After more than 25 years in fashion, Nicolas de Contades founded A.Shirt with a simple idea: to craft shirts to be lived in, loved and passed on. His journey led him to a small artisanal factory just outside Milan, where he works closely with skilled craftswomen, many of whom bring decades of experience. Inspired by Truman Capote’s “swans”—women of enduring grace and style—Nicolas envisioned a wardrobe staple that felt effortless and considered. Early collections began with simple cottons before he expanded into recycled, leftover fabrics from Lyria, the revered Italian mill. Here lies the beauty: limited quantities and the exclusive nature of each textile mean that no two collections are ever quite the same.