The Best Suit Brands on the Market Right Now
I was recently on a train during rush hour with my daughter and she saw a man picking his nose. He’d stuffed his finger right up there, wiggling it about like he had an itch on the brain. My daughter was mesmerised. She tugged my sleeve and said, “Daddy, that man has lost his finger inside his face.”
“Which man,” I said, because I had to see this for myself.
She pointed through the throng of commuters. She said, “The man in the suit."
She didn’t say the tall man, or the man with blonde hair, or the man in glasses. She said the man in the suit because that was his most defining characteristic: it's what made him stand out on a crowded train because no one else was wearing one. And I have to say, his finger may have been jammed up his nose, but he didn’t half look good while doing it.
A suit was once the full-body badge of knowledge and influence. A man in a suit was a man you could count on. He’d have one suit – or more – for every occasion. A wedding suit, a funeral suit, a dinner date suit, a holiday suit, a summer suit, a winter suit, a birthday suit. He’d have at least five for work. The measure of a man was the measure of his suit.
But I fear it's going the way of the cravat, the pocket watch and the pipe. Decreasingly, modern life is leaving us with precious few occasions to wear a whistle and flute. Unless you work in The City. Or Parliament. Or a church.
So, when those occasions do come along, we need to grab them by the lapels. Maybe those of us who still appreciate the cut of a fine suit can band together and restore its place in the everyday. Take it to the pub, on a date, or for a stroll through town. Wear it on your birthday.
As the man on the train proves, it'll lend you some grace in absolutely any situation.
Anderson & Sheppard
You don’t wear an Anderson & Sheppard suit, an Anderson & Sheppard suit wears you. You are but a vessel, a mannequin of flesh whose sole purpose is to carry this suit from one place to another for people to admire it. This is not an off-the-peg affair. No, sir (which is what they’ll call you).
A Savile Row institution that specialises in traditional bespoke tailoring, A&S has been in the game since 1906. For that, it has a Royal Warrant for services to the suit. It's arguably the most serious tailor in Mayfair.
Brioni
You can always tell an Italian suit by its cut. Renowned for their close, tailored fit that accentuates the body's natural shape, the Italian suit often has high armholes, a nipped-in waist, and a shorter jacket length. Brioni is the Parmigiano Reggiano of Italian suit making – classic, strong and stinks of class. A suit from Brioni ranges from around £3,000 to £9,000, depending on the cut and material.
Brunello Cucinelli
Another of Italy’s top suit-smiths. As good an Italian suit as you’ll find outside of Milan, though you’ll also find it there – its flagship store is on the city’s Via Monte Napoleone (the closest Milan has to Savile Row). This Italian luxury brand offers exceptional quality and timeless designs. Its suits are known for their soft construction, luxurious fabrics, and meticulous attention to detail.
Tom Ford
Tom Ford did Daniel Craig’s suits in Quantum of Solace, No Time To Die, Skyfall and Casino Royale. Which goes to show, they can take one hell of a beating and still look impeccably tidy. The brand's signature style combines classic tailoring and top-notch quality with a modern edge. The suits are usually slimmer-fitting than the average English style, but not so snug in the trouser that you can see y0u 00 and your 7, so to speak.
Armani
What’s left to say about the Armani suit? It is the progenitor of the original “power suit”, a potent and implacable symbol of the high-stakes Wall Street jungle of the eighties. Think Richard Gere in the 1980 movie American Gigolo or Leo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street. Nothing says, “Sell me this pen!” better than an Armani suit.
Drake’s
As our editor-in-chief Alex Bilmes wrote for the magazine in 2023, “Drake’s makes suits and ties and tailored shirts for men who don’t have to wear them but choose to do so anyway, because they feel good and look right.” They are well made, carefully considered and soft-to-the-touch; they're the uniform of the low-key peacock in London. The style is very British, very relaxed. Drake’s suits are just as much for Martinis at Quo Vadis as they are for the workplace.
Suit Supply
The name Suit Supply doesn’t exactly shout 'luxury'. Sounds more like the kind of wholesale clothing brand you’d see on Commercial Road in East London, wedged between “Hugo Hoggs” and “Kelvin Clean”. Not the case, actually. Suit Supply is a top-quality dispenser of lovely suits. They are crafted from Italian fabrics from Italy’s weaving heartland, Biella. They do suits in pure wool, linen and cotton, as well as alpaca, cashmere and silk. For a more laid-back look, they also do them in corduroy and seersucker. With prices falling between around £300 and £1,000-a-suit, this is affordable luxury at its finest.
Oliver Spencer
Oliver Spencer – ‘Oli’ to his mates – started out on a market stall on Portobello Road before launching the brand in 2002. Now he’s got four shops and a massive online business. Oliver Spencer suits are made to be worn, and not just on special occasions. Known for its blend of classic tailoring and contemporary styling, the suits are relaxed yet refined. The man himself is known to have said: “Quality needn't mean formality; casual needn't mean careless.”
Percival
Percival is most famous for its diaphanous summer suits, but that's not to say it
doesn't batten down the hatches once it gets cold. It does a fine range of other styles in addition to linen and light cotton, including cord and wool. And I must mention that the so-called Percival Tailored Suit is a favourite among its fans (and us), sold on a “one suit, all occasions” ethos.
Husbands
For brands that have blogs, you can tell a lot by the content. Husbands’ blog (or “journal”) has stories about Marlon Brando, James Baldwin, David bowie and lots of other stars of screen and stage from the past. Predominantly about the things they wore and how they wore them. The message? Husbands is concerned with timelessness.
For a Husbands suit, you’re looking at around £1,500 for a two-piece. So, certainly not the cheapest on the market. But affordable for the kind of man who wears his suits like a 20th Century star of the screen and/or stage – often and unapologetically.
J.Crew
J.Crew is a stylish friend to us all. Specifically those who enjoy dipping their toes into the suiting world, but are overwhelmed by the seriousness of Saville Row. It offers suits that are approachable, versatile, and won't break the bank; the kind of attire good for job interviews, first dates and brunch with your in-laws.
Marks & Spencer
It might irk some men to buy a suit from the same place you can get a sandwich, snack and drink meal-deal for £6, but there’s nothing wrong with M&S suits. As affordable fashion goes, it’s one of the good guys, and it seems to take sustainability seriously. Known for its value-driven offerings, M&S offers a wide range of suits to fit different budgets and styles. Its suits are a practical choice for anyone seeking quality and affordability.
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Ralph Lauren
Did you know the suit was invented for men to sit comfortably on a horse? That’s what the vents at the back are for. The flapped pockets were to stop belongings like gloves and knives from falling out while riding. Makes sense then that The House of the Pony does great suits in pretty much every style you can think of.
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