Polo Shirts
Savile Row polo shirts
Savile Row polo shirts from Hackett London demonstrate that cloth quality matters even in the simplest pieces: high-density pima cotton piqué, extra-fine merino and technical blends that distinguish themselves from the standard market polo at the first touch.
Cloths and construction
Savile Row polo shirts are made principally in double-twisted long-staple pima piqué — the classic fabric for a quality polo, with a fine grain that absorbs moisture well and holds its shape through washing — and in extra-fine merino at gauge 18 for the transitional-season models. Long-staple pima cotton has a longer and more uniform fibre than standard short-staple cotton: the polo maintains its colour after twenty washes, does not shrink on the first wash and does not pill at the collar or shoulders in the first months of wear.
The collar is reinforced with a light interlining that maintains the shape without pressing: the points do not curl up or fold down after washing. Buttons are in natural mother-of-pearl or corozo — the vegetable nut that replicates ivory — in the more carefully made references. The shoulder seam follows the natural line of the joint; side seams are flat so the polo falls without creases under a blazer.
Types available
Savile Row polo shirts include the classic short- and long-sleeved piqué polo, the extra-fine merino knit polo for the transitional season, the striped polo in high-density pima cotton and the technical polo in a cotton-lycra blend for freedom of movement. The seasonal palette combines solid colours — navy, white, grey, burgundy, bottle green — with the house's classic two-tone stripes: navy and white, green and stone, burgundy and cream.
How to wear Savile Row polo shirts
Savile Row polo shirts are the piece that most efficiently reduces the distance between formal and informal. Two starting points:
Mid-grey merino Savile Row polo shirt under a lapelled blazer, stone chino and brown leather Derby: the combination that removes the shirt and tie from the Smart register without the composition losing any of its structure — correct from a Chelsea terrace to an informal board supper.
Navy piqué Savile Row polo shirt with sand-coloured chino and a leather loafer: the weekend outfit that does not need a blazer to hold its presence.
The Savile Row polo shirt under a blazer is one of the most effective combinations in the contemporary male wardrobe: colour without the volume of a shirt, no tie required, and the polo collar over the blazer lapel produces a visual proportionality that works without trying from breakfast through to an evening out.
Care
Savile Row polo shirts in cotton are machine washable at 30–40°C on a delicate programme; merino polo shirts at 30°C or hand wash only. Merino polo shirts dry flat — never on a hanger. Cotton polo shirts can be hung to dry if the spin is gentle. Never use a tumble dryer: heat shrinks pima cotton and irreversibly destabilises the merino fibre.
Can a Savile Row polo shirt be worn under a blazer?
Yes — and it is one of the most frequent uses of the line. A Savile Row piqué or extra-fine merino polo shirt under a wool or tweed blazer is fully correct in any Smart Casual or Business Casual context. The polo collar should not show more than a centimetre above the blazer lapel; the collar points should remain inside the lapel. Short-sleeved polo in spring: pair with a blazer in a lighter cloth so the visual weight of the pieces remains coherent.
What is the difference between the Savile Row polo shirt and the Hackett AMR polo?
The Savile Row polo shirt is the house's most constructively exacting reference: double-twisted long-staple pima cotton, natural mother-of-pearl or corozo buttons, interlining in the collar and flat side seams. The AMR polo is the sporting-heritage line with greater emphasis on colour and graphic design, in technical cloths suited to active use. Both are quality references within the house; the distinction is of use and register, not of general manufacturing standard.
How long does a Savile Row polo shirt last with frequent use?
With correct care — 30°C wash, flat drying, no tumble dryer — a Savile Row pima cotton polo shirt maintains its shape, colour and cloth for five to eight active seasons. The extra-fine merino has a similar lifespan if washed less frequently: a knitted polo washed every three or four wears lasts twice as long as one washed after each use, because washing is the principal factor of wool fibre degradation.