For any independent brand, certain moments stay with you forever. One of ours involves comedian, presenter and national treasure Alan Carr.
Long before bold prints became commonplace on television, Alan had already built a reputation for wearing clothes that reflected his larger-than-life character - colour, personality and individuality, always turned up. That made him a natural fit for Claudio Lugli.
Alan's print volume, plotted
Alan's stylist told us early on exactly what they were after: nothing subtle. The louder the better. Here is where his moments sit on the dial.
The first opportunity
Our connection began during the Alan Carr: Chatty Man years. We reached out to his stylist and offered a selection of shirts, knowing countless brands would be competing for wardrobe space and there was no guarantee ours would ever make it on screen. What we learned quickly was that Alan liked shirts with personality - the louder the better - so we sent a carefully chosen range and hoped for the best. Then, like many fans, we sat down to watch an episode and there it was: a Claudio Lugli shirt. Then it happened again. Each appearance felt like a vote of confidence from someone whose style had always celebrated fun and self-expression.
A memorable gift on national television
One of the more amusing chapters came through Steph and Dom Parker from Gogglebox. Dom had become a fan of Claudio Lugli himself, and when he was booked to appear on Chatty Man, we supplied an especially bold shirt and asked whether he might present it to Alan as a gift on air. He agreed - and the result made for entertaining television. Alan's reaction, a mix of amusement, surprise and a little apprehension at a shirt that was unmistakably Claudio Lugli, was exactly the kind of light-hearted exchange the show became famous for.
Alan liked shirts with personality. The louder the better.
An unexpected reunion
When Chatty Man ended, our paths did not cross for several years - until, through a mutual contact, we heard Alan wanted to visit the Claudio Lugli London showroom. The timing was memorable: it was shortly after the COVID period, and the visit involved careful distancing, sanitiser, masks and plenty of laughter as everyone tried to follow the guidance while discussing colourful shirts. Surreal, but genuinely enjoyable.
Shopping for RuPaul's Drag Race UK
Alan had arrived with a clear purpose: outfits for his appearances on RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Rather than rushing, he took his time browsing, discussing ideas and exploring looks - engaged in the process, sure of what worked for him but open to styling suggestions. Together we selected a number of outfits and planned how they would be worn on screen. When filming came around, Alan wore them exactly as planned, and seeing them on one of the UK's most popular entertainment programmes was enormously rewarding.
One of the outfits chosen during that showroom visit has since become part of Alan Carr's figure at Madame Tussauds - Alan donated it directly, so a Claudio Lugli look now forms part of the display representing him. For us, that feels less like a fashion achievement and more like a small place in a much bigger story.
A relationship built on personality
What makes the story memorable is not simply that Alan wore our shirts - it is how naturally everything happened. A stylist looking for something different, a few shirts sent in hope, a surprise on-screen appearance, a gifted shirt and a funny television moment, an unexpected showroom visit years later, and finally those outfits on one of the country's biggest programmes. Alan Carr has always been unapologetically himself, and that is exactly why Claudio Lugli worked so well for him. Sometimes the best stories are not the ones you plan - they are the ones that happen when people simply enjoy what you make.
Want to channel Alan's bold, colourful style? Browse our men's printed shirts collection and find a print that is unmistakably you.
