25 British Brands You Should Get To Know, From Hades To Serena Bute
There’s a lot of stuff out there, and not all fashion pieces are created equal. Luckily, the ELLE editors know their way around a shopping rail, and when it comes to helping you find those niche brands worth knowing to high-street hits of quality, and a few vintage treasures too, our ELLE Edits showcase the very best of the season.
If you haven’t already swotted up on the best British clothing brands, you really should do your homework. The French may have elegant insouciance and Australian brands own that carefree kind of bohemia, but there’s an edge to the Brits that you simply can’t beat. London is the city that brought the world Mods in the Sixties, Punks in the Seventies and New Romantics in the Eighties, not to mention countless home-grown greats like Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith.
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But we’re not here to school you on established designer labels you already know and love: we’re here to shine a light on the smaller (but likely not for long, thanks to Instagram) independent labels repping the UK today. Those totally unique British brands that continue to carry the crown. From the new vanguard of emerging designers redefining British fashion – Wales Bonner, Molly Goddard, Tolu Coker and more – to mid-level labels like Rat & Boa, &Daughter, and Peachy Den that skilfully reflect the zeitgeist in clothes.
The Best British Brands By Category
Best for cashmere: Begg & Co
Best for wardrobe staples: Aligne
Best for eveningwear: 16Arlington
Best for It-girl statements: Peachy Den
Best for wedding-guest dresses: Rixo
By shopping ‘local’ rather than relying on your old high-street favourites, you’re potentially doing good by the planet, too. OK, we’re not naive, we know that in 2025 most labels can't viably hand-make everything in England, but they're certainly trying to take more responsibility. Tolu Coker uses a mix of deadstock fabrics and upcycled materials, &Daughter works with a small group of makers based in Scotland and Ireland who use locally-sourced yarns, while Nobody's Child and Damson Madder recycle existing fabric into fresh new pieces.
If these impressive credentials aren’t enough to sway, the cool campaign imagery below certainly will. Keep scrolling to see 25 of the best British brands to know and shop now.
The British Brands We're Buying In 2025
Serena Bute
Best for: Souped-up sweats and expertly cut trousers.
Ex-model and aristocrat Serena Bute was designing clothes for 30 years before she decided to finally put her name to a label. The London-based business launched in 2015, back when the world was not yet obsessed with loungewear – a then-and-now brand signature.
Sure, we love Serena Bute's colour-blocked co-ords and utilitarian jumpsuits, but the luxurious tailored track-pants are a mainstay for a reason. And these aren't just your standard side-stripe trousers: they're cut from plush velvet and weighty satin, topped with the brand's signature double waistband (ideal if you're not ready to embrace midriff-baring low-rise trends) and finished with dramatic floor-pooling hems.
Hades
Best for: Traditional craft and punk impact.
A fresh approach to the great British punk scene is alive and well at Hades, the home-grown brand paying homage to our island's idiosyncratic spirit.
The brand is best known for its statement slogan knitwear, which honours the music world's counter-culture icons, from Blondie to Iggy Pop, X-Ray Spex and Patti Smith. Following recent expansion, there are now scarves, skirts, knitted hoods and bags also on the menu.
Craft is never compromised here, with every piece crated to withstand endless wears (not to mention the whims of the trend cycle). Most are spun in Hawick, Scotland – the home of excellent knitwear – while factories in the UK and Spain create other specialist pieces.
Begg & Co
Best for: The finest cashmere you'll ever own.
To wear Begg & Co's cashmere is to experience something of a fashion nirvana. To the touch, it is pure heaven, enough to make even the grimmest of commutes or the greyest of days that little bit brighter. The trick (or long-known technique) for this exceptional product is the environment it's created in – in Scotland, where the water purity impacts the end result.
Begg & Co might be all about age-old traditions, but it's always future facing, whether that's through its approach to colour or with the technology it employs to progress forward. Responsible craftsmanship is at the heart of every Begg & Co piece. Go visit its neat Burlington Arcade store to experience it for yourself — and be prepared to really feel.
16Arlington
Best for: Modern elegance in head-turning fabrications.
Since 2018, 16Arlington has been dressing Britain's most interesting women, who all fell quick and fast for Marco Capaldo and the late Kika Cavenati's design signature. Today, to buy and wear 16Arlington puts you in a pretty fabulous and well-heeled cohort. Fans of the brand include, but are not limited to, Simone Ashley, Daisy Edgar Jones, Zendaya and Amal Clooney.
16Arlington is a highlight of the London Fashion Week schedule, with Capaldo and his atelier proving that the British capital can still be a place where new design houses thrive. What to buy from 16Arlington? Great dresses, interesting knitwear and, of course, something sparkly.
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Cou Cou Intimates
Best for: Organic pointelle underwear.
If you're wondering why you're seeing pointelle underwear everywhere, you've only got to look at Cou Cou Intimates for the answer. The Brit brand started the trend that launched a thousand imitations, even from some of the biggest names on the planet...
While underwear might be its foundation, Cou Cou Intimates has moved it forward to also make pointelle that's made to be seen, whether in its cult midi-skirts, sweet cardigans or floral vest tops that are a prettier alternative to a plain white vest.
Better still, Cou Cou's cotton is organic and 100% GOTS certified.
Wales Bonner
Best for: Exceptional craftsmanship with stealth IYKYK appeal.
If your introduction to Wales Bonner was through its coveted collaboration with adidas Originals, then we're delighted to share that the British-Jamaican designer has been creating critically-acclaimed tailoring since 2014. Founded by Central Saint Martins alum Grace Wales Bonner, her eponymous label started out in menswear before expanding to womenswear in 2018.
Counting Solange Knowles, Tina Kunakey, and Naomi Campbell as friends of the brand, Wales Bonner has been awarded numerous accolades since – including a British Fashion Award (2015), LVMH Young Designer Prize (2016), CFDA International Men's Designer of the Year (2021), and she's a Member of the Order of the British Empire since 2022 to boot.
Molly Goddard
Best for: Fabulous frocks that are dopamine in dress form.
Molly Goddard's frothy creations have long provided a playful antithesis to Britain's heritage of sleek tailoring. Launched by Central Saint Martins graduate Goddard in 2015, the brand's signature tulle and hand-smocked taffeta dresses have been worn by Rihanna (on numerous occasions), Barbie director Greta Gerwig, Rosamund Pike, Zendaya, and Skins alum Kaya Scodelario – to name but a few.
Tolu Coker
Best for: Excellent silhouettes.
Tolu Coker's ethos is about community, inclusivity, and sustainability. The British-Nigerian designer launched her eponymous label in 2018 after graduating from Central Saint Martins the previous year.
The brand names Maya Jama, Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran and India Amartefio among its fans. More recently, Ariana Grande wore a look from the SS24 collection in her music video for The Boy Is Mine.
Not only a fashion designer, but also a textile designer and illustrator, Tolu Coker's pieces are locally crafted in London using deadstock fabrics and upcycled materials.
Peachy Den
Best for: Nostalgic pieces with the energy of now.
Peachy Den was launched in 2019 by London-born Isabella Weatherby when she was fresh out of university. Fast-forward five years and she's found herself on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list thanks to the label's global success and seven-figure profits.
This popularity comes as no surprise: Peachy Den was championing the Noughties before it hit the mainstream, and counts celebrities like Bella Hadid, Addison Rae and Olivia Rodrigo as fans. What's more, the label prides itself on using mainly sustainably sourced or deadstock fabrics and producing 50% of its clothing in UK-based factories.
Rat & Boa
Best for: Slip dresses to wear here, there and everywhere.
Slipping into one of Rat & Boa's slinky, diaphanous dresses guarantees an instant confidence boost. Longtime friends Valentina Muntoni and Stephanie Cara founded the brand in 2015, that owes much of its success to a highly engaged online community. But, we would counter that it's the bold, sensual designs and rebellious, bohemian spirit that have attracted such a dedicated following.
You can't go wrong with one of Rat & Boa's spaghetti-strap maxi dresses to attend a wedding – especially on a balmy summer day or in a tropical destination – while the bridal and swimwear is equally as glamorous.
Aligne
Best for: Wardrobe staples with the right amount of difference.
Aligne arrived on the scene a few years ago, just in time to fill the space in our wardrobes left by Topshop. The two are different in many ways, but there's something about the way that this newer British brand designs clothes that feels aligned (sorry!) with Topshop, as it too seems to always know what we want to wear before we even realise it.
Aligne is, however, a brand that is doing its own thing entirely, proving that great clothes can come with great price points, expansive size ranges and an as clean as possible impact. Its women-first ethos is proof that female-run businesses are best for knowing what women really want to wear. Snap up its denim first. You won't regret it.
&Daughter
Best for: Exquisite knits beloved by the fashion set.
'My Irish Granny was an amazing knitter, she passed that knowledge and passion onto my father,' writes Buffy Reid, of father-and-daughter knitwear brand &Daughter. 'Now I am lucky enough to work with many of the makers and mills that he did.'
Launched in 2013 by publicist-turned-designer Reid, &Daughter is dedicated to sustainable production by using five natural yarns that are spun by people they know personally, who are located on a nature reserve in Loch Leven, Scotland. The brand also works with five makers from the Borders of Scotland and the West Coast of Donegal who use traditional techniques to finish each knit by hand.
Damson Madder
Best for: Great dresses, even better pyjamas.
Despite launching smack bang in the middle of lockdown in April 2020, Damson Madder has seen huge success in its three years of existence. Putting sustainability at the forefront of everything it does, the British brand uses only organic or recycled cottons, and polyester yarns regenerated completely from plastic bottles.
Luckily, the label's founder manages this alongside keeping price points affordable and designs as impeccable as ever. This season, we're obsessed with the new line of nightwear that is guaranteed to bring a dose of much-needed joy to the cold, dark nights ahead.
Rixo
Best for: Vintage-inspired wedding guest dresses.
Rixo needs no introduction. The British brand is the brainchild of best friends Orlagh and Henrietta, who bonded over their love for vintage shopping while studying at London College of Fashion.
Together they dreamt up Rixo — now a globally successful brand worn by The Princess of Wales and Hailey Bieber — from their university flat. They might have since moved on from student digs to an atelier, but Orlagh still hand-paints all of the original prints that grace their cult dresses.
Sister Jane
Best for: Princess dresses with plenty of volume.
Sister Jane launched in 2011, first landing in stores as a concession in #OldTopshop's iconic Oxford Street flagship. The London-based label launched its own site two years later and sales are rising rapidly, according to Forbes.
Beloved since day one for its dedicated retro aesthetic that never bows to cyclical trends, Sister Jane has been a go-to for babydoll silhouettes and voluminous puffed sleeves long before you started wishlisting Cecile Bahnsen and Molly Goddard bits. The luxe cloqué fabrics, intricate embellishment and structural linings makes these pieces feel so much more expensive than they really are.
Pink City Prints
Best for: Printed dresses.
Pink City Prints is a British brand that celebrates ancient craft — founder Molly Russel launched the label in 2018 after a stint living in Jaipur.
All of the block and screen printing, hand-looming and embroidery is done by a network of artisans in Northern India (each dress can take up to three days to create).
The brand's sales have doubled post-pandemic and it's recently garnered lots of insider interest thanks to its prairie-inspired and Victoriana cuts; the peplums, high ruffs and peasant sleeves create a striking silhouette.
Nobody's Child
Best for: Day dresses to see you through every occasion.
By now you will have likely heard of London-based brand Nobody's Child. The label launched in 2015 and was one of the first to champion sustainable clothing at accessible prices — right around the time British high street favourites were turning more and more to fast fashion methods.
Nine years later and Nobody's Child has upped both its fashion and eco-credentials. In line with its SS24 collection, the brand launched its Digital Product Passport (DPP) as a QR code on the care label of each of the capsule's 20 pieces. This way, customers can scan to know details of the product's supply chain.
Nobody's Child plans to make this available on all garments in the main collection by the end of 2024, while maintaining its dedication to using over 95% organic, lower impact or recycled materials.
Albaray
Best for: Responsibly sourced fabrics.
Albaray is the brainchild of ex-Warehouse executives and designers Karen Peacock, Paula Stewart and Kirstie Di Stazio. The trio hit pause on their fashion careers during the pandemic in 2020 (and after Warehouse was bought by Boohoo), coming together over Zoom to launch now-beloved independent British brand Albaray.
From its 100% responsible sourced fabrics to recycled packaging, the label is proudly sustainable, and we're big fans of its knitted dresses, tailored separates and plush wrap coats.
This season, the brand collaborated with Dorset-based artist Wilder & Wren on a nine-piece capsule of floral-print dresses, skirts, and tops that are ideal for summer occasions.
O Pioneers
Best for: Sweet prairie-inspired dresses.
O Pioneers was founded in Camden Town by friends and fellow vintage-obsessives Clara Francis (actor and jewellery designer) and Tania Hindmarch (PR and seamstress).
The premise of the British brand is simple. A small collection of romantic, prairie-inspired dresses made from heritage end-of-stock fabrics; which just so happen to be both beautiful and sustainable.
Whether made from poplin or pin-corduroy, these numbers are often cotton and and machine washable — practicality is also a big factor for the duo.
Oceanus
Best for: All beaded everything.
Oceanus first launched in 2017 as a swimwear brand. But not just any standard swimwear label — the late-Eighties and early-Nineties Miami influences (think old school Versace vibes) and atmospheric campaigns felt directional from day one.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the British brand has expanded beyond resortwear into evening looks, but its retro aesthetic very much remains. Think bejewelled stretch-velvet, printed lamé, playful tropical and nautical motifs, with a heavy dose of sequins, beading and embroidery; alongside halter and square necklines, ultra-high leg shapes and plenty of sultry cutouts.
Cefinn
Best for: Smart-casual dresses built to last.
Ex-Smythson creative director Samantha Cameron (yes, the same Sam Cam you're thinking of) launched Cefinn in 2017. The British brand quickly built a loyal customer base, and having tried its clothes we can guess why: the fit is impeccable.
The words 'for real women' are thrown around a lot in fashion, but this stuff is actually designed with day-to-day life in mind; not to mention it flatters a diverse range of bodies. Our favourite piece ever has to be the corduroy Daphne dress — it's like the wearable, more affordable version of The Vampire's Wife's party looks.
Lily and Lionel
Best for: Hand-drawn prints.
Lily and Lionel has evolved since its initial launch in 2008 — from a scarf brand, to a dedicated print house, to the womenswear label we know and love today.
Prints are still at the heart of Lily and Lionel, with each individual design being hand-drawn in the brand's London studio; they help bring each vintage-inspired collection to life.
Jane Atelier
Best for: Retro tailoring.
Jane Atelier has actually been kicking around for 20 years, but it was known as GOAT until rebranding in 2021. Founder and creative director Jane Lewis lives and breathes her label's Sixties aesthetic – she's rarely seen without her hoop earrings and point collar shirts.
The designer's dedication to these retro shapes (we're obsessed in particular with its three-piece suits) is no doubt why Jane Atelier has garnered such a loyal following – it counts Victoria Beckham, Lana del Rey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Middleton, The Princess of Wales, among its clientele.
House of Sunny
Best for: It-girl-approved dresses.
House of Sunny hit the big time in 2020 when its now-cult Hockney dress — loved by Kendall Jenner — became a sell-out success. You might not know this, but the British brand was actually launched in Hackney back in 2011.
Skip to 2025 and the label is expanding beyond its graphic knits (although they're very much on our agenda for these brisk climes). Look out for excellent boxy outerwear, throw-it-all-in shoulder bags, and some cute denim pieces that have us particularly excited for the arrival of warmer weather.
Fanfare Label
Best for: Well-fitting denim that's a bit different.
Revolutionising the way we perceive sustainable fashion, Esther Knight founded London-based Fanfare Label in 2019. Since then, it has quickly become a champion for circularity — winning multiple awards while remaining an independent brand.
Coveted for its eclectic denim with an exceptional fit, Fanfare ensures that each garment is either made slowly from certified sustainable fabrics, or crafted from upcycled textiles that would have otherwise gone to landfill. And it's not limited to denim, the brand also offers linen sets, tees, and jackets for a head-to-toe conscious look.
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