Taupe, oatmeal, ecru, mushroom, sand or fawn? To paraphrase Mr Henry Ford, when it comes to luxury fashion you can have any colour you like as long as it’s beige. Neutral tones are popular for a reason, of course – more on that later – but that’s not to suggest that you should ignore colour altogether when assembling your outfit. These pink tailored shorts from B+, the luxury line from the critically acclaimed designer Umit Benan, are a great way of adding a little Neapolitan flair to an otherwise understated look.

One of the best things about luxury fashion is that it gives you access to a wider range of fabrics, which in turn opens up your possibilities for playing around with different textures. This hoodie from SSAM, an artisanal brand from Mr Flavio Girolami of Common Projects fame, is made from a brushed cotton- and camel-blend fabric with an incredibly plush feel. We’ve contrasted it with a crisp cotton shirt from Auralee, subtly textured faille shorts from LE 17 SEPTEMBRE, a cotton-chambray cap from Loro Piana and rubber slides from Gucci for an outfit that feels as good as it looks.

Luxury designers don’t really do skinny. One of the hallmarks of luxury is a generosity of fabric, typically resulting in flowing silhouettes that drape across and abstract the body: think roomy trousers, floaty shirts and knitwear you can get lost in. But playing with proportion doesn’t just mean going oversized. This outfit employs a knitted-cashmere vest from Stòffa almost like a waistcoat, cinching in a voluminous shirt from The Row and creating contrast with the wide-legged trousers from Umit Benan B+.

While garments from the likes of B+ are glorious to behold individually, they’re even better in combination. A pair of the brand’s laid-back drawstring trousers and two of its shirts form the foundation of this outfit, which we’ve finished off with a linen-blend blazer from the Swedish tailoring duo Saman Amel. Sticking principally to one designer is a safe move when assembling a multi-layered outfit, as it helps to ensure that all components work well together, but don’t be afraid to mix things up. Just remember the golden rule of layering, which is to quit while you’re ahead; three layers is plenty.

Rarely out of style, easy to wear and endlessly compatible, the neutral shades of beige, camel, khaki and cream are understandably popular with luxury brands, whose clothes are expected to last a bit longer and to be more resistant to trends than their designer-fashion counterparts. The only downside? They can be a bit plain on their own. One solution is to expand your range of neutrals to include darker tones such as tobacco, chocolate or charcoal, as we’ve done here with this anthracite-grey hoodie from The Row. These colours look particularly good next to darker skin, but it’s something everyone can – and should – try.

Sure, the foundations are important, but it’s the finishing touches that really make an outfit. While this might have once meant ties, pocket squares and cufflinks, now it can mean whatever you want. In this case, a combination of pleated linen trousers from Stòffa and faille shirt from LE 17 SEPTEMBRE – in the same subtly textured fabric as the shorts in look three – is topped off with a bucket hat from Corridor and an incredibly lightweight, almost sheer cashmere scarf from The Row.