Not so long ago, we were singing the praises of the quarter-zip sweater and how it came to be “the MVP of your wardrobe”, thanks to how easy it is to wear and its ability to bridge the gap between smart and casual. Now a not-so-distant relation has entered the chat as its summer counterpart: the polo shirt. If you’ve stepped outside recently – or simply spent time scrolling through social media or watching live sport – then you’ll have noticed it everywhere, too.

Perhaps you’ve heard the legend of Solomeo, the 14th-century Umbrian citadel that has been painstakingly resurrected by Brunello Cucinelli. But have you actually been there? Well, a select group of MR PORTER customers have now ticked off this bucket-list experience.

The search for the perfect T-shirt goes back longer than you think. The tee first came into play in the late 1800s, when the US Navy began issuing them as standard undershirts. The name is down to F Scott Fitzgerald, who coined “T-shirt” in his 1920 debut novel This Side Of Paradise. It wasn’t long before, as with many military products, it made its way into the wardrobes of men not destined for the shores of enemy frontiers.

French fashion has never been just one thing. It’s a colourful ecosystem built on contrast – SAINT LAURENT’s precision sitting alongside Jacquemus’s playfulness, CELINE’s cool against LEMAIRE’s restraint and Husbands’ nostalgic flair. Below, we spotlight the labels that built French style, from the most storied houses to ateliers still doing things the old way and newer brands setting the pace.

Not so long ago, we were singing the praises of the quarter-zip sweater and how it came to be “the MVP of your wardrobe”, thanks to how easy it is to wear and its ability to bridge the gap between smart and casual. Now a not-so-distant relation has entered the chat as its summer counterpart: the polo shirt. If you’ve stepped outside recently – or simply spent time scrolling through social media or watching live sport – then you’ll have noticed it everywhere, too.

Perhaps you’ve heard the legend of Solomeo, the 14th-century Umbrian citadel that has been painstakingly resurrected by Brunello Cucinelli. But have you actually been there? Well, a select group of MR PORTER customers have now ticked off this bucket-list experience.