With the Stockholm brand’s menswear stock reaching an all-time high, the search for fashion’s next low-key cult brand is on – and the competition’s hot.
Every couple of years, a new brand emerges out of obscurity, unearthed by fashion insiders, to become the in-the-know label of the moment. It’s your new obsession; you treat it preciously and carefully, only sharing it with people who would truly “get it”. Your little fashion secret, one that you try and savour for as long as possible before it inevitably goes mainstream because, well, the clothes and everything around it are that good.
The past five or so years saw cult Swedish outfit Our Legacy become one of those favourites and then subsequently achieve big-time status through internet-breaking pieces like the Digital Print jeans and the menswear staple Camion boots – along with backing from LVMH. Auralee also sat at that table around the same time but, since its Paris Fashion Week runway debut in January 2024, it’s become one of the leaders in Japan’s rising guard of talent. The crowd then seemingly averted its attention to OL’s Scandinavian counterpart, Denmark’s mfpen, becoming the next to offer great everyday clothes with a punk edge. “I discovered these brands through my years as a menswear buyer. These were names that would float around the buying office often,” says Creative Consultant Lewis Bloyce. “Our Legacy was the first brand from this trio that really was a mainstay within the industry for me. They’ve always been seen to be leading from the front over the last five years or more.”
And although the Swedish label has stayed true to the anti-fashion approach, notably rejecting the concept of runways in favour of more casual, in-person appointments at presentations, it has become quite the menswear mammoth. Good luck going to a men’s show at Fashion Week without spotting the Maison Margiela-referencing Camion boots on feet, the 2cm Belt on the waist or a pair of Third Cut jeans in their seemingly endless range of colourways. A-listers are even getting in on the fun, with Paul Mescal a regular wearer of the boots and the aforementioned Digital Print jeans previously worn by A$AP Rocky and Lewis Hamilton. All of this success is for very good reason, with what you could describe as innovative minimalism with a subcultural infusion that appeals to the average man who’s trying his hand in a bite-sized, risqué fashion moment.
The world Our Legacy has built is another huge contributing factor, with its WORK SHOP sub-line that keeps the door open for incredible collabs with the likes of Emporio Armani and the ongoing marriage with Stüssy, as well as reworked one-of-one pieces. Store designs are extremely aligned and hit the perfect balance of high-end and rustic, with industrial steel, lab-like furnishings placed alongside Ikebana arrangements on emptied wine bottles and scratched wooden floors. The recent expansion of the London flagship alongside the diffusion line’s own store around the corner in Soho only broadens its appeal in the flesh and away from the screens.
But with OL’s grasp on menswear only tightening by the day, it begs the question: who’s the next insider champion?
Before revealing any potential successors to these aforementioned brands, it’s important to lay out the criteria for labels to even reach this sort of status. For starters, the clothes have to be versatile and timeless with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ quality to keep things fun, fresh and somewhat recognisable – statements that don’t scream but whisper. “They’re interesting without being overly experimental, and they feel well-made without being flashy,” says writer and editor John Sunyer. “A lot of people want clothes that have personality but still fit naturally into everyday life, and these brands tend to do that very well.” The versatility aspect also speaks to a nonchalant quality they all seemingly share, as Freelance Editor Jacob Davey says: “I don’t think any of these labels ever really have to try too hard while looking great, either, which is something I rate.”
Secondly, there is the matter of price. “[It’s] probably best that [brands] start with a price point that is accessible while still feeling like you’re getting good quality for money,” says Davey. Construction and quality need to reflect the price, too. We’re talking about highly wearable pieces, so designs aren’t meant to be overly complicated. What should warrant a price tag of £200+ for a pair of jeans are fabrication and construction that contribute to longevity and a luxe feeling – these clothes need to be built to last. They are everyday clothes after all that will be constantly called upon, especially when you’re trying to squeeze out the cost per wear.
“There’s a quiet confidence to a lot of these brands that I like, and many of them have a strong visual identity – the photography and imagery are usually considered and well executed,” Sunyer points out. And, it’s true. It’s the campaigns, storytelling and, really importantly, styling that propels these labels to new heights. These are what maximise the potential of simple garments, like, in Our Legacy’s case, unorthodox pairings of peep-toe sandals with leather trousers or off-kilter layering that sees a knit vest paired with an open shirt, blazer and relaxed denim. They breathe new life into the brand’s clothes, as well as your own. To sum it up: “Clothes that have personality but still fit naturally into everyday life, and these brands tend to do that very well,” adds Sunyer.
Finally, the brand’s offerings should become a one-stop shop that has everything you need and works with modularity, both in its collections and your personal wardrobe. Yet, it also has the scope to offer some statement pieces here and there, along with your basics. “They all offer abundant utility and a carefully considered approach to design, while still having a prevailing ‘IYKYK’ quality,” says Davey.
So who’s up next to carry on the mantle? Some would argue the Japan-hailing A.Presse, an exciting new name on menswear’s lips that has purists booking flights to Tokyo with the brand at the top of their wishlists. Founded by Kazuma Shigematsu in 2021, it’s become the boujee yet more rugged and cooler younger brother to Carhartt WIP, putting an elevated twist on workwear with a touch of grunge. All of this is well and good, but the price is very high – granted, the import fees have a big part to play. However, not everyone has the pleasure of hopping on a 13-hour flight for an overseas shopping trip. Still, it’s an exciting name to keep an eye on nonetheless – and co-signed by Bloyce and Davey themselves.
Another Japanese brand that had quite the breakout year is ssstein by Kiichiro Asakawa. Its silhouettes are tastefully roomy, providing the perfect drape. And the offering is growing, evidenced by its AW26 collection showcased in Paris earlier this year, which saw the designer venture into more workwear silhouettes and splashes of vibrant colours. Like A.Presse, import tax does weigh the price down quite a lot, with denim flirting with the £500 mark and track jackets at £685, albeit constructed with a silk-blended linen that achieves Asakawa’s desired loose movement. Even with all of that working against them, ssstein is still a very valid contender.
Taking things across the water to South Korea, there’s a seemingly endless pool of brands that are making excellent minimalist menswear. At the top of the class lies Coor – short for ‘common origins’ – which nails the idea of a tasteful man’s wardrobe. There’s an indescribable Korean ease and swagger that lingers around their garments and campaigns, creating essential clothes that look tailor-made to be thrown on without a care in the world. Coor’s selection is vast too, able to seamlessly integrate into most closets and become a one-stop shop for those looking for anything ranging from knit polos and pleated shorts all the way to relaxed shirting and sturdy, goatskin leather jackets. Pricing is also more accessible, with denim and shirting in the £120-£150 range that beats a lot of other labels in the same conversation. Overall, it’s kind of the complete package and one that would rightfully be in the running for that insider favourite title.
Moving over to our good friends in Scandinavia, we’ve got some healthy competition going for the top spot. The first of which is Another Aspect, a Danish label founded in 2019 by Daniel Brøndt, Nicolaj Thomsen and Anders Poulsen. Like every name in this article, they make really great clothes, but that’s about it – in a good way. It’s bare-bones stuff that doesn’t add unnecessary bells and whistles for the sake of interest, and keeps the essentials for functionality and a flattering fit. Its offering has also impressively diversified in the past year, venturing into more jersey items like sweatshirts and hoodies as well as experimenting with new patterns and fabrications on the label’s flagship shirting range.
Also born out of Copenhagen is Sunflower which, following its show at Pitti Uomo in June, is getting the traction it’s long deserved. Presented in Italy’s menswear hub was a collection that brought a new sense of bravado to the label, with styling that showcased a range of aesthetics, including grunge workwear, modernised militarywear, Giorgio Armani-esque swishy tailoring and ’70s-inspired bikercore. The ready-to-wear line is filled with trusty everyday workhorses too, spanning denim in a variety of cuts and washes, essential shirts in forgiving fits and stellar leather pieces Pricing leans more accessible too, with shirting and denim comfortably falling under the £200 mark.
Taking a quick detour to Melbourne, Australia introduces us to Observe, courtesy of Bloyce. “I discovered [Observe] this season at PFW – definitely one to watch. They’re designing with their friends in mind, which I think is an amazing approach. Also, no reinvention of the wheel; they’re just making things that they like, but better,” he says. Much like the leaders in this space, Observe has a clean, cohesive aesthetic across their lookbooks with styling that shows off the effortless versatility of the clothes – clearly made easier when the garments themselves are this good. The outerwear is relaxed and simple, there is twisted denim for an added detail to the uniform, and daily driver knitwear with just the right amount of marled texture. The price tags are on the more forgiving side, with all of their outerwear under £250 and their legwear range sitting below £170.
Flying back home to the UK brings us Carter Young, born out of New York in 2022 but now operating in East London under the creative direction of the man himself and his partner in crime Adam Kaplan. It’s an Americana-focused approach to menswear, creating a wardrobe that’ll quietly rank you as the most stylish person in most rooms. The designer’s fondness for the American cultural canon bleeds through in each capsule, adding mud-stained denim washes to its recent line-up, western-style yolks on jackets, and 2000s-alluding preppy knits and flannel layering. With the range only broadening with each collection, along with its exploration into the footwear and accessories space, these are seriously nice clothes from people that care, for people that care.
And there are countless more names out there that could join this conversation. Italy’s Rold Skov, séfr from Sweden, Comoli out of Japan, Evan Kinori and Second Layer from California and many, many others. Brands will succeed with consistent, wearable clothing because “menswear doesn’t have the same storytelling as womenswear which in some cases is good, with men being quite idle when it comes to shopping. So there’s a space for brands to cut through with simply good product – less theatre, more reality”, says Bloyce.
Me personally? The choices are too good to pick one. So I’m investing in Carter Young and Observe. The former, I feel, is not very far off the fashion insider favourite title, often being a hot topic of conversation amongst menswear enthusiasts (in London, at least). The clothes back that up too, with a versatile, everyday feel that innately reads like there’s a lot of thought behind it – garments that already seem personal, even after you’ve just bought them. Observe is a new one for me but, based on its Autumn/Winter 2026 collection that’s being drip-fed to us as we speak, the future looks bright. My eyes are firmly on the Parka Jacket and Alpaca Button hoodie in particular; daily essentials with a touch of interest and finesse.
If I did humbly consider myself a fashion insider though, I’d be lying if I said that Our Legacy wasn’t a favourite of mine. Even if its popularity has gone supernova and price points have incrementally increased in the past years, the work of Cristopher Nying, Jockum Hallin and Richardos Klarén is undeniable. Season after season, they never fail to reel me back in, no matter how hard I try to reject it in favour of the new guard. So maybe we’ll have someone who sits beside them on the throne, an exciting yet low-key prince to the ruling Swedish king of chill guy menswear.
