There could hardly be a time more topical to launch a business shirt range. Workers across the square mile donned jeans and jumpers last week for fear of being targeted by G20 protesters. The normally, more-often-than-not very dull topic of business attire, unexpectedly found itself in the spot light.

So the celebration a week earlier, of designer business shirt brand Monsieur Baron’s first birthday and lavish launch of the new range at celeb hangout, Kitts in Sloane Square, could hardly have provided more of a contrast. Especially in light of the close city links of the designers behind the brand.

If you haven’t heard of them before, then let me fill you in. Monsieur Baron had been manufacturing shirts for fashion houses including Armani, Gucci, Alain Figaret, Eden Park and Cerruti for 25 years before setting up a label in his own name with son Charles Baron, a convertible bonds trader in Canary Wharf and son-in-law Tristan Lagesse, who formerly worked in reinsurance for Lloyd’s.

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