8 Menswear Labels You Don’t Know – But Should

Gosha Rubchinskiy

Russian-football-hooligan-chic is a style not solely reserved for chair throwing locals at the next World Cup. Gosha Rubchinskiy’s eponymous brand merges the inner yob with smartly crafted sportswear and 1990s Soviet nostalgia, all done up in the Russian flag’s tricolour tones.
Part-skate brand, part-Stallone’s adversary from Rocky IV, Gosha Rubchinskiy provides a rare blend of originality and that all-important wearability factor. Which is perhaps why his pieces now beat out Supreme and Palace for the discerning streetwear savant.
Signature Piece: Rubchinskiy’s Cyrillic logo tees let the squad know you’ve copped a rare piece. Hence why they sell out in seconds. Look to eBay for your hook-up.

Todd Lynn

Building on a background as rooted in music as it is in fashion, Todd Lynn launched in 2006 and was immediately snapped up by fashion week’s front row fixtures.
Since then, the brand has expanded from celebrity clients to clothing mere mortals as well; name drop disclaimer, Lynn has spun threads for the likes of legendary Mick Jagger and macabre-metalhead Marilyn Manson.
Granted, the darkchild deconstructed aesthetic may not be for everyone, but judicious application can turn your tailoring up to 11. Even if you don’t have moves like Jagger.
Signature Piece: Lynn’s Side Stripe Trousers are tailoring with a peekaboo touch. Better on stage than worn to the office.

Stampd

For half a decade, Chris Stamp has steered his label towards what he calls ‘avantstreet’ clothing. Which translates as streetwear with a luxe edge; think the kind of kit Rick Owens might pull on after surfing in Big Sur.
Blending the best of west and east coast Americana, with a touch of Tokyo in the boxy silhouettes, Stampd’s collections are simple and classic, but designed with original details that stand apart from often homogeneous streetwear, be it a printed cuff on a Cuban-collared shirt or an inverted stitchback sweater.
Signature Piece: Stamp produced a version of his signature strapped bomber for the brand’s hook-up with Gap last year. If you missed out, the mainline version will still give your streetwear an S&M edge.

James Long

A modern man should be in no way averse to prints, especially when designers like James Long deploy them so creatively.
His collections are a kaleidoscope of colour that, styled top-to-toe, leaves you looking like a book of kindergarten wallpaper samples. But deployed sparingly (in otherwise neutral outfits) his pieces punch personality into everything you’re wearing.
Signature Piece: Long doesn’t do pretty. His graphics, like those on the SS16 Woven Front Sweatshirt, are riots of colour, but demolished to the point that they look like they’ve endured an actual riot.

SEH Kelly

The term ‘up-and-comer’, when applied to a designer or brand, often means garments that blow up on the runway and bomb in the street. Not so SEH Kelly, a British label that responds only tangentially to the fashion cycle.
This homegrown label was established in 2009 to clad our kind in well-made clothing that not only looks good, but can withstand the rigours of thirsty Thursdays and dirty public transport. With a history on Savile Row, SEH Kelly is distinctly traditional and guaranteed to transcend seasonal gimmicks. In fact, the brand is so confident in its handmade wares that it never discounts – one of the perks of crafting clothes that never date.
Signature Piece: SEH Kelly’s SB1 Jacket is so soft it verges on knitwear. Which means it works in the office, but will also make you the best-dressed dude in the pub. Not the most overdressed.

David Hart

Presenting a modern day ode of sorts to The Talented Mr Ripley, David Hart is responsible for creating unique menswear that is part-resortwear, part-Studio 54.
Geometric colourways and bold prints are emblazoned on traditional silhouettes, proving that you don’t need a backless Oxford-tuxedo hybrid to stand apart. An impressive resume features stints at Anna Sui, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, but Hart’s label more than stands on his own two feet.
Signature Piece: Another of Gap’s hook-ups, Hart’s Wool Zip Cardigan is part-varsity jacket, part-bomber, and all steezy.

Public School

Don’t be fooled by the name – Public School is less Etonian croquet match, more cool kid at your comprehensive selling ciggies at the gate.
Though the brand’s been heating up for a few years, it hit boiling point when it won last year’s International Woolmark Prize, an award that recognised designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne’s ability to craft Blade Runner futurism from the most traditional materials.
Monochrome accents, crystal-cut silhouettes and unusual (but subtle) features make Public School the ultimate best in class.
Signature Piece: Public Schools cuts are designed for top-of-the-class layering. Particularly its Line Print Wool Shirt, which ensures your longline look is always on-point.