Carlo Sestini: if you don’t know the name you almost certainly recognise his face – or, at the very least, those incredibly hirsute eyebrows – from campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Tom Ford. Take a quick peek at his Instagram page (374k followers and counting) and you’ll also see that, in pre-pandemic times and when he’s not tending to his fledgling eyewear business, Sestini spends his days flitting from one beautiful European destination to another.

Who better, then, to remind us what a truly great summer outfit looks like? Not one to have succumbed to the lure of loungewear during lockdown, here Sestini shares his go-to warm weather looks and offers up the styling advice he swears by.

All at sea

NN07 Basso cotton-flannel overshirt, £220, mrporter.com; Tre recycled acetate sunglasses, £335, sestinieyewear.com; Messenger pouch, £1,350, dior.com

Here I’m wearing a Missoni shirt and Sestini numero Tre sunglasses in tortoiseshell. The numero Tre sunglasses are particularly special as they’re made from 100 per cent recycled acetate. The combination of the two colours is quite stunning as the tortoiseshell accents are complemented by the colour of my shirt. All in all, it is the perfect outfit for a day of yachting. Add a small classic bag (here I’m carrying Dior) for essential items and you’re good to go!

Beachy keen

Bluette linen shirt, £225, marianorubinacci.com; Peninsula Swimwear Lipari M1 swimming trunks, £113, farfetch.com; Isabel Marant beaded necklace, £120, mrporter.com

This Rubinacci linen shirt is a must-have for me. It’s easy to wear and super elegant – perfect for a summer of beach hopping. Not to mention the classic Italian artisanship means I’ll be wearing this shirt for many, many years to come.

And relax

Versace Medusa Amplified shirt, £965, farfetch.com; Versace Medusa Head shorts, £415, farfetch.com

I love this Prada look because it’s so reminiscent of pyjamas and I think wearing pyjama-style outfits like this casually is so chic. It’s my take on the current popularity of athleisure over the course of the pandemic – but in silk and and super high fashion.

Sophisticated shirting

Cotton print shirt, £320, etro.com; Axel Arigato Clean 90 leather sneakers, £160, harveynichols.com; Tom Ford satin-jersey track pants, £950, mrporter.com

This shirt is so beautiful and perfectly encapsulates what Etro is as a brand. It’s a classic; the use of colour and pattern avoids being obnoxious and it’s so wonderfully well made. Here I’m wearing it with the Sestini sunglasses pouch. It’s made from vegan leather and I designed it so that there’s space for a passport, phone and even a hidden credit card compartment. In fact, some people have even been detaching the strap and wearing it as a bracelet!

Loud and proud

LV Electric Regular DNA shirt, £655, louisvuitton.com; Uno sunglasses, £290, sestinieyewear.com; Rubinacci cotton-twill Bermuda shorts, £280, mrporter.com

This is my favourite man-about-town shirt. Louis Vuitton logo-mania has completely taken over but this shirt is subtle with its branding, and the colour makes it so easy to pair with other staple summer wardrobe pieces. A colourful shirt, such as this, is perfect with the understated yet classic numero Uno Sestini sunglasses, which are great for toning down a look that might otherwise be too loud or vibrant.

Blues brother

Equipment Original slim-fit shirt, £315, mrporter.com; Tailored track bottoms, £600, gucci.com; Gucci Brixton Horsebit loafers, £575, matchesfashion.com

This is a full Gucci look, paired with my Sestini numero Uno sunglasses, which I’m never without when the sun is out. I love to wear silk because it’s slimming, effortlessly elegant and can even make you look taller! Of course, I can’t talk about this look without talking about the colour palette. I love wearing blue and mixing different shades. It’s so simple but can create such a strong look.

Read more: The statement shirts to wear this spring