What are the greatest menswear brands of all time?

[Jamesgatz]

Just to give a shout out: Ralph Lauren, Brioni, Kiton, and - more controversially - Loro Piana for both its fabrics and excellent sweaters and other haberdashery.

 

[YoungAmerican]

It will be one list, and it will be largely arbitrary. But there are already some great ideas I'd left off our first draft - Burberry, for example. Which I think deserves to be on the list for inventing one of the most important staple clothing items, and keeping the brand relatively important outside of that.

 

[YoungAmerican]



Is this going to be resolutely N.American / European?

I think that the perspective will be American, but we will at least try to have some representation for fashion. Probably at least some of the fashion folks who've really changed trends in more traditional circles (Cardin, YSL, Thom Browne, Armani) and some representation from the folks you mentioned, plus maybe an Antwerper or two.

 

[romafan]

keds
pf flyers
red ball jets

 

[SpooPoker]

This thread has already turned into a list of brands to "instakop" rather than really answer the question.

Charvet, Rolex, Peal, LL Bean, Luxxotica, Swaine Adeney...?

 

[jeff13007]



This thread has already turned into a list of brands to "instakop" rather than really answer the question.
Charvet, Rolex, Peal, LL Bean, Luxxotica, Swaine Adeney...?

well he did ask for 50 lol. But if i were to choose it would be Brioni

 

[unbelragazzo]

J Press?

 

[MikeDT]

Guangzhou Double Happiness Menswear Fashion Co, Ltd.

Louis Vuitton.

 

[bellyhungry]

Helmut Lang's slim suits.

 

[myk7000]

I would say Brooks Brothers, Brioni, Ralph Lauren.

 

[hendrix]

(relatively) recent brands that are quite revered in SW&D:
Raf Simons
Hedi Slimane's work at YSL and Dior has been pretty influential from what I understand.
Helmut Lang
Yohji Yamamoto
Martin Margiela
Engineered Garments

 

[dieworkwear]



(relatively) recent brands that are quite revered in SW&D:
Raf Simons
Hedi Slimane's work at YSL and Dior has been pretty influential from what I understand.
Helmut Lang
Yohji Yamamoto
Martin Margiela
Engineered Garments

I was trying to get clarification from the website on what they mean by "menswear." If it's broadly just "men's clothing," this and brands like Stussy should be included. Personally, I think that would make for a more interesting list (and one that's not as biased), but I don't know if we've heard back.

 

[Jsoftz]

Mugatu and his piano-key necktie.

...

But seriously, I think it might help to think of them in categories. What brands/designers/tailors contributed to certain schools of thought or looks? So American/Ivy look, Neapolitan look, English look, Couture/Fashion look etc. Additionally, there are retailers (could be called "brands") that were innovators in both what they carried and the aesthetic they drove into the market even if they were less-than-successful business models. It would also be worth looking at what is driven the Japanese's buying as catering to their tastes has definitely had a huge influence on the luxury goods industry.

Intentionally leaving out non tailored clothing type folks so as to focus scope.

American/Ivy Style:
Brooks Brothers
Ralph Lauren
J.Press
Gant (Guaranteed to bleed, anyone?)
Oxxford
Paul Stuart
Hickey Freeman/HSM (HMX corp)
Alden
Allen Edmonds
(include bootmakers here? Red Wing, Frye, even the likes of Lucchese etc? larger question of what menswear means here)

English Style:
Hardy Amies
Anderson & Sheppard
Huntsman
Poole
Boateng
Nutter/Sexton
Barbour
Gieves & Hawkes
Turnbull & Asser
Burberry
Aquascutum
Cleverley
Lobb
Crockett Jones
Peal
Drakes

Italian Style:
Rubinacci
Brioni
Kiton
Corneliani
Zegna
Gucci (Horsebit loafers anyone?)
Ferragamo (Italian? He's technically a hollywood guy)
Barbera
Attolini


Fashion Style:
Hermes
Yves St Laurent
Tom Ford (including his Gucci work here)
Thom Browne
Pierre Cardin
Giorgio Armani

Interesting stores/business model innovation or preservation:
Arnys
Sulka
Loro Piana (really taken the fabric marketing to the next level, made it about the fabric and less about the designer)
Cordings
Ede & Ravenscroft (Who else still sells all the stiff collars, etc?)
an HK Tailor like WW Chan who really work that travelling tailor bit/fast bespoke in HK.



I'm sure I'm leaving out everything important but mainly I think breaking this up into categories, then sorting out the top 50 based on inclusion of these key spheres of influence is probably the easiest way to go about it.

 

[hendrix]



I was trying to get clarification from the website on what they mean by "menswear." If it's broadly just "men's clothing," this and brands like Stussy should be included. Personally, I think that would make for a more interesting list (and one that's not as biased), but I don't know if we've heard back.

It's an interesting question, and along with the question of scope, it also comes down to the definition of "greatest" - most influential? highest quality? most popular? most recognisable?

I'll be interested to see what you come up with.

Are you doing a litle write up for each brand? or just a list?

 

[jrd617]

Corneliani better be on there. DocHolliday would probably agree.