In American menswear, there’s something of a coastal battle between east and west. New York City has long been an established fashion capital, and Miami has some skin in the game now as well, but Los Angeles is the established king on the throne for those in the know on the West Coast.
The City of Angels has its own crop of standout designers and brands, each with its own unique imprint. And while fashion in New York is often edgier in some respects (more opportunities for experimentation and more opportunities for layering), Los Angeles has a breezier mindset that translates to seriously cool sportswear, fresh sneakers, athleisure, super-soft basics and more.
So, look to the west and join us as we dive into the bright lights of the best LA menswear brands – we’d wager you’ll find exactly what your wardrobe needs.
Fear of God
Los Angeles is a city that encourages innovation and experimentation, which is exactly what Fear of God revels in.
After all, SoCal is vibrant and sunny for large parts of the year, which tends to lend itself to switching things up: think experimental T-shirts and joggers, eye-catching sneakers and draped silhouettes that make you rethink what you thought you knew about wardrobe basics.
It all comes together in Jerry Lorenzo’s taste-making Fear of God line, which has quickly become a celebrity favourite and something of a modern cult classic brand. Its sportswear is tailored, its streetwear considered, its palette usually pared back.
It’s so chic and elegant a take on streetwear that the label has even collab’d with luxury Italian house Zegna.
CLAE
The Northeast is to rugged leather boots what Los Angeles is to sneaker culture: opportunities abound to discover new brands, as well as labels that have quietly been making waves in the scene.
CLAE sneakers aren’t as flashy as sneakers from traditional streetwear names, but there’s room for variety in every wardrobe.
What you’ll find at CLAE runs the gamut from lace-up leather high-top sneakers to retro-style runners, court-inspired low-top kicks and sneakers made with the brand’s signature shot of colour at the back heel.
With minimal design front and centre, you’re sure to find a pair to wear with everything from rolled light wash denim to tailored chinos.
James Perse
It’s like we said: Los Angeles is a city that tends to encourage swerving slightly from the norm. When it’s warm all year round you can only wear a plain T-shirt (no matter how classic) so many times, meaning an upgrade is warranted.
James Perse makes those luxury basics your warm-weather wardrobe is crying out for. Combining ultra-soft fabrics with laid-back design, the brand’s V-neck, crew neck and pocket tees are some of the very best on the market.
Come for the T-shirts, stay for the washed polos, lightweight bomber jackets and comfortable loungewear.
Outerknown
Kelly Slater has, over the years, stepped from the ocean and a towering mountain of surfing accomplishments into his role as founder of Outerknown, and he’s done so with style and sustainability in mind.
Slater works with award-winning designer John Moore to deliver fan favourites, like the rugged cotton twill Outerknown Blanket Shirt, with purpose. Each piece is made as environmentally-friendly as possible, be it denim that uses less water than average, or super-soft tees made with organic cotton.
Outerknown is one of the more rugged, outdoors-y Los Angeles brands on this list, and that’s not a bad thing at all.
STAMPD
STAMPD has been a defining Los Angeles label over the past decade or so. To hear the brand tell it, they fuse luxury fashion details and fabrications with premium materials and a streetwear edge, which results in unique silhouettes for hoodies, joggers, T-shirts and more.
The colour palette is crisp and minimal, the entire line is understated yet seriously stylish, and nothing is boring. That’s tough to do with a line of black-and-white graphic tees and joggers, but STAMPD pulls it off.
Buck Mason
Once you try a Buck Mason made in the USA T-shirt, your wardrobe will never be the same again. The Los Angeles brand, which is laser-focused on timeless menswear staples, makes ultra-soft, high-quality tees in a wide range of styles, including curved hem designs, boxy cuts and classic crew necks, using the finest Pima and Supima cottons.
The company, which operates stores coast to coast, has a particularly fresh hub in the hip LA neighbourhood of Silver Lake. Here you’ll also be able to browse Mason’s excellent selvedge jeans, affordable leather biker jackets and cool denim shirting along with an interesting mix of vintage menswear.
Garrett Leight
If VAER Watches is an affordable way to add some flair to your wrist game, then Garrett Leight is a super-premium way to upgrade your eyewear. It only makes sense that Los Angeles is a hotbed for high-end sunglasses – you tend to need a pair with you every time you leave the house. And Garrett Leight frames exude an air of easygoing luxury.
There are enough frame shapes and styles to suit every face and every look, from a breezy blazer and linen trousers to your go-to short-sleeve henley and chino shorts on a weekend outing.
They’re pricier than ordinary designer frames, but your look is all the better for it.
Noon Goons
Away from the glamour of Hollywood, Los Angeles menswear often gets grungy with skate, surf and hip-hop culture bringing something edgier to the City of Angels. That’s very much the vibe at Noon Goons, a streetwear label established by Kurt Narmore in 2016.
Mixing streetwear staples like printed tees and bold cardigans with grungier pieces, it’s a picture of LA away from the red carpets and much closer to the skateparks of southern California.
The whole collection is designed and made in the USA, too.
The Hundreds
With a philosophy that prioritises people over product, and with its own suite of media projects over the years (including a blog and magazine), The Hundreds is one of the more diverse menswear companies on the market. It’s very LA.
And of course it extends to clothing, as well: artists and creatives from all walks of life are tapped to work on colourful, vibrant and printed designs across T-shirts, work jackets, cardigans, joggers and more.
The label, despite two decades in business, is youthful, trendsetting and above all, fun – you’ll find lots of bright colours and modern-meets-retro offerings. Price points are affordable, too, which makes it ideal for those shopping streetwear on a budget.
Undefeated
Undefeated is a pioneering streetwear label and multi-brand retailer, which opened up its doors long before the sector began dominating the global fashion scene. The LA store quietly built a following that now hangs on its every collection drop, and that often happens multiple times per season.
At Undefeated, you’ll find bold graphic tees and distinctive pieces like baseball jerseys with the Undefeated logo, as well as fresh sneakers from the likes of Nike and New Balance, as well as streetwear from Bape and others.
It also collaborates on special-edition drops and stock everything from outerwear to sweats. A one-stop drip shop.
John Elliott
If you’ve kept up with men’s fashion over the past decade, you’ll have noticed that stylish guys everywhere are turning workout attire into bona-fide daily menswear. American designer John Elliott has had an influential role in this.
Elliott’s eponymous brand started simply enough, with slouchy tees and tapered joggers, and now includes streamlined footwear that’s both classic (Italian-made retro runners) and futuristic (chunky lace-ups modelled after duck boots).
If it’s upmarket athleisure and sweatpants you seek, John Elliott has you covered.
The Elder Statesman
Blazing a trail since 2007, The Elder Statesman was pioneering the quiet luxury aesthetic for years before it became a trend. Of course, ‘quiet’ isn’t exactly the right word for this streetwear-influenced label, with tie-dye and other colourful designs its trademark take on the West Coast look. The difference is that the label (founded by Greg Chait) exclusively uses exceptional cashmere across its collection, and nothing is branded.
When someone is wearing something as unique as a rainbow-striped cardigan or a luxe overshirt from The Elder Statesman, the results genuinely next level – this is an LA brand making pieces that are so cool and inimitable, there’s no need for any logos.
AETHER Apparel
Los Angeles is a city of multitudes, from the sweeping hills that surround the city to the tastemaking bars and speakeasies in the valley below, right out to the breezy beach. And eventually, there’s going to come a time when an escape from the city beckons.
For those times – and for a stylish cross-city commute in the meantime – there’s AETHER Apparel. Founded more than a decade ago, AETHER Apparel gear – from merino henleys to sleek sunglasses and tough waxed jackets – is meant to move easily from town to trail and back.
It’s a highly stylish modern performance brand, and a perfect fit for day-to-night LA style.
VAER Watches
No #OOTD is complete without the proper accessories, is it? And a great watch, preferably one with rugged-yet-versatile flair, can take your next casually cool California ensemble from good to great.
The even better news is the fact that an upstart Los Angeles brand is toeing the line nicely between rugged and refined. VAER Watches makes utterly classic field watches inspired by iconic military versions, and they do so at affordable prices.
That pricing, in fact, makes it easier than ever to splurge a little on a few of our other favourite LA brands. And in the meantime, your watch collection will certainly look all the better.
AMIRI
Another LA label that mixes streetwear, skatewear, rock ‘n’ roll and haute couture is AMIRI. And its collections are every bit as eclectic as its genetics – and the city itself.
You’ll find ripped jeans, grungy checked shirts and big chunky sneakers in one corner. In the other, you’ll see basketball-style shorts, baggy track pants, logo tees and collegiate jackets.
It’s LA through and through: luxe but sleazy, street but exclusive. The palette has a good helping of black and white to anchor the look, with inevitable pops of colour in its hoodies, printed shirts and extensive sneaker collection.
And as its prices will attest, the brand creates every piece to exacting standards with top-tier materials throughout the collection.
