Eternal Summer — The Summer Wardrobe by Elisabeth Akaia Kai
DESCRIPTION
Designer Button Down Shirt
Wash at 86°F, low tumble dry heat, hang to dry, do not wring, low heat iron.
| XXS | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | XXXL | 4XL | 5XL | 6XL | 7XL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chest size |
XXS
88 - 91 cm
34.6 - 35.8"
|
XS 92 - 95cm
36.2 - 37.4"
|
S
96 - 99cm
37.7 - 38.9"
|
M
100 - 103 cm
39.3 - 40.5"
|
L
104 - 107 cm
40.9 - 42.1"
|
XL
108 - 111cm
42.5 - 43.7"
|
XXL
112 - 115 cm
44 - 45.2"
|
XXXL
116 - 119 cm
45.6 - 46.8"
|
4XL
120 - 123 cm
47.2 - 48.4"
|
5XL
124 - 129cm
48.8 - 50.7"
|
6XL
130 - 135cm
51.2 - 53.1"
|
7XL
136 - 141 cm
53.5 - 55.5"
|
🧵 Tip: For a fitted and elegant look, choose your exact size. For a more relaxed and oversized chic look, size up.
Each M'bani shirt is handcrafted in London , in partner workshops specializing in high-end tailoring.
Each step — from printing the pattern to the final assembly — is carried out with a commitment to craftsmanship and a deep respect for the garment as a work of art.
The printing is done using eco-friendly, water-based inks, guaranteeing color durability and minimal environmental impact .
The fabrics are selected for their comfort, lightness, and breathability in tropical climates.
The house of Élisabeth Akaïa Kaï advocates for a radical slow fashion approach , where each piece is only produced on demand , with a focus on exclusivity and durability.
Wearing M'bani means choosing a conscious garment: a meeting between artisanal craftsmanship, artistic creation, and ecological responsibility .
The M'bani shirt was born from the dialogue between tradition and modernity.
Its name — "M'bani," the bird — evokes the sacred parrot , messenger of the heavens and guardian of memory in several Bantu cultures.
In the villages of the equatorial forest, it is said that its cries herald the changing seasons, and that its colorful feathers hold the words of the ancestors.
The parrot, through its gift of imitation, represents speech that transcends time , the ability to listen, understand, and transmit without distortion.
It is the image of living knowledge , passed down from generation to generation.
The golden patterns that adorn the shirt echo these symbols: spirals, stylized feathers, abstract flights.
In Gabonese symbolism, gold is associated with royalty, solar power, and spiritual dignity .
It is the color of inner light, the kind we cultivate in silence before sharing it.
It is also the color of prestige and the sacred, often used to honor ancestors during ritual ceremonies.
The deep green , on the other hand, is a direct homage to the equatorial forest , the matrix of the country and the beating heart of life.
In Fang, Punu, and Myene traditions, green embodies balance, fertility, and rebirth .
It is the color of breath, healing, and the continuity between the visible and the invisible.
Wearing green is about connecting with nature and the wisdom it teaches: patience, growth, and grounding.
Thus, the M'bani shirt unites two forces — earth and light , memory and expression .
She translates into clothing the encounter between the silence of the forest and the brilliance of the sun, between the legacy of ancestors and the breath of a new generation.
It is this poetic tension, between depth and brilliance, that gives the M'bani shirt its unique aura: a talismanic garment, both grounded and radiant .
The M'bani shirt is worn as a subtle statement — between sunny elegance and cultural grounding.
Its flowing cut and golden sheen allow it to transcend contexts: from the refinement of a dinner to the simplicity of an afternoon in the tropical light.
Each combination reveals a different facet of M'bani : wisdom, freedom, or celebration.
It's a piece that adapts to the rhythm of the body , the mood of the day, and the season of the soul.
At Élisabeth Akaïa Kaï , each creation is born from a desire, not from a stock of materials.
The M'bani shirt is made to order only, by hand, in our London workshops.
This approach guarantees not only ethical and responsible production , but also total authenticity : each piece is made for a specific person, at the moment they desire it.
This approach embodies the vision of the company:
Produce less, but produce fairly.
On-demand manufacturing avoids overproduction and ensures complete traceability , from the design of the pattern to the finishing of the last button.
It also offers a creative time that respects the artisanal gesture — a slow, precise, almost ritualistic pace, where each stitch is conceived as a trace of attention.
Thus, the M'bani shirt becomes more than just a garment: a personalized work , shaped over time, carrying a direct link between the craftsman, the designer, and the wearer.
The M'bani shirt is an exceptional piece, designed to last over time and reveal its beauty throughout the seasons.
Its breathable fabric and golden patterns demand attentive care, imbued with the same respect as that given to its creation.
Care instructions:
Each wash reveals a little more of the fabric's texture and deepens the patina of the color — like a garment that matures with the person who wears it.
Taking care of M'bani means extending the creator's gesture: a ritual of slowness and attention, where the garment becomes a living memory.
Choosing the M'bani shirt means choosing a garment with meaning.
Each thread, each pattern, each button tells a story: that of a reinvented Gabonese art, of an elegance rooted in memory and turned towards the future.
M'bani is not just a passing phase.
It is conceived as a statement piece , a tribute to inner freedom and the nobility of the artisan's craft.
Handcrafted in London, it combines the demands of contemporary luxury with the warmth of ancestral craftsmanship .
Wearing M'bani is to assert a presence: that of someone who chooses slowness, sincere beauty, and an embraced rarity.
It is to recognize in clothing not just a simple accessory, but a trace of culture, a spark of light to pass on.
The M'bani shirt only exists when it is desired.
Each piece is handcrafted, made to order , in our London workshops — a unique creation, designed for the person who will wear it.
By ordering it, you enter a ritual: that of conscious luxury , of respected time, of lasting beauty.
Your shirt will be printed, cut, and assembled especially for you, with the care and precision that any work of art deserves.
When you wear it, you will also carry the spirit of Gabon — that elegance rooted in light.
📦 Fast international shipping
🧵 Limited edition, certified by the house of Élisabeth Akaïa Kaï
🌍 Ethical and responsible production
Pickup currently not available
"M'bani is the art of saying a lot without raising your voice. The luxury of being yourself, simply."
