LE MINOR POLO SHIRT: THE ELEGANCE OF A SPORTSWEAR PIECE

The polo shirt is now part of the Le Minor collections. This iconic sportswear chic garment seduces us with its elegance and versatility.

A piece of sportswear elegance

As its name suggests, the origins of the polo come from tennis.
In the 20s, this aristocratic sport imposed a dressing more chic than practical. As the sport became increasingly popular, champion Jean-René Lacoste sought a more functional alternative to the bulky flannel shirt used for matches.
He decided to shorten the sleeves, the buttonhole and lengthen the back so that the garment could be well maintained in the pants. He uses a quilted cotton, a novelty at the time, which allows better ventilation than the traditional shirt.

His creation was a sensation and was adopted by other players because, despite its technical characteristics, the garment remained elegant.
This garment also seduced polo players who appreciated the collar which, despite its flexibility, could be worn up to protect their necks from sunburn! The garment therefore takes the name of this equestrian sport to which it is quickly associated.

It is also adopted by golfers and rugby players who lengthen its sleeves to protect their arms exposed to blows.
Lacoste made the polo shirt available in several colors and it became part of the wardrobe of high society. Associated with gentlemanly sports, it became an elegant piece of men's clothing. It was the Englishman Fred Perry who democratized it in the 1960s by offering inexpensive models that seduced a youth in search of identity!

A rich work of emblematic materials

The Mineral collection includes several polo shirts with traditional or more original materials. Cotton, which we also use for our sailors, comes in many forms!

We chose to use our traditional cotton jersey, the one knitted on our old traditional machines from the 60's, for our rugby polo shirts with horizontal and vertical stripes. It is a heavy jersey, 380g/m2, ideal for a sportswear garment that must be robust and last over time! As for all our models, this cotton is spun in the Vosges, dyed in the Pyrenees and knitted into jersey in our workshop in Guidel, Morbihan. At Le Minor, we appreciate the elegance of the rugby polo with its wide stripes and the tear-resistant placket that reminds us of the look of the sporting gentlemen of the 1930s! But the stripes are also reminiscent of our sailors. The Le Minor polo shirt is therefore a subtle alliance between an ancestral sport, rugby, and the marine spirit that inspires us every day.

We have also taken the polo shirt upmarket by producing 100% merino models while keeping the horizontal stripes dear to our brand! This luxurious wool is known for its fineness, its softness and its anti-sweat properties and that's why we decided to adopt it for our new collection. To learn more, please read our article on our wools!

Sportswear chic for assertive looks

Cotton bouclette is a material also widely used for polo shirts. This fabric is knitted in Troyes, bastion of knitting and hosiery, known for its textile know-how. We used this soft and breathable material to make a short-sleeved polo for men and women in white and navy. This material and the slight slits bring a lot of elegance to this polo as well as a touch of sportswear. In fact, women will be able to pair this bouclette polo with faded mom jeans and nice leather sandals.

We didn't stop at the classic cotton, merino or bouclette polo. We wanted to offer a feminine sporty chic piece as part of our new collection: that's how the polo dress was born. It comes in a variety of colors: navy, white and ecru, sober colors that recall the return to the roots that evokes the Mineral collection. This polo dress has elegant details such as the collar and the rounded bottom, in line with the sportswear chic style. However, women who adopt it can accentuate its preppy side with a blazer or opt for a more boho chic style by wearing it with a large loose cardigan.

Thus, everything is possible with this garment around which we can build a strong look. Despite their sportswear identity, our polos will easily find their place in your wardrobe by combining with your favorite pieces.

Sportswear chic