Behind The Seams: The Quito Shirt

The Western shirt's origins trace back to the 19th-century American frontier, born from the rugged needs of cowboys and settlers. Drawing from Mexican vaquero silk shirts, Native American capes, and Civil War military wear, it evolved as practical workwear: pearl snaps replaced buttons to withstand falls from horseback, while the signature yoke provided reinforcement for riding. Embroidered with cultural motifs and piped in contrasting fabrics, it symbolised resilience and individuality amid the Wild West's cultural melting pot. Our Quito revives this heritage with subtle contrast-tone stitching and a classic Western yoke, but infuses it with Beatnik irreverence.

The beauty of the Quito shirt is that it works as an overshirt too, giving you a host of different styling options. It pairs well with our wide-leg Orsman trousers, layered over a fine-gauge rollneck, or you can opt for a preppy aesthetic and wear it over a striped tee with our belted Sibley cord trousers, doubling up on the wales.