Paul Smith Polo Shirts

PS by Paul Smith is the mainline diffusion range from the British designer Sir Paul Smith. It retains the same irreverent aesthetic as the main Paul Smith collection — signature stripe details, zebra logo patches and bold graphic prints — at a more accessible price point. The range covers everyday essentials including T-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, knitwear and accessories.

Paul Smith is most closely associated with mixing British tailoring traditions with unexpected details: bold stripe linings, playful graphic prints and the now-iconic multicolour stripe motif. Founded in Nottingham in 1970, the brand became one of the few truly global British menswear names, known equally for its suits and its characterful casual pieces. The zebra logo is one of the most recognisable symbols in contemporary British fashion.

PS Paul Smith offers several fits across the range. T-shirts and casual shirts are typically labelled Casual Fit, which runs slightly relaxed through the chest and shoulders. Polo shirts are offered in Regular Fit, which sits true to size with a straight hem. Tailored pieces such as overshirts and chinos use a Tapered Fit for a cleaner silhouette. If you are between sizes, Paul Smith recommends sizing up.

The PS Paul Smith clothing range is built primarily on high-quality cotton, ranging from organic cotton piqué on polo shirts to cotton-linen blends on overshirts and shirts. Sweatshirts use cotton-blend fleece, while knitwear introduces merino wool and cotton-blend jacquard constructions. The brand avoids synthetic blends on its premium pieces, keeping the focus on natural fibres that wear well and age gracefully.

Where most polo shirts stick to plain piqué with minimal detailing, PS Paul Smith builds signature interest into the construction itself. Stripe tipping along the collar and cuff edges, zebra logo patches at the chest and jacquard weaves on half-zip styles are all part of the standard design vocabulary rather than seasonal additions. Even the plainest styles carry a quiet brand confidence that sets them apart from high-street alternatives.

All polo shirts in this range are cut in Regular Fit, which sits true to standard UK sizing with a straight hem and clean shoulder line. The fit works equally well tucked into chinos or worn loose over jeans. Paul Smith's Regular Fit is neither slim nor boxy — it is designed to suit most body types without tailoring adjustments.

Cotton piqué polos are lightweight and breathable, best suited to spring and summer wear or smart-casual layering. Sweater polo shirts — such as the Short Sleeve Blue Sweater Polo and the Tipping Black Sweater Polo — are knitted constructions that carry the polo collar and button placket in a warmer, mid-weight fabric. These work well into autumn and are particularly versatile as a layering piece under a jacket or overshirt.

Cotton piqué polo shirts can be machine washed at 30°C on a gentle cycle. Knitted sweater polo shirts should be washed on a wool or delicates programme at 30°C and reshaped while damp to maintain their structure. Avoid tumble drying knitted styles entirely — lay them flat to dry. Jacquard half-zip polos may benefit from being turned inside out during washing to protect the woven pattern.

PS Paul Smith polos start at £45 for entry-level cotton styles and reach £165 for the Tipping Sweater Polo — a range that reflects genuine differences in fabric weight, knit construction and detailing complexity. At the lower end, the organic cotton piqué styles offer designer quality at a price comparable with premium high-street brands. At the upper end, the knitted constructions are genuinely considered garments built to last multiple seasons.

Several styles in the range cross comfortably into smart-casual territory. The Tailored or front-button polo shirts in black or white, paired with dark chinos or tailored trousers, read as polished without being formal. The half-zip jacquard constructions in particular carry enough texture and structure to work in business-casual environments where a T-shirt would be too relaxed.