For more than two decades, Claudio Lugli printed shirts have been the life’s work of a family-run house in north London. We look at the fabric, the limited runs and the larger-than-life names behind the label.
Some labels whisper. Claudio Lugli has never been one of them. Since 2001, the London brand has built its reputation on bold, original print, and it has done so with unusual focus. There is no logo-led streetwear line and no pivot to quiet luxury. Instead, there are hundreds of Claudio Lugli printed shirts, each cut from Egyptian satin cotton, released in limited runs and retired once they sell through.
The result is a brand that many menswear fans now treat as a reference point for the statement shirt. It has dressed a heavyweight world champion, partnered with WWE and built a following of collectors across the globe. So how did a single tailor’s idea become a print language of its own?
A tailor’s conviction: the story behind Claudio Lugli printed shirts
Claudio Lugli was founded in London in 2001 by master tailor and designer Hossian “Hoss” Salimian. His starting point was simple. A shirt, he believed, could be the most memorable thing a man wears, and there was an audience that wanted exactly that.
More than twenty years later, the business is still family-run from north London. Salimian continues to design, while the next generation now leads much of the creative direction and growth. Today the label is stocked by more than 250 retailers worldwide and ships from London across the globe.
What makes Claudio Lugli printed shirts different?
It starts with the cloth. All Claudio Lugli printed shirts are cut from Egyptian satin cotton, a smoother and weightier fabric than standard shirting. As a result, colour sits richly on the surface and the shirt drapes with a soft sheen that most high-street cotton cannot match.
The details are just as deliberate. Contrast collars and cuffs have become a house signature. Print runs edge to edge rather than hiding on a pocket or placket. Meanwhile, the tailored fit keeps even the loudest design looking sharp rather than sloppy.
Everything is made in Europe. Shirts are priced between £55 and £95, while the brand’s print blazers sit at £275.
Claudio Lugli printed shirts: hundreds of prints, almost none repeated
Range is part of the appeal. The Claudio Lugli catalogue runs to hundreds of prints, grouped into distinct worlds: florals, baroque and ornamental, skulls, paisley, music, sport, wildlife and abstract art. New designs arrive constantly.
However, very few of them stay. The brand works to a single rule, summed up in its own words: “We never repeat. We reimagine.” Each print is released in a limited run, and once it sells through, it is retired for good.
That approach creates a quiet sense of urgency that regular customers understand well. Miss a print, and it is gone. Over time, it has turned buyers into collectors, the kind who own a whole rail of Claudio Lugli printed shirts rather than just one. Often, each one is tied to a memory: a wedding, a birthday, a big night out.
From the ring walk to the red carpet
Bold clothing needs bold people to wear it, and Claudio Lugli has never been short of them.
Since 2015, the brand has dressed heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. It has designed the suits and shirts that helped turn his ring walks and press conferences into events of their own. The partnership was profiled in depth by Square Mile in 2022, where marketing director Nav Salimian explained the thinking behind it. Today, the Gypsy King collaboration has its own dedicated collection.
“We tell a story through the outfits.”
Nav Salimian, Marketing Director, Claudio Lugli, speaking to Square Mile
There is also an official WWE Icons collaboration, a natural fit for a label built on showmanship. Broadcaster and chef Ainsley Harriott is among the familiar faces who wear the prints, too.
What links these names is not a single look. Rather, it is personality. The people drawn to Claudio Lugli tend to be characters in their own right, and the shirts are designed to keep up with them.
Built for everyone, from S to 6XL
Inclusivity runs through the brand in two directions. First, Claudio Lugli printed shirts for men come in nine sizes, from S to 6XL, at the same price across the range. That is a pointed stance in a market where size ranges still too often stop at XL.
Second, the print language is not reserved for menswear. Claudio Lugli’s womenswear line brings the same florals, prints and tailoring to shirts, dresses and jackets. The underlying idea is straightforward: a bold print should not care what size you are, or who you are.
How to style Claudio Lugli printed shirts
A statement shirt works best when it is allowed to lead. Keep the rest of the outfit simple: dark tailored trousers, clean leather shoes or minimal trainers, and little in the way of competing pattern.
For evenings and events, a printed shirt under a plain navy or black blazer adds personality without overwhelming a formal look. Conversely, for summer, wear one open-necked over a white T-shirt with light chinos. If you want to go further, a print blazer over a solid shirt flips the formula and puts the pattern on the outer layer.
Finally, choose your print world to match the occasion. Florals and paisley read well at weddings and garden parties, while skulls, music and abstract prints suit nights out and gigs.
The verdict
More than twenty years in, few British brands have committed to bold print as completely, or for as long, as Claudio Lugli. It has earned its place among the leading names in printed menswear not by chasing trends but by staying loyal to one idea and executing it with real craft.
Customers appear to agree. At the time of writing, the brand holds an “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot, scoring 4.7 out of 5 from more than 1,300 reviews.
For anyone yet to own one, the brand’s new-season printed shirts are the natural place to start. Just don’t wait too long. At Claudio Lugli, when a print is gone, it is gone.
Claudio Lugli: frequently asked questions
Claudio Lugli was founded in London in 2001 by master tailor and designer Hossian “Hoss” Salimian. It remains a family-run business based in north London.
The brand’s printed shirts are cut from Egyptian satin cotton, which gives a smooth handle, rich colour and a subtle sheen. All garments are made in Europe.
Shirts are priced between £55 and £95. Print blazers cost £275.
No. Prints are released in limited runs and retired once sold through. The brand describes its approach as “We never repeat. We reimagine.”
Men’s shirts come in nine sizes, from S to 6XL, at one price across the range. There is also a full womenswear line of shirts, dresses and jackets.
The brand has dressed Tyson Fury since 2015 and now has a Gypsy King collection with him. It also has an official WWE Icons collaboration, and Ainsley Harriott is among the well-known fans of the prints.
