Introduction
As summer steadily approaches, the need for new clothes follows the heat. It’s hard not to fall into the seasonal cycle of wardrobe resets, but below I have listed a few brands that pride themselves on quality and sustainability.
Mens:
Tops:
-WooYoungmi $$
Launched in 2002, Woo Youngmi started her namesake label to explore and present her views on menswear/classic tailoring. Minimalist designs with her signature oversized fit the garments flow perfectly with the wearer. The everyday wearability of the clothes create the perfect cohesion for modern day luxury. You can find them for less on sale at SSENSE
Bottoms:
-Pet-Tree-Kor $$$$
Started in 2021 by designers Xinyu, Wanqing, and Dong, Pet-Tree-Kor has slowly started to carve a name for itself in the fashion industry. The brand’s name is derived from the expression “the smell of soil after rain,” basing the brand’s ethos around the saying. Clean yet complex clothing that uses natural elements and unique silhouettes, they focus on organic materials for experimental cuts. You can find them for less on sale at SSENSE
Footwear:
-DEMON $$$
Started in 1963, DEMON was originally an Italian footwear brand created by Girolamo Deon, which ceased production in 2004. Nearly 20 years after the original closure in 2020, the brand was revived by Deon’s grandson, redirecting its image to follow a more avant-garde approach. The new DEMON plays with the silhouettes of the average hiking shoe with materials like lamb fur, rubber, and waxed leathers. Raised soles, contorted silhouettes, dark colors, and experimental techniques, the new DEMON is something very exciting to keep your eyes on. You can find them for less on sale at SSENSE
Accessories:
–Parts of four $$$$
Founded in 2011 by artist Evan Sugerman in Los Angeles, Parts of Four is a brutalist jewelry brand based upon the industrial and structural past of Sugerman. Using materials like wood, fossil, bone, and leather for traditional jewelry, most are constructed in a way to evoke attention. Often being very wide or embellished with bright jewels to contrast the raw metals, the design language of Parts of Four is something never seen before.
Womens:
Tops:
–Ann Demeulueester $$$
The iconic avant-garde brand Ann Demeulueester was founded in 1985 by Ann Demeulueester in Antwerp, Belgium. The muted palette of primarily black and white is supported by the unisex approach to the clothing. Layers that flow effortlessly, supported by the asymmetry of the clothing, the work of Ann D is something very beloved to the fashion industry. You can find them for less second hand on sites like grailed, therealreal, and Vestiaire Collective.
Bottoms:
–MM6 $$$
The diffusion line for the famous Maison Margiela, MM6, aims to offer more affordable and accessible options that follow along the lines of the brand’s design language. Unlike other famous diffusion lines, MM6 is more experimental with its approach to accessible clothes.
Oversized clothing made with unconventional materials or techniques, MM6 plays its role as the child of Maison Margiela very well. A polished aesthetic with grimy details, MM6 has cemented itself as one of the best diffusion lines.
Footwear:
–Song for the mute X Adidas $$
Song for the Mute was started in 2010 by Melvin Tanaya and Lyna Ty and follows the ethos “A voice for the voiceless,” like the name implies. Song for the Mute often utilizes unique techniques that give reference to Asian heritage giving the marginalized communities an opportunity to be seen. They often create textile blends that are specifically for their brand, committing themselves to sustainable creation for these textiles. Having a clean yet dirty aesthetic, the clothes often follow a wider silhouette, accepting the imperfections of clothing. Their recent collaboration with Adidas gave them a platform on which they presented their rendition of classic Adidas silhouettes. You can find them for less on sale at SSENSE
Accessories:
-Gentle monster $$$
Founded in 2011 by Hankook Kim in Seoul, South Korea, the eyewear brand Gentle Monster is very subtle but distinctive. Having gained mass popularity in recent years, the hype is not for nothing. Their design language is very loud but calm, having the occasional outrageous pair of glasses. Created to better fit Asian face structures, the brand offers a solution to an unanswered problem.
Conclusion
Although the prices may seem high in order to support sustainability and keep quality, the prices come with it. Saving up to buy an item that you can keep for years and years makes the one time purchase justifiable also finding items that are heavily discounted or secondhand decreases the prices significantly. If it comes to the worst you can always resell the item to reclaim a fraction of what you bought it for.
