Kirin Rising Tee

麒麟の飛翔 (kirin no hishō): "the kirin in flight."

In 1414, envoys from Bengal brought the Ming emperor Yongle an animal no one at his court had seen: a giraffe. Officials hailed it as a qilin, the sacred beast that shows itself only under a wise ruler, and the court had its portrait painted, led on a rope by its keeper. Japanese makes the same match to this day. The everyday word for a giraffe in Japan is kirin.

A blue kirin with a gold mane and white feathered wings bursts through orange flame on the back, under "Kirin Rising." The line beneath it reads 麒麟の飛翔 (kirin no hishō), "the kirin in flight," and smaller English calls it a "Sacred Beast of Prosperity." A small kirin in flames sits on the chest.

It makes a good gift for a friend who just got promoted to run the team, because a kirin only turns up when the one in charge is wise. The blue and gold stay soft rather than shouty, and more sacred beasts share the gods and guardians collection.

• Fabric: 100% combed cotton, 230gsm, pre-shrunk and soft-washed
• Print: direct-to-garment (DTG)
• Color: washed light gray
• Fit: unisex, regular; size up for a boxier, oversized look
• Sizes: S to 3XL
• Size reference: 6 ft 2 in wears L; 5 ft 7 in wears M

Measurements for every size are in the size guide.