Queens native Teddy Santis founded Aime Leon Dore as a way to communicate style through streetwear language, and since their first co-signs early on, the brand has gone from strength to (yep) strength. Their signature clothing collections use bold design motifs to channel throwback trends and make them feel fresh.
Despite its ubiquity, BAPE remains a coveted brand among younger streetwear fans. The Japanese label's iconic camo prints and bizarre design motifs (see: shark hoodie) make it a hallmark of contemporary street style. The brand also innovated the lifestyle brand concept, becoming one of the first to produce wildcard products like kitchenware, furniture, toiletries and skateboards.
The brand's popularity soared in the early 2000s through partnerships with rappers and DJs like NIGO, who would affix his BAPE logo to their clothing. Now, the label is a household name thanks to its ubiquitous winter camo drops, Year of the Dog collections and countless cosigns.
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Ex-creative director Brendon Babenzien also cut his teeth at Supreme before launching Noah, a preppier take on the freewheeling skater aesthetic he helped make cool. Its Harrington jackets, madras plaid shirts and waxed outerwear are perfect for those who don't want to look as hardcore as their hoodie-clad peers.
If you’re looking for a streetwear brand that offers something different to the rest, look no further than Brain Dead. The Los Angeles brand combines skate and comic book influences with bold design motifs to create stand out pieces. It’s no surprise the label is loved by teenage hypebeasts across the world.
OG Japanese brand Neighborhood is another of the biggest names on this list, with their distinctive aesthetic being used for everything from monochrome tees and outerwear to camping gear and accessories. The cult brand has been a staple of the streetwear scene since 1994.
Newcomers Thames MMX are another streetwear brand to keep an eye on, with the London-based label dreamt up by a teenager as part of a GCSE art project. The brand is already making waves in the UK, with collaborations with Adidas fuelling the hype train. Other notable streetwear brands include American Off-White, whose founder Virgil Abloh studied as an architect and went on to work at Fendi alongside Kanye West before creating his own high-fashion label.
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Carhartt is one of the most durable streetwear brands around. Their shirts, pants, jackets and outerwear are all made from the toughest material out there. They also have a great selection of toolbelts and sweatshirts. They have a rugged look with a hint of streetwear style. This makes them a great choice for any outdoor lover.
The founder of this brand died in 1978, but he was an early pioneer of the streetwear industry. He influenced hip-hop culture and helped to create the streetwear fashion trend that we know today. This brand is still very popular and continues to innovate with their new styles and collaborations.
Founded by SK8THING the artist behind the graphics for Nigo’s Human Made, Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream alongside Brit Toby Feltwell, Cav Empt is a streetwear heavyweight that has a unique take on smart casual style. The brand’s name comes from the Latin caveat emptor meaning “let buyer beware.” They produce clothing that has sci-fi inspired prints and are not for everyone.
Founded in the 1980s by surfing connoisseur Shawn Stussy, the brand was one of the first to bring streetwear couture to the mainstream. Today it continues to set trends with oversized hoodies, camp-collar tees and an eye for standout graphics.
The Japanese label A Bathing Ape is also a household name, thanks to DJ and designer Nigo’s iconic cloud camo print and bizarre design motifs (like shark hoodies). Though Stussy’s heyday may be behind it, the California-based brand continues to thrive with forward-thinking collections that draw on its surf-inspired heritage.
Kith blurs the lines between concept store and retail, with the Brooklyn-based retailer stocking its own wares alongside rare collaborations and hard-to-find sneakers. Queens native Teddy Santis does elevated streetwear best, reworking throwback styles through cultural touchstones that make them feel original and fresh. The likes of Noah NY and Aime Leon Dore are also gaining momentum with their high-quality fabrications, tasteful branding and new-wave preppy aesthetic.
Whether you’re queueing outside its 14 stores or navigating its still fidgety website, streetwear stalwart The North Face is beloved for its logo tees, hoodies and accessories. Its bold design motifs have made it a favourite amongst teenage hypebeasts worldwide.
Russian photographer-slash-designer Gosha Rubchinskiy’s eponymous brand might be hard to pronounce, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most talked about labels in fashion. The brand embodies post-Soviet youth culture through sports and skate-inspired designs, combining them with a distinctly urban aesthetic.
Aime Leon Dore is another Queens native who’s making waves in the streetwear scene. Its aesthetic is difficult to pin down, but there’s a clear prep influence in its tailoring and a savvy take on 90s throwback style. It also features a range of colourful caps and washed denim, which have earned it a cult-like following who refresh their browsers on drop day and line up outside its flagship store.
One of the OG Japanese streetwear brands, Neighborhood is the go-to for smart casual pieces with a dark, moody aesthetic. The brand is a frequent collaborator with casual streetwear heavyweights like Converse and Dr Martens, and it’s well loved by longtime streetwear vets for its versatile style that can be worn out and about and to the club.
Founded by Carlton Yaito and Tulie Yaito, Queens-born label Pelota is making waves in the Los Angeles streetwear scene with minimal sports-inspired apparel. Expect cropped jackets pieced together from different fabrics and standout home goods like oversized faux fur bags with Louis Vuitton insignia.
Sik Silk might surprise some of the sneaker and streetwear snobs on this list, but the British brand has brought affordable logo tees to the streets. The monochrome designs take inspiration from Ivy League staples through to military clothing and the British punk movement. The label also does some pretty cool collaborations with Adidas.
As the lines between streetwear and what might be regarded as ‘proper’ fashion continue to blur, new brands are popping up all the time. From heavy hitters like Stussy to relative newcomers like Thames MMX, there’s something for everyone in 2022.
Keizo Shimizu’s Nepenthes parent brand Needles is a streetwear icon, thanks to its considered Japanese take on various styles ranging from Ivy League Oxford and flannel shirting through to iconic military outerwear. Its track pants and shirts featuring the instantly recognizable butterfly insignia are beloved by the longtime streetwear vet crowd.
Sewing is a key component of this style, with Groz-Beckert’s needles enabling high process reliability. The brand’s cutting point styles are particularly suited for sewing leather and other technical textiles, allowing for the production of durable and decorative seams. From lockstitch and closing seams to blind stitch applications and button sewing – the company offers a broad selection of special needles for these and other sewing applications.
It's not hard to see why Nike has earned a place as king of streetwear. The Oregonian sportswear giant is adored by a diverse group of casual men thanks to its iconic sneakers, genre-bending sportswear and knockout brand hookups with the likes of Supreme and Virgil Abloh.
You may not think of workwear label Carhartt as a streetwear icon, but the US brand has made a huge contribution to the scene since it was founded back in 1889. Today, the brand outfits workers in all walks of life while also releasing seasonal collections to great fanfare.
Russian photographer-slash-designer Gosha Rubchinskiy's eponymous label doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but that hasn’t stopped the designer from establishing himself as one of streetwear's most talked-about labels. With a name that translates to ‘killer’, the label takes stripped-back wardrobe basics and reimagines them with offbeat design motifs and bold branding. The result is an instantly recognisable line of clothes that has become a favourite amongst streetwear fans.
When you think of streetwear, chances are the first brand that comes to mind is Supreme – the skater label that took hoodies, sneakers and logo T-shirts from a niche scene and into the mainstream. Its supply-and-demand model revolutionised the fashion industry and has resulted in queues out the door of its 14 stores and online shopfronts.
Another OG of the movement is Japanese label Neighborhood, which applies its distinct aesthetic to everything from workwear and military-inspired outerwear to camping gear and chairs. It’s also one of the best streetwear brands for men.
British label Sik Silk might grate on the nose of streetwear snobs, but it brought affordable streetwear to the high street and into the wardrobes of every school kid in Britain. The brand grew out of a screen print competition that founders Liam Greene and Aidy Lennox won with a reimagined image of Albert Einstein, now seen on the front of hoodies and T-shirts.
