An Expert Guide to the Best Menswear Brands In the World
Some time ago, an old friend made a throwaway fashion statement that changed my relationship with clothing forever. “Never, ever, wear shorts to work,” he said outside a Soho pub one warm autumn evening. Then he paused for a moment, looked wistfully into his Guinness, and said, “No man wants to get sacked in shorts.”
He was right. What could be more degrading than being let go with your knees out? It’s like getting dumped in flip-flops.
From that moment on, I saw my wardrobe afresh. It wasn't just about practicality. It was about projecting an image, telling a story. He had opened my eyes to the subtle language of clothes, where a simple pair of shorts could be the difference between a confident stride towards a bigger, better life, and a knobble-kneed hobble of shame down the fire escape.
Not just that – a well thought-through outfit can remind you of who you want to be. Every hoodie, every button-down shirt, every pair of jeans is a step closer to the man in the mirror you want to see.
That man also knows that choosing the right brands is just as important as picking the right pieces. So if you'd like your image to not be the guy that has his shins out during working hours, and more like the wise, reliable, advice-giving guy, look to our favourite menswear brands as a good place to start.
We'll be updating this list as the months go by, so check back regularly.
American Workwear: Filson, Carhartt, Dickies, L. C. King
You don’t need your own tree-felling saw to look like a man who uses one for a living. Nowadays it’s enough to just dress like you do. America is the progenitor of no-nonsense workwear so hardy it could survive a brown-bear mauling and come out looking the better for it.
Carhartt was founded in 1889 to kit out the men building America’s new railroads; Filson was born in 1897 for prospectors of the Alaskan Gold Rush; L. C. King grew from Texan ranching culture in 1912; and Dickies began making bib overalls in 1922 before branching into durable workwear for American industry.
All four brands have stayed loyal to their roots, while subtly adapting to modern life. Carhartt, for example, started its WIP (Work in Progress) arm in 1994 to make fashion-forward takes on its classics, aimed at the cool, counter-culture kids that had started wearing the brand. Even so, they've kept the core principles of durability and functionality while introducing contemporary fits, updated fabrics, and styles that resonate with modern men who get things done (or at least want to look like they do).
Albertville 5 Panel CapBlack
874 Original Fit Work Pant
x Birkenstock Lahti Natural Leather/Felt
Detroit Jacket Hamilton Brown
Savile Row Tailors: Anderson & Sheppard, Ozwald Boateng, Dege & Skinner, Henry Poole & Co.
There is nothing quite like a Savile Row suit, and the historic street offers plenty of old school and updated options. Best known for its “English Drape” cut, Anderson & Sheppard make suits literally fit for a king (King Charles, that is), with his Royal Warrant for services to the suit.
Dege & Skinner has three, having created uniforms for not only the Beefeaters of the Tower of London but also the late Queen's bodyguards. They’re old, but Henry Poole & Co. is older, claiming to be the ‘founding father’ of Savile Row since opening their first shop on the beknighted drag in 1846.
If it’s evening wear you’re after, Henry Poole & Co. will see you right – they invented the tuxedo in 1860. As for Ozwald Boateng, he's the rebel who injected Savile Row with a dose of modern style. He was also the first Black tailor to open a shop on the ancient strip, a landmark achievement that diversified the industry.
Scandi brands: Arket, NN. 07, Acne Studios, Tiger of Sweden
Scandinavian fashion is a lot like its people: unshowy, sophisticated, and usually easy on the eye. It’s a quality over quantity thing, in both cases. Take Arket, H&M’s sustainable offshoot – sort of the fashion equivalent of meatballs and mash; you know exactly what you’re getting which, sometimes, is exactly what you need.
NN. 07 stands for “No Nationality 07”, which is a little ironic given how Danishly understated it all is. That’s a good thing. Acne Studios is higher end, as if a catwalk model tripped over a tin of paint and fell into a box of denim off-cuts. It’s minimalism with a flash of mischief.
As for Tiger of Sweden, we’re in legacy territory now. Founded in the same year The Wright Brothers first took flight, ToS is now all about slick Scandinavian tailoring with a rock ‘n’ roll heart – a brand for men who want their clothes to say something without shouting.
Benjamins Shirt
Straight-Leg Distressed Jeans
Blake 8240 Coated-Twill Trench Coat
Wool-Alpaca Blend Jumper
British Workwear Brands: Universal Works, Folk, The Workers Club, YMC
British workwear was never about battling the elements, unlike its Atlantic counterpart. Its ethos is more about battling for workers’ rights in industrial Lancashire; designed less for durability, more for comfort on the factory floor.
The Workers Club, for instance, does a fine (albeit small) line in made-to-last selvage denim jeans, chore jackets and unlined blazers. Universal Works, on the other hand, is more modern take on the workwear look, under the motto: "Real clothes for real people." It's fashion with its sleeves rolled up, where function meets style in a rumpled, lived-in kind of way.
Then there’s Folk – the British menswear sweet spot. It’s more about low-key style for the look of a man who’s just stepped off a Vespa, even if he has just rolled out of bed. Finally, YMC – You Must Create – was born in 1995 from a love of workwear and military uniforms, imbued with a touch of the avant-guards and claims to be inspired by a “counter-cultural post-punk DIY attitude”
Assembly Pant - Dark Sage Cord
Dean Shirt
Rinse Wash Indigo Slim Fit 01 Selvedge Denim
$282.00 at theworkersclub.co.uk
Wool Fleece Cardigan Orange
Luxury Fashion Houses
Honestly, there are too many high fashion labels to list here that are worthy of your time, money and moodboard. From Dior to Louis Vuitton, the best way to keep abreast of the very best pieces on the runway and ready-to-wear collections is 1) by regularly reading our style section, and 2) by checking out our weekly round-up of new clothes that we really, really want.
Skatewear: Supreme, Palace, Stussy, Always Do What You Should Do
In 2019, Dior’s Creative Director Kim Jones revealed his contempt for the term “streetwear”. “You wear clothes in the street, so everything’s streetwear,” he railed. Fair point. So, to avoid any confusion, we’re calling this section skatewear.
Supreme has become the supreme leader of the market – nominative determinism at its hardest working. Founded in the mid-90s, the brand known for its iconic red-box logo became a global phenomenon by the mid 2010s, with tourists crossing borders just to spend a holiday in a Supreme queue in London or New York. Now, the brand is still on the money, blending elements of skate culture, street art and high fashion.
Palace’s Escher-esque “Penrose triangle” logo is just as iconic, with clothing to match, while Always Do What You Should Do is all about bold colours and ethically made athleisure, best-known for making some of the best joggers you’ll buy anywhere. Both are functional, fashionable and comfortable. Finally, Stussy is the elder statesman of skate wear – from 1970s surf gear to a global brand that has transcended its roots, but still retains its laid-back, SoCal cool.
one strap bag - @sun purple
$70.00 at alwaysdowhatyoushoulddo.com
Palace Tri-Dart "Black" drawstring hoodie
Sherpa reversible jacket
Box logo cotton T-shirt
High Street: Uniqlo, Cos, M&S, Mango
There is only a Q in Uniqlo because of a clerical mistake. In 1988, when the Japanese brand “Unique Clothing” registered its name in Hong Kong, a sleepy administrator misread the c as a q, and the spelling stuck. Today, Uniqlo’s success is no mistake. It’s the shogun of menswear-that-doesn’t-mess-about – solid, dependable basics at a reasonable price.
Cos is Uniqlo's cooler, slightly more sophisticated older brother, and Mango is the charismatic cousin who stays up late and is always up on the latest trends. And what’s left to say about M&S? Here’s the thing about M&S: it’s cool again. Not cool in the way brands mentioned in the skatewear, workwear or Scandi sections above are cool. But for the money, M&S is bang on the money. It nails the classics with enough edge and flair in most of the right places.
Ultra Light Down Vest
Knitted Jacket
Corduroy straight-fit pants
Tailored Wool-Twil Coat
Swimwear: Orlebar Brown, Asket, Mr Marvis, Versace
OK, we’re diving straight in with Orlebar Brown because, sorry, if you don’t already know about Orlebar Brown then you probably can’t afford Orlebar Brown. If, on the other hand, you are the kind of man with £295 to spend on a pair of swim shorts, this is the only place to shop. Its shorts are beautifully built, beautifully cut and look beautiful by any pool. While we’re at it, Versace also offers stylish swimwear at the fine end of the market. It’s Barocco swimshort (not to mention the equivalent budgie smugglers!) are gorgeously garish – there’s not a beach in the world that would steal the attention from you.
Nearer the middle of the market, Asket’s swim shorts are made entirely of recovered ocean plastics and recycled PET for a look as “clean as it is considered”. Think solid, understated colours for the solid, understated man. Then there’s Mr Marvis (not to be confused with the toothpaste brand Marvis, whose American website is one of the funnest in the world), which offers a range of slightly shorter, slimmer-fitting tailored shorts in a variety of bold colours and patterns. Think of them as the sort of eye-catching, Instagram-friendly option that would suit a younger, more style-conscious man.
Versace
Catamarans Seersucker Shorts
The Swim Shorts
Bulldog Straight-Leg Mid-Length Printed Swim Shorts
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