Independant Menswear Brands

Today, among the many big brands and the gigantic conglomerates that own these big brands, there’s a slew of independent menswear labels that are going at it alone.

These indie brands have stuck to their guns since their inception, and in turn have been rewarded with loyal fanbases and soaring sales. Being an independent brand is no mean feat — but the following businesses are testament to the fact that you can ride solo in an ever-saturated menswear market.

A Day’s March was founded in Sweden in 2014 by Marcus Gårdö, Pelle Lundquist and Stefan Pagréus after they quit their daytime jobs to pursue something more meaningful. The name is an old military term for how far an army can move in one single day, and it reflects the brand’s ethos of creating clothes for the turbulence of everyday life. Shirting, suits and knitwear are the products of a deep interest in how menswear can actually be enjoyable to wear, and more than 70 per cent of the clothes are made in Portugal with local fabrics and materials in family-owned textile factories.

24 Berwick St, London W1F 8RD adaysmarch.com

P. Johnson is the brand for stylish guys in the know. Established in 2009 by entrepreneur Patrick Johnson, it is an Australian menswear label that offers a laid-back, ready-to-wear line as well as its own bespoke tailoring service. The brand is based in Sydney, but has expanded to further showrooms around the world which cater to the needs of its clients.

The P. Johnson brand goal? To cater to a life well lived. The clothing is easy, stylish and undeniably cool.

Lower Ground Floor, 31 Percy St, London W1T 2DD pjt.com

Founded by Elisabeth New and Samuel Lingwood in 1865 to clothe the pupils of Eton College, New & Lingwood is a British brand specialising in expertly-made, classic menswear. In 1922 it opened its first London store on Jermyn Street (it was bombed during the Blitz, but was rebuilt in all its grandeur) and quickly became one of London’s most sought-after shirt makers. Today it has an outpost in New York City and has extended its offering to coats, tailoring, loungewear, everyday essentials, footwear and accessories, lending itself as the ultimate brand for the guy with sartorial flair.

53 Jermyn St, London SW1Y 6LX newandlingwood.com

Probably the oldest brand on this list (from 1860), Sunspel are still running their own shop. They’ve recently launched a stunning new one on Jermyn Street and are expanding in the US and Europe. The brand’s Riviera polo, was originally tailored for Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. When our British weather calls for more layers, Sunspel’s knit Harrington jacket and waffle jumper are winners. This year they’ve celebrated the British Boxer for which they’re also famed, originally making them in 1947.

Flagship : 13-15 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7PG sunspel.com

Independent label Love Brand & Co. was founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife duo Oliver and Rose Tomalin, and while it places itself as “the ultimate resort-wear”, it’s not just limited to the sidewalks of Lake Garda or the palm-lined beaches of the Maldives. Sure, Love Brand & Co. does a great pair of swimmers and a very good linen shirt, but it also produces polo shirts and linen jackets that suit the streets of London. What’s more, Love Brand & Co. is on a mission to do better: each product is made using sustainably sourced fabrics, 500,000 plastic buttons have been replaced by corozo nuts and 10.5 tonnes of plastic waste has been repurposed so far.

5 Park Walk, London SW10 0AJ lovebrand.com

Based out of East London, Studio Nicholson caters to both men and women and is the middle ground between Phoebe Philo’s palatable Celine and high street minimalist giant Cos. It’s superior in its fits and fabrics because Nick Wakeman, who founded the brand, honed her craft in textile design at the Chelsea School of Art and believes these are the two components that make a garment. Studio Nicholson, which is best known for its wide-leg trousers and boxy shirts, boasts that Jake Gyllenhaal and Cillian Murphy are fans. It produces clothing for men who want to look and feel good, but still have the stylish edge over their contemporaries.

9-11 Broadwick St, London W1F 0DB studionicholson.com

SIRPLUS was born when Henry Hales discovered London shirtmakers’ surplus fabric was going to waste. The British businessman started selling boxer shorts made from shirt offcuts at a Spitalfields Market stall, before moving to Portobello Market, setting up outside No.306A, which became SIRPLUS’s first London store. Today SIRPLUS is known for its Nehru jackets, grandad shirts and a British take on the Parisian workwear chore jacket. Its flagship now sits in Marylebone — among five other London stores — and 15 years on it’s still creating the same boxer shorts.

Unit 2-4 196, 196 Piccadilly, London SW1Y 6DS sirplus.co.uk

N.Peal is an independent luxury menswear brand, founded in 1936 and known for its 100% Mongolian cashmere knitwear and accessories. It has quietly become a brand for those in the know, offering a wide range of products including jumpers, cardigans, gilets and polos, with a focus on style, quality craftsmanship and sustainability. Under the current ownership of Adam Holdsworth it has opened a number of new stores. N.Peal has collaborated with actor Stanley Tucci on a capsule collection called ‘The Art of Travelling’ for Autumn/Winter 2025. The brand – like others on this list – is known for its association with the James Bond franchise.

37-39 Burlington Arcade, Mayfair, W1J 0QD npeal.com

ASKET was founded in 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Jakob Sazon Dworsky and August Bard Bringéus, who had a simple idea: to create clothing that stands the test of time. The result? The brand only works with a single permanent collection, which is made up of pieces made using biodegradable and renewable fibres, from traced farms and mills around the world. In short, if you want to know exactly where your clothes are from, Asket has the information for you. The brand’s timeless offering comprises shirts, trousers, denim and knitwear, while this year it dropped its 50th and final product in its core menswear collection: the wool trouser.

72-74 Brewer St, London W1F 9TU asket.com

Over 10 years ago British entrepreneurs Tom Horne and Will Green founded LESTRANGE, a brand that eschewed trends, dismissed too much faff in one’s wardrobe and instead focused on a modular foundation. “A what?” you ask. In short, they wanted to create a wardrobe based on the separates you need and want, that could go with one another, and in any combination. LESTRANGE has based its ethos around making things easier for guys everywhere to get dressed and go, and its capsule collection comprises easy-to-wear trousers, T-shirts and jackets.

19 Earlham St, London WC2H 9LL lestrangelondon.com

Sir Paul Smith founded his company in 1970 and it remains independently owned to this day. What began in a small, three-by-three-metre shop in Nottingham, England, has grown to 130 shops and counting around the world, with locations in over 60 countries. Known for its British eccentricity, Paul Smith is menswear with a playful twist: polo shirts feature the signature Zebra motif, jeans come with a signature stripe and Mini Cooper collaborations are as multicoloured as the designer’s mind.

40-44, Floral St, London WC2E 9TB paulsmith.com

Luca Faloni grew up in Italy (born in Turin, he studied at Bocconi University in Milan), and in 2014 he decided to start his own brand based on the principles and craftsmanship of traditional Riviera style. The brand prides itself on slow fashion, wherein it only produces clothes that men actually need. These clothes, whether it’s the linen shirts and blazers or quarter-zip knits, are designed in Milan and Bergamo and are made using the finest materials by expert artisans in Italy to ensure longevity.

192 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU lucafaloni.com

Nowadays, just about every brand makes a decent shirt. But few brands produce excellent shirts and can boast that they’re an independent shirtmaker. Residing on the historic Jermyn Street since 1999, Emma Willis, who is usually based at the brand’s Gloucester townhouse, specialises in bespoke and ready-to-wear shirts. Willis, who founded the namesake brand, adheres to traditional English shirt-making techniques, using luxurious Swiss and West Indian Sea Island cottons, while she employs local skilled craftspeople. An Emma Willis shirt ticks all the boxes, is cut and sewn by hand in the UK, and has an unrivalled quality.

66 Jermyn St, London SW1Y 6NY emmawillis.com

Slowear’s history began in 1951, when in the province of Venice a small production company – Incotex – began to make work trousers for some of the most important Italian companies, as well as military uniforms. In 2003, the Slowear brand was born: one capable of including the four corporate brands under one umbrella.

Today Slowear have over 20 stores globally. Outwear has become a particular focus for the brand in recent seasons.

25 Marylebone High St, Marylebone, London W1U 4PH slowear.com