The Care Manual.

You've just acquired a piece of Leopine. Designed in Barcelona, finished by hands that have done this for decades. Like any well-made object, a watch, a leather wallet, a piece of furniture worth keeping, it rewards attention. With the right care, what you bought today will be the same piece you reach for instinctively in ten years, only better. Cotton softens. Prints sun-bleach into something more honest. Wool finds its drape. The pieces that age well are the ones that were cared for from the first wear.

What follows is the manual. It is short. We have left out everything that is not necessary. Read it once. Then keep it close.

Swim Shorts.

The Leopine swim short is built around three things: a quick-dry technical weave, a tailored cut at mid-thigh, and an exclusive print that does not exist anywhere else. The fabric is light, the lining is soft, the cord ends are metal. It is meant to travel from a pool to dinner without changing your expression. To keep it that way:

After the swim

Rinse with cool fresh water immediately after exiting saltwater or a chlorinated pool. Both are corrosive over time. Chlorine fades the print, salt stiffens the fibers. Press the water out gently. Do not wring. Do not twist.

What to avoid

Sunscreens, body oils, and most cosmetics will mark the print permanently. Apply them before you put the shorts on, and let them absorb into the skin. Avoid prolonged contact with dark fabrics that bleed: navy beach towels, dark cotton bags, the sun-warmed leather of a deck chair. The print, once stained, does not recover fully.

Storage

Dry flat in shade, a balcony in the early morning, a tile floor under a fan. Never direct sunlight. Never on a radiator. Once dry, fold (do not roll) and tuck into the original tissue paper or a cotton dust bag. Store away from cedar planks, which can stain pale fabrics over time.

Professional care

Spot-clean small marks with cold water and a small amount of mild soap, dabbing, never rubbing, at the affected area. For larger marks, a professional cleaner is the safer course. Iron only the inside of the waistband if needed. Never iron the print.

T-Shirts.

The Leopine t-shirt is heavyweight cotton, garment-dyed, finished by hand. It is the easiest piece in the wardrobe and the one that will outlive almost everything else in your closet, if treated well. Cotton, like a vintage dial, is at its best after a few seasons of honest wear.

The first wash

Wash separately the first time, in cold water, with a small amount of detergent. Garment-dyed cotton releases a small amount of color in the first cycle. This is normal and finishes after one wash. After that, you can mix it with like-colored fabrics.

Routine wash

Cold water. Gentle cycle. Like colors only. Inside out. This protects the front print from friction. No bleach. No fabric softener: it dulls the cotton and weakens the fibers.

Drying and ironing

Hang on a wooden hanger or lay flat to dry. The dryer shrinks heavyweight cotton, sometimes by a full size. If you must iron, use medium heat on the body, never on the print. Direct contact with a hot iron will yellow the print over time.

Storage

Folded, never hung. Hangers stretch the shoulders over the months. Stack them flat in the drawer. The marks they accumulate over years, sun fade on a sleeve, a barely-there shadow at the chest, are not damage. They are the patina of a piece worn and lived in. Do not try to wash these out.

Cuban Collar Shirts.

The Moonphase Cuban Collar is a French Terry interior with a structured open collar. It is meant to be the easiest shirt in the rotation, but ease, in clothing, requires a small amount of discipline. Treated correctly, the collar holds its shape, the terry stays soft, and the shirt becomes the kind of piece you reach for without thinking about it.

Wash

Cold water, gentle cycle, turned inside out. Wash with similar weights, never with denim or heavy items that bruise the terry. A small mesh laundry bag protects the buttons.

Drying

Hang on a wooden or padded hanger immediately after the wash. Smooth the collar flat with your hand while still wet. This preserves the curve. Air dry away from direct sunlight. The dryer destroys the structure of the collar within a few cycles.

Pressing

Steam, not iron. A travel steamer at low setting, held a few inches from the collar, refreshes it without damage. If you must iron, use low heat on the body and avoid the collar interior. That is where the structure lives.

Storage

Hung, top button fastened, on a wooden hanger with shoulders wider than 18cm. Crowded closets crush collars. Give your shirts the breathing room a watch winder gives a watch.

Sweaters.

The Leopine sweater is for time zones, not seasons. It travels in a carry-on, comes out at altitude, returns folded. It is worn between dinners. Wash it three or four times a year, not more. Sweaters need rest more than they need cleaning.

When to wash

After three or four wears in a row, lay flat for a full day to air out. Wash only when actually soiled. Frequent washing thins the fibers and accelerates pilling.

How to wash

Hand wash in cold water with a wool-safe detergent. Submerge fully, swirl gently, soak for ten minutes, drain. Press the water out, never wring. Roll the sweater inside a clean towel to remove the rest.

Drying

Lay flat on a clean towel, in the shade, away from direct sunlight or any heat source. Reshape while damp. Sleeves should match the body length. Allow 24 to 48 hours. Never hang a wet sweater. Wet wool stretches in unrecoverable ways.

De-pilling and storage

A sweater stone or small comb removes pills with the grain, never against. Fold and store flat with a piece of cedar or a sachet of lavender to discourage moths. Never hang a sweater long-term: the shoulders deform within months.

One last thing.

If you are unsure about anything, a stain, a stretched seam, a print that's started to fade in a way that doesn't feel right, do not improvise. Reach for the Concierge. The right answer is usually less work than you expect, and the wrong answer is permanent.

Cared for properly, your Leopine pieces are not garments. They are a small archive. Keep them well.