Like all good towels there will be lots of creases and texture to the fabric, this is all entirely intentional and gives the polo the sort of character that will make you look like you have had it since the ’50s.
This colour is our ‘Mer Profonde’ colour which is a lovely deep sea blue that will be an essential piece of kit when the temperatures begin to climb. The polos are lovingly made in Portugal by Filipe and are finished to a standard that normal brands would charge triple for… but not us.
So get ready to jump in the pool, dry off, throw on your polo and get ready to talk about art at the barbecue.
100% Cotton