Fifteen menswear brands you need to know about
1. Aries
Born from a skate brand background, Aries has enjoyed a cult following for years. Subversive graphics embody anti-fashion youth movements and trash culture. Price-wise it occupies the sweet spot between topend high street and designer. The handprinted tie-dye T-shirts and the Cerne Abbas giant motif fleece designed with artist Jeremy Deller are among our favourites. T-shirt, £95, ariesarise.com 2. Alex Orso
Men’s jewellery can be tricky terrain to navigate, but this London-based brand makes it easy with dialled-down bling. Pendants of found objects like paperclips and bottle tops are cast in brass and plated in ruthenium. Chains are offered in two lengths and while the rings are simple, the gold and ruby cuff features three 1.8mm square rubies discreetly fitted flush into one end. Necklace, £99, alexorso.com
3. Nufferton
Stats say Swedes spend more time at home than anyone else in the world. Factor in the Scandi love of simple design and an ability to look chic at all times and you get Nufferton, purveyors of Instagram-friendly PJs. Think old school cotton stripe styles in shades of navy and claret and candy pastels that wouldn’t look out of place in a Wes Anderson movie. Pyjamas, £123.35, nufferton.com
4. Castore
Athlete-entrepreneur brothers Tom and Phil Beahon founded Castore to provide high-performing sportswear using patented technology and advanced engineering for discerning sportsmen. The limited-edition Garcia hoodie is made from a fabric that is 100% waterproof yet lighter than most training tees. Top, £215, castore.com 5. Hamilton and Hare
Having redesigned the humble boxer short to a well-fitting piece of kit, Hamilton and Hare set their sights on lounge wear. Their sleep shirts can take you straight from bed, on an emergency supermarket milk run and back to bed again without giving you away. Take advantage of the complimentary monogramming on cottoncashmere items. Sleep shirt, £295, hamiltonandhare.com
6. CDLP
Founders Christian Larson and Andreas Palm set up CDLP to provide a solution to unsightly and uncomfortable ill-fitting underwear. Their pants, stylish and sustainable, are available in five colours and four styles from briefs to boxers. And they’re made from Lyocell, an organic fibre derived from wood pulp that is biodegradable. Life is better with good pants. Fact. Pants, from £27, cdlp.com
7. Goya
Drawing on Spanish heritage, Goya sandals are a luxury version of the classic “menorquina” sandal, upgraded with a deep rubber boot sole for city-wear durability. Madrid-based British designer Kimberley Tecles-Byrom worked with Alicante artisans to create this summer must for anyone who shies away from sandals because they dislike their toes. Sandals, £258, thegoyabrand.com
8. Amié Leon Dore
Aimé Leon Dore, a lifestyle, sport and ready-to-wear brand based in Queens, New York, celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. Think elevated authentic sportswear with its own basketball-inspired line, Sonny NYC (and even its own tournament). A few AW18 pieces from well appointed collaborations with Timberland and Woolrich can still be snapped up. Inject colour into January with their colour block rugby jersey. Top, £215, endclothing.com
9. U Uniqlo
Uniqlo opens its first Manchester store this spring. Seek out fashion’s best kept-secret, the U Uniqlo line designed by Christophe Lemaire. It’s the backbone of many style insiders’ wardrobes, with great quality and design at wallet-friendly prices. This season we love the bold knitwear and bleached denim. Be quick though, it sells like hotcakes. Jacket, £34.90, uniqlo.com 10. Instrmnt
Pete Sunderland and Ross Baynham founded Instrmnt, a multidisciplinary design studio, in Glasgow in 2014. Their minimal watches are easy on the eye, the clever packaging as elegant as the watch itself. They come in a box, unassembled, with tools provided for the customer to build their own watch. All styles have a two-year guarantee. Watch, £180 instrmnt.co.uk 11. Officine Générale
This Paris menswear brand is without gimmicks or trends. Designer Pierre Mahéo describes it as “clothes for the everyday life… made in Europe in the most ethical way”. Pick up an unstructured summer suit or a really great pair of trousers. For SS19 the collection features plenty of (local) French silk and Japanese seersucker. Blazer,from £390, officinegenerale.com
12. King & Tuckfield
Putting slow fashion at the heart
of her label, designer Stacey Wood focuses on fabrics that last. Should you no longer need it, you can return your worn product and receive a 15% discount code. Returned items are resold in the “hand me down” section of the website to minimise consumption. A summer capsule collection designed by