What defines quiet luxury more so than a polo shirt that has spent 70 years refining, rather than reinventing itself?

The Riviera Polo dates back to 1955, when Peter Hill, great-grandson of Sunspel’s founder, developed a lightweight cotton mesh for warm days on the French Riviera. His warp-knit construction created a fabric that was breathable, soft and comfortable in heat, with a dry handle and subtly open texture. That material remains as a definitive feature of the Riviera Polo today.

Then in 2006, the style was reworked for Daniel Craig’s debut as James Bond in Casino Royale. In collaboration with costume designer Lindy Hemming, Sunspel honed the silhouette into something sharper and more contemporary. The fit was streamlined, sleeves shortened and proportions carefully adjusted to create a clean, athletic profile. It has since become a permanent fixture in the collection.

This year, Sunspel marks 20 years since the Riviera Polo Shirt’s cinematic debut with a limited-edition release crafted in Sea Island cotton, widely considered to be the finest cotton in the world. This piece brings together two defining threads of the brand’s history: fabric innovation and understated design.

This anniversary edition retains that modern silhouette but elevates it through the use of Sea Island cotton, a fibre long associated with Sunspel. Known for its extra-long staple length, it produces a fabric that is exceptionally smooth, breathable and durable, with a natural lustre and refined finish.

Presented in the brand’s signature navy, the limited-edition Riviera Polo is both a celebration of an iconic garment and a continuation of over 160 years of British textile craftsmanship.

The limited edition Sea Island Cotton Riviera Polo will be available online and in selected stores from 5 May; sunspel.com