John Smedley Makes a Lasting Case for the Knitted Polo

John Smedley spotlights the enduring versatility of the knitted polo, pairing heritage craftsmanship with the softer tailoring that shapes modern menswear.

The Fashionisto

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Published June 7, 2026

Richard Biedul stands beside a column of a London neoclassical building in a John Smedley Oakman knitted polo worn under an open blue-gray melange wool jacket with matching pleated wide-leg trousers and black leather loafers
Richard Biedul wears John Smedley, the Oakman polo softening a slubby blue-gray suit. Photo: Jonathan Daniel Pryce / John Smedley

John Smedley returns to one of its menswear signatures with a focus on the knitted polo. Modeled by Richard Biedul, the latest edit highlights the Adrian, Isis, and Oakman, three styles that demonstrate the breadth of a garment the British knitwear house has refined for decades.

John Smedley Polos

Richard Biedul photographed against a sunlit limestone wall in the John Smedley Adrian knitted polo, layered with a blue top, paired with black pleated wool trousers
Richard Biedul wears the Adrian polo, layered with a woven top. Photo: Jonathan Daniel Pryce / John Smedley

Photographed by Jonathan Daniel Pryce against London’s neoclassical architecture, the images pair fine-gauge polos with relaxed tailoring and wide-leg trousers, reinforcing the shift toward softer forms of dressing that sit between traditional business attire and casual wear.

Richard Biedul standing in a doorway of dark wood paneling in the John Smedley Isis knitted polo in pale heather gray, tucked into charcoal pleated wool trousers held by a thin black leather belt with a small gold buckle
A cut first drawn up in the 1930s, the Isis finds Richard Biedul in heather gray with a thin gold-buckled belt. Photo: Jonathan Daniel Pryce / John Smedley

The polos underscore the lasting appeal of Sea Island Cotton, the rare fiber that has long defined John Smedley’s knitwear. The Isis revisits a design dating back to the 1930s, while the Adrian remains a cornerstone of the brand’s offering with its clean stand collar and standard fit.

Mid-body portrait of Richard Biedul against a pale stone wall wearing the John Smedley Oakman knitted polo in navy with a relaxed easy fit, tucked into slubby mid-blue pleated wide-leg trousers
Up close, the Oakman’s fine 30-gauge knit gives Richard Biedul the finish of a woven shirt with the give of knitwear. Photo: Jonathan Daniel Pryce / John Smedley

Oakman brings the idea forward in a more contemporary direction through its easy fit and lightweight 30-gauge construction. Together, the three styles show why the knitted polo continues to occupy a unique place in menswear, with the finish of a woven shirt, the comfort of knitwear, and a versatility that few garments can match.

Richard Biedul stands in sunlight and shadow against a neoclassical stone wall in a charcoal wide-shouldered suit worn over the navy John Smedley Adrian polo, the suit jacket open over wide-leg trousers and dark loafers
Tight chest-up crop of Richard Biedul in the John Smedley Isis polo in heather gray, showing the fine-gauge Sea Island Cotton knit, soft collar, and two-button placket in raking sunlight
Full-length frame of Richard Biedul standing in a stone courtyard of a London neoclassical building in the gray John Smedley Isis polo tucked into charcoal pleated wide-leg trousers with a thin belt and black loafers
Detail crop of the navy John Smedley Oakman polo worn by Richard Biedul under an open blue-gray melange wool jacket, focused on the three-button placket and soft knitted collar

The knitted polo sits within a wider family covered in the full breakdown of polo shirt types, from pique classics to sweater polos.

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