When Colhay's founder Ronnie Chiu invited us to try out his cashmere and silk polo shirts for summer, we were delighted to accept. After wearing the brand's legendary heavy-weight cardigan this Winter, we felt the urge to wrap ourselves in more summery materials, always with taste as with Colhay’s.

A luxurious polo shirt and a splash of Riviera allure

Let's face it, the price tag on this magical blend may deter some. Listed at €400 - £345 on the brand's website - this tennis polo is a real investment piece.

But when we look at the details, we understand and appreciate even more this iconic piece of a man's Summer wardrobe. This polo draws it’s inspiration from pre-1950s tennis tops and boasts longer short sleeves and a wider collar. What great details! We're always concerned when these two points are too short, and we continually fall into the pitfall of them being ill-proportioned.

This cashmere silk yarn "is the finest and most luxurious in the world", as Colhay's puts it. It's woven by the experts in the field, Italy's Cariaggi Lanificio. The result is an extremely soft, silky and lightweight hand. Cashmere in the middle of summer? The blend of silk and cashmere makes the polo much lighter than if it had been 100% cashmere. The silk gives the piece a light, airy feel, ideal for warm weather.

Densely knitted and entirely shaped and bound by hand - unlike most polo shirts, which are cut and sewn - this is another appreciable detail that makes this polo luxurious.

The collar is in Milano stitch, which gives it a certain robustness in relation to the rest of the body, so that a jacket, for example, can be worn without the collar flattening out - as we tried. The collar is not rigid, however, making it a rather casual piece all the same.

On the collar fastening side, the polo has three brown horn buttons - Ronnie's personal wish, because for him, this makes the piece more streamlined and discreet than if he'd opted for white mother-of-pearl. A choice we particularly appreciate, as Colhay's philosophy is in perfect symbiosis with the choice of materials for each garment they skilfully produce.

Another detail we like: the short sleeves are longer than normal, reaching 5-7 cm above the elbow and covering most of the arm. This renders the wearer more confident in not showing his arms, something we sometimes struggle with !

How do we wear the Colhay's tennis polo?

We opted for an outfit that straddles the line between formal and informal. Gray fresco trousers, a seersucker Teba jacket by Justo Gimeno, Belgian Loafers by Crown Northampton and white socks for a Fifties feel.

We like to wear the polo tucked in for a more streamlined look, but the tightened ribbing at the bottom allows the piece to be worn untucked as well, keeping it’s shape.

A must-have this summer, whether you're in Paris or Positano.

Available here.