A combination of refined elegance and casual style, just perfect for a hot day in the office or for an aperitif on the beach. The Mandarin shirt is a must item to add character to every man’s wardrobe. A Mandarin collar is basically a thin band of fabric, without any inner stiffener and without wings, that easily adapts to informal and formal occasions thanks to its minimal aesthetics.

A journey between East and West

This model has a full, interesting history behind it, that started with the Ming dynasty in Manchuria, and then spread to China. Later, the Mandarin collar was made popular by Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister in the first half of the 20th century. He wore Mandarin shirts with jackets that also had Mandarin collars.

The collar became popular in the West in 1827 when Hannah Montague had the idea of detaching the collar from one of her husband’s shirts to wash it, and once it had been cleaned and starched, she changed it so that she could attach it to the shirt again. The model was then commercialised by Rev. Ebenezar Brown who set up the industrial production of stiff, removable collars near New York. They were used by students, lawyers and professionals.

Its popularity grew from 1925 when it was mentioned in the famous novel “The Great Gatsby” by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, but the Mandarin shirt was overwhelmingly “legitimised” in the 1960s thanks to the Beatles, who loved to wear them with their Nehru-style jackets. The shirts became a must for the Hippy generation.

Elegance renewed

Increasingly popular and appreciated worldwide, Mandarin shirts are smart, easy to wear as they are so elegantly simple and are an absolute must for the summer, also thanks to how cool they are.

The ideal fabrics for these shirts are classic 100% linen, that is perfect for any occasion, and can be worn with chinos and sneakers, or a mixed linen and cotton blend seersucker, that is soft and lightweight, and can be worn with a pair of shorts and moccasins for a day on a boat.

For lovers of exotic print patterns, this shirt in linen and cotton blend canvas will lend you the sensation of wearing a real work of art, just perfect for a sophisticated vernissage matched with classic trousers and lace-up Derby shoes. Your linen Mandarin shirt will be an all-round shirt to wear when you want more style and fun during this long, hot summer!!

Take a look at all the men’s Mandarin shirts in our Xacus shop.