The Best Brands of 2020

Image via Complex Original

Please, don’t categorize Brain Dead as another streetwear brand conceived after a couple of hits of DMT. Although Kyle Ng’s California-based line has built a name for itself with trippy and psychedelic graphics, there is a reason why artists like Dev Hynes and brands like The North Face have frequently collaborated with them. It’s because Brain Dead is more than a clothing brand. From collaborating with underground artists like Kerbi Urbanowski on stained glass nightlights to permanently taking over an actual movie theater on Los Angeles’ famed Fairfax Avenue, Brain Dead is about building culture as much as it is about selling cozy fleece jackets. The brand’s diverse product offerings, which range from coffee grounds to fragrances, show that Brain Dead isn’t a brand but a lifestyle. Its thoughtful curation of art and culture mirrors how larger streetwear brands like Supreme become tastemakers in their own right. 

But this year, Brain Dead showed how different it was from some of the largest streetwear brands. In response to police murdering George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Brain Dead was one of the first clothing brands to step up and create charitable products that supported the Black Lives Matter movement. They raised over $800,000 and even called upon larger brands they’ve collaborated with in the past to match their donation. Toward the end of 2020, Brain Dead continued building on its charitable efforts by releasing T-shirts that supported organizations like Black Minds Matter and The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. 

It may not be the biggest streetwear brand in the world just yet, but Brain Dead has proven they aren’t just here to sell clothes. —Lei Takanashi

After dropping a New Balance 992 during NBA All-Star Weekend in his hometown of Chicago—one of the best sneakers of the year—Joe Freshgoods continued his winning streak throughout 2020. The 992 colorway released in February was inspired by the human heart—it’s currently going for as much as $1,400 on the resale market—and it commanded attention during a slate of sneaker drops from some of Chicago’s biggest names like Virgil Abloh, Kanye West, and Don C. The release showed just how important Freshgoods is to his community, and teleported his talent for telling stories through product to a wider audience. Freshgoods also showed love to the Windy City with a special drive-thru fundraiser this past September where he sold items from a scrapped Adidas collab to raise money for the Chicago public school system.  

Other projects have included a Crown Royal capsule, a special release with Spotify to celebrate Black music, and a range of MLB New Era fitteds to represent major cities throughout the Midwest. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched “Community Goods,” a sub-label that released limited T-shirts ranging from repurposed New Balance long sleeves to a blank featuring illustrations from his daughter—all proceeds raise money for the Chicago community. He even got a co-sign from Beyoncé. And the momentum doesn’t seem to be slowing as the year winds down. Freshgoods has been teasing an upcoming sneaker with Converse since early November, and just celebrated the seventh anniversary of Fat Tiger Workshop, the Chicago boutique he co-founded. 

In a space currently doing its best to represent and support Black culture, Freshgoods is someone who has always done so authentically. He has collabs with McDonald’s, the Chicago Bears, and many others to prove it. It is about time he gets his flowers from people outside of his home city, too. —Mike DeStefano

Every collection from Aimé Leon Dore is exactly what you expect, but I mean that in the best possible way. There’s a selection of dependable basics that lay the foundation. There’s a few pieces that fly below the radar: a mohair cardigan that looks like your granddad’s or a colorblocked button-up shirt that looks like it went through a few laundry cycles. Then there are the showstoppers, pieces meant to stand out: a graphic sweater depicting an iconic John Starks dunk from the ’90s here, and loud, patchwork wool pants there. Put them all together and you have a collection that leaves you wondering where your money went. It’s a formula that works with continued success. 

Then there’s a little bit of the unexpected. 

The New Balance collections are worth the attention—and effort to grab a piece or two. Its resurrection of the brand’s 550 basketball shoe this past October is perhaps the most notable. A New York classic, the Clarks Wallabee, was elevated with Italian wool uppers and presented with a lookbook featuring hip-hop legend Nas. The brand’s takes on the iconic Yankees and Dodgers fitted caps have become part of the SoHo uniform. And the Porsche partnership, which included a slick video and pop-up featuring the carefully crafted car, may have rewritten what it means for a collaboration to be truly “on-brand.” Every release from ALD feels like a Porsche 964 swinging through a perfectly measured turn. They’re carefully thought out, detail-oriented, and made with the shopper in mind. With thousands of other brands vying for your attention and money, it’s nice to feel like ALD has you in mind. There’s a reason its Mulberry Street flagship has people flocking to it each and every weekend. Whether you’re buying a $1,000 coat or a $4 espresso, ALD has found its pocket and built a community that embodies it. Few brands are doing it as well as they are right now. —Skylar Bergl

For Nike, it’s always gotta be the shoes. But to not look further than the Swoosh’s footwear would be a mistake. In 2020, the brand’s ACG collection continued to turn out solid gear while staying under the radar. And Nike’s footwear collaborations typically include merch that’s worth the extra look—just look at the crazy pieces Stüssy and Union dropped along with their footwear collaborations. If anyone thinks Nike lost its touch in 2020, just throw on Drake’s “Laugh Now, Cry Later” music video to prove them wrong—if only we all had access to that Friends and Family Certified Lover Boy puffer coat. And just when we thought Nike was done with big apparel releases this year, Drake unveiled that he has a Nike sub-label, NOCTA, dropping a week before Christmas. Yet, Nike always finds ways to keep the old stuff fresh, too. The momentum of Nike SB is undeniable, drawing attention for almost every release at this point—furry pairs inspired by Grateful Dead bears and Ben & Jerry’s “Chunky Dunky” are prime examples. 

The brand also keeps the old stuff fresh by reusing it in sneakers, a la the Space Hippie collection. This mix of innovation with a side of nostalgia has been Nike’s recipe for decades—and it’s still working. The surprise and delight that come with discovering an awesome pair of sneakers AND a solid set of technical gear from ACG or Nike Sportswear’s retro casual fare is how the brand continues to win in 2020 and will for the foreseeable future. —Skylar Bergl

The night before Telfar Clemens presented for the first time at Pitti Uomo in Florence, Italy this year, the 35-year-old Liberian-American designer invited friends and family for an all-night “congress” at the Palazzo Corsini palace. What ensued was a party that included a jam session with Solange and the experimental jazz group Standing on the Corner—along with an extravagant dinner by the queer cooking group Spiral Theory Test Kitchen. Leftover food scraps and drinks were left on the circular table that was used as the actual runway the next day. The party only continued with artists like Boychild and Wu Tsang walking in a show that included flared biker denim pants, quilted motorcycle jackets, and cowboy boots boasting a large “TC” logo. These pieces flipped classic Americana on its head. And only in Telfar’s America could we find these different walks of life in one room. 

Although Clemens’ brand has been around for 15 years, he’s only recently tasted the true fruits of his labor. Since winning the 2017 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund, Clemens’ eponymous label has gone from making $102,000 in revenue in 2016 to over $2 million last year. By now, everyone is well aware of the Telfar Shopping Bag—a leather tote bag which has been dubbed the “Bushwick Birkin” and popularized by queer, young, creative New Yorkers of color. However, the brand isn’t defined by a leather bag co-signed by everyone from ASAP Ferg to BbyMutha. To best understand Clemens’ success, just look to the brand’s slogan, “Not for you, for everyone.” Telfar has built a cult following with genderless clothing at accessible price points, which is why a Telfar x Gap collaboration would have been incredible if it wasn’t prematurely canceled this month. Despite Gap’s missed opportunity, Telfar went on to release a line of durags, collaborate with Ugg, receive a co-sign from Oprah, win the CFDA’s 2020 Accessory Designer of the Year, and continue to drop his popular Shopping Bag—he even set up pre-orders to ensure that shoppers wouldn’t get beat out by bots. The inclusive ethos that Telfar brings to fashion is what younger people are valuing more than ever before. Clemens is bound to have even greater opportunities to showcase his vision going forward. —Lei Takanashi

Virgil Abloh kicked off his second year at Louis Vuitton with a Fall/Winter 2020 collection centered on the working man. Inspired by commuters in business centers across the world, we saw pieces with slim business suits cracked with slits and rain jackets that resembled pieces from outdoor brands like Arc’teryx. Although a suede shearling collared coat covered in LV’s signature monogram is difficult to envision on the everyman, Abloh once again tweaked everyday garments to make them more desirable and luxurious. For instance, a blue collared shirt is embellished with crystal droplets to resemble a businessman caught in a light snow shower. A pair of dress shoes with rubber Nike Air Trainer-esque straps, straddle the line between formal and casual workplace attire. Although he presented this collection before the pandemic shuttered the world economy, the designs have aged well—considering that having an office job right now feels like a luxury in itself. 

During a global lockdown, Abloh was one of the only designers who managed to present an in-person runway show in Asia for his Spring/Summer 2021 collection. It was his most experimental collection at Louis Vuitton to date. Centered on the theme of bringing Black imagination to life, his show brought together an all-Black ensemble of creatives that included the Sa-Ra Creative Partners and Lauryn Hill. Once again, Abloh tapped into boyhood with a collection defined largely by the appearance of fantastical stuffed animals on garments and accessories. His collection also managed to pay tribute to the pioneering creative figures he’s been inspired by, such as the Chicago hip-hop legend Reggieknow—who conceived the animated characters that formed the foundation of Abloh’s latest collection. 

Abloh is now five seasons in and hasn’t lost any steam this year. His standout collaboration with NIGO® for the LV² collection, inspired by both ’60s British mod culture and 2000s streetwear, highlighted Abloh’s ability to showcase the house's tailoring capabilities while maintaining a subcultural flair. The capsule includes derby shoes, woolen suits, and denim jackets, along with leather goods that mix the brand’s iconic Damier Check and Monogram patterns. According to an interview with i-D Magazine, the drippy motifs seen throughout the collection are a direct reference to Pharrell’s Icecream brand. Despite what you may have heard, streetwear isn’t dead at Louis Vuitton, it’s evolving. —Lei Takanashi

Charaf Tajer’s Casablanca has only been around since 2018, but has continued to gain attention and new fans with its elegant approach to menswear. Items range from athleisure staples like premium tracksuits to silk shirts that display colorful, hand-painted artwork like dalmatians and sunsets. Casablanca also celebrated its first official footwear collaboration, a two-shoe pack with New Balance, to help the brand introduce its 327 silhouette this past April. Two more colorways have hit the market since that sold out with ease just like the first batch. The lux pairs were inspired by tennis and classic Italian style—they’ve helped position the 327 as one of the year’s best new models. 

Tajer tapped into other luxury lifestyle elements like ski gear and printed luggage for the brand’s Paris Fashion Week presentation back in January, which shows how the brand can evolve. Its Spring/Summer 2021 PFW presentation, despite being released digitally due to the pandemic, proved the brand can still find ways to upgrade its previous deliveries without straying from what it’s good at. The Hawaiian-inspired collection resulted in some of the brand’s most beautiful graphics to date, like rainbows arching over cruise ships, along with cut-and-sew-like suiting with pearl details. 

The right people like it too. Travis Scott, J Balvin, Aleali May, and Westside Gunn are fans. Gunna even walked in the brand’s Fall/Winter 2019 presentation. The colorful prints and silk shirts might not be for everyone, or the easiest items to pull off, but their artful details and quality needs to be commended. There’s a reason Tajer was a co-winner of the LVMH Prize this year. If you still haven’t warmed up to Casablanca, you should start soon. Tajer’s work is only getting better with time. —Mike DeStefano

Supreme remains at the top of the class in 2020. Breaking down why that’s the case isn’t always easy, but year in and year out, the brand remains relevant—sitting squarely at the center of the conversation.  

There’s the collaborations, some off-beat, others seasonal regulars. The brand’s ever-popular collaborations with The North Face this year included a standout ’90s retro of the brand’s beloved RTG line. Fans of Supreme’s art collaborations were treated with great collections featuring the work of artists like the late graffiti writer Rammellzee and musician Daniel Johnston. A Nike partnership put the box logo on one of the most iconic sneakers of all time, the Air Force One. In the Fall season, the brand released their first collaboration with the legendary Japanese designer, Yohji Yamamoto and dropped another luxurious collab with Stone Island. On top of all that, they even collaborated with brands like Colgate and Oreo—a box logo cookie! 

Supreme is nothing if not incredibly prolific. It’s why a clothing conglomerate like VF Corp. would acquire the streetwear brand for a whopping sum of $2.1 billion. Although some fear the brand may be “selling out,” it’s clear that Supreme stays true to itself. Is the resale market thriving like it was a few years ago? You’d have to ask the people waiting desperately for a piece of the drop each Thursday. But you can’t deny that Supreme still is, and always will be, at the center of the streetwear universe. —Skylar Bergl

While this OG brand has been around since the ’80s, it’s gone through its peaks and valleys. But in 2020, Stüssy caught its stride once again. Its seasonal offerings have remained consistent, showcasing signature logos and prints on T-shirts and hoodies alongside cut-and-sew items like linen work pants or denim ranch jackets. They have also dropped off some nice collabs this year, most notably helping Nike bring back 2003’s Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 in a trio of colorways that are among the best sneaker collabs we’ve seen in 2020. 

This past May, the brand tapped Matthew M. Williams, Givenchy’s newly appointed creative director who grew up in California admiring Stüssy, to create workwear crafted with Loro Piana denim and recycled cotton graphic T-shirts that merge each designer’s ethos. The brand celebrated its 40th anniversary with a number of high profile collaborations. Stüssy dropped a super limited varsity jacket with Comme des Garçons covered in retro graphics, T-shirts by designers like Virgil Abloh and Rick Owens, and capsule collections with rising streetwear brands like Tremaine Emory’s No Vacancy Inn.

Projects like these show just how important and influential Stüssy has been for all these years, which isn’t by accident. It’s one of the very few brands equally respected by young and old demographics. While other brands from the era have gone by the wayside or faded out of vogue, it is impressive to see Stüssy’s staying power for four decades. —Mike DeStefano

Pyer Moss has set the prime example of what it means to be a brand in the current fashion ecosystem. And the clothes are only one piece of the story. 

Founder Kerby Jean-Raymond has never been afraid to call out the injustices facing the Black community. And he’s been doing it for years, starting with a big statement at his runway show all the way back in 2015—long before other brands were willing to speak out on social issues. That bravery and willingness to speak when others are silent has only guided the journey of the brand into 2020, where it’s now a consistent presence with a powerful message behind it, and the designs to back it up. 

He’s also an innovative storyteller and proposed a drive-in activation, amid COVID-19, that will premiere his documentary “American, Also,” which follows him and his team as they prepped for their Spring/Summer 2020 show in Flatbush at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre. He’s had a few other big moments in the latter part of the year that include being named global creative director at Reebok, winning the CFDA’s 2020 Best Menswear Award, and partnering with Kering on “Your Friends in New York,” a yet-to-be fully described platform that will “empower the next generation of innovators.” And while he continued his partnership with Reebok, releasing more sneakers and sportswear—he also expanded his collection and dropped his own sneakers, the Sculpt, and a footwear collaboration with Brother Vellies.

To talk about Pyer Moss without touching on the entire picture beyond the clothes would be to ignore the shifting landscape of the industry, where independent brands are making more impact on the next generation of consumers than legacy houses with decades of history. Other brands on this list make headlines for noteworthy collections and hyped collaborations that sell out in an instant—Pyer Moss has those, too, don’t forget—but Jean-Raymond and his team have built the label into something bigger. And that’s something to be celebrated.—Skylar Bergl

Rhuigi Villaseñor has come a long way since designing that black and white paisley T-shirt back in 2012. As Rhude ages, the designer continues to hone his craft and refine his offerings from collection to collection, and his work thus far in 2020 is some of his strongest to date. He kicked off the year with his official debut at Paris Fashion Week, a milestone for any designer, with the “Spirit of Ecstasy” show he says was inspired by his family and celebrated his late grandfather. Items like leather blazers and belted coats were a nod to him. The Paris presentation also marked the designer’s first step into the womenswear space, and it was good, another accomplishment for Rhude. Villaseñor also pivoted well in the face of the pandemic by debuting his Spring/Summer 2021 “The Audacity To Dream” collection, yet another step in the right direction for the designer, with a short film shot inside a modern Los Angeles home. 

He’s kept up the collaborations too, adding new chapters to his partnership with Puma, Thierry Lasry, and Vans. He dropped an affordable capsule with PacSun—similar to what Jerry Lorenzo’s done with his Essentials diffusion line. While it was not officially tied to Rhude, it provided similar graphic T-shirts that fall in line with the vintage-inspired, wild animal prints that have become the brand’s signature. More recently, he was tapped by Foot Locker’s Greenhouse hub and lent a Rhude twist to Starter’s signature sportswear pieces like anoraks and striped snapback caps. As a lifelong Lakers fan whose designs have connected with NBA players like LeBron James, it was only right that Villaseñor dropped off a capsule to celebrate the Lakers’ 2020 NBA title in October. You might recognize the New Era caps, all three sold out in minutes, from being glued to Jay-Z’s head while he sat courtside at Staples Center before the pandemic. The rap legend kept himself draped in plenty of Rhude throughout 2020. And even Lil Uzi Vert shouted the brand out on Eternal Atake. Villaseñor has said before he doesn’t want to alienate his Day 1 customers as he evolves. For the time being, he seems to have found the perfect pocket to do just that. Rhude represents what modern luxury is today and what it will be for years to come. —Mike DeStefano

Evolution doesn’t happen overnight. But the growth of Kith from a sneaker-centric, New York-only outpost with extensive collaborations to a complete, head-to-toe and nearly global brand has been nothing short of impressive—it opened a new Tokyo flagship back in July. The limited-run Kith-branded Air Force 1s and exclusive New Balance collaborations might get someone in the door, but the ever-expanding collections keep them there. Co-signs from LeBron James go a long way, but the product—in that case, a Golden Bear jacket collaboration—goes further. 

In many ways, Kith is something of a barometer for New York style. In recent collections, shades of retro ’90s sportswear are clear, and they’re right on time as nostalgia for that era hits a fever pitch. Nylon windbreakers, field jackets, straight-legged pants with and without cargo pockets cover some of the basics. But the in-house stylings aren’t afraid to experiment either—multi-pocketed bomber jackets, patchwork details, and noragi-like mid layers bring additional dimension. The strictly hoodies-and-jeans period that started Kith is long gone and now it’s building on the foundation with collections that aren’t formulaic and landing with the younger set. The steady stream of collaborations that have become a Kith calling card haven’t been discontinued though. Ronnie Fieg had Bugs Bunny in his lookbook. He worked with the Yankees. In November, he gave a nod to his David Z origins with “The Palette,” a 30-pair collection of tonal suede Asics Gel-Lyte IIIs in Kith’s signature colors. But none were more robust than the 94-piece apparel collection with BMW that was punctuated by the limited edition release of Fieg’s very own M4 Competition. It proves almost nothing is out of reach for Fieg to splash with the Kith logo.  

Kith just keeps growing. Whether it’s bigger collaborations or flagships in new corners of the world, things clearly aren’t slowing up soon. —Skylar Bergl

In 2020, mood board IG pages like Hidden.NY and Lil Jupiter are commonplace, and they’ve been able to grow their followings and collaborate with brands like K-Swiss and BBC Ice Cream. But the godfather of the internet moodboard is Justin Saunders, who introduced JJJJound, a visual blog, in 2008, and it’s now a full-fledged brand.

While the Montreal-based design studio is far from a newcomer, this year has been one of its best in terms of output. Its latest New Balance project, tonal grey and green colorways of the 992, was all over Instagram—in a calendar year filled with memorable 992s—and he resurrected styles from heritage brand Eddie Bauer’s archive with a collection of standout vests and jackets. He also brought his own touch to white and tan pairs of the Classic Nylon and Club C Reebok with JJJJound logo placement. And when they weren’t releasing coveted collabs, Saunders and company bolstered their own in-house line of essential items like Oxford shirts, denim, coffee cups, and even dryer balls to make sure that anyone who wants to live the full JJJJound lifestyle can do so if they please.

In a space dominated by bold graphics and big name collabs, JJJJound is an outlier that’s been able to cultivate its own hype without delineating from what made it so great in the first place. All of the products fit perfectly into JJJJound’s earth-toned world of vintage Range Rovers, kempt office spaces, and brownstone apartment buildings. JJJJound knows its audience; it knows exactly what they expect, and is executing it to perfection. It might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but it isn’t trying to be, either. One thing is for sure though. Kanye West certainly isn’t the only one asking, “Is this Jound-appoved?” anymore. —Mike DeStefano

When looking at streetwear today, one cannot deny the influence Marc Jacobs has on this game. Decades before Virgil Abloh was named men’s artistic director at Louis Vuitton—and before brands like Supreme and Stüssy collaborated with LV and Dior, respectively—Jacobs was out here taking hits for bringing streetwear-inspired looks to the runway. Never forget that Jacobs was fired as the creative director of Perry Ellis in 1993 after showing a collection heavily influenced by the early ’90s grunge subculture at the time. And his 16-year tenure as the first creative director of Louis Vuitton introduced the world to sneakers designed by Kanye West and high fashion collaborations with contemporary artists like Takashi Murakami. 

Although the 57-year-old fashion designer has continuously produced ready-to-wear runway collections that close out New York Fashion Week, Jacobs typically isn’t the first designer that comes to mind when thinking about streetwear. But his efforts to tap into that market this year have not been overlooked. In January, he released a surprising collaboration with the Miami-based streetwear brand Stray Rats, which revived graphics from Jacobs’ early 2000s “Stinky Rat” subsidiary line for knit sweaters, hoodies, and T-shirts—fittingly modeled by the elusive Frank Ocean. This was followed up by a collaboration with Cactus Plant Flea Market, who flipped Jacobs’ own body tattoos into an eye-catching set of fleece jackets, long sleeves, tote bags, and hoodies. The fleece jacket from that collaboration just looked too good on Lil Uzi Vert. 

However, those collabs were only the tip of the iceberg, since Jacobs' most intriguing venture this year was Heaven, a new polysexual line designed in collaboration with Ava Nirui aka @avanope. Nirui, who was once known for her luxury fashion bootlegs, went from collaborating with Jacobs on a hoodie in 2017 to becoming one of his full-time employees and youthful muses—Jacobs credits her for setting up those aforementioned collaborations with CPFM and Stray Rats. The Heaven line is filled with graphic T-shirts, knit sweaters, hoodies, and accessories that take cues from rave, grunge, harajuku, and early ’90s subcultures—this aesthetic is further bolstered by the line’s collaborations with Shoichi Aoki of FRUiTS Magazine and film director Gregg Araki. Marc Jacobs’ collaborations with Julian Consuegra, Cynthia Lu, and Nirui, show that his eponymous label is writing a new chapter that is focused on contemporary youth culture but rooted in nostalgia that’s true to his eccentric personality. —Lei Takanashi

In 2016, Beyonce, a longtime Topshop fan, partnered with the British fast fashion retailer to introduce Ivy Park, an athleisure line named after her daughter, Blue Ivy, and Parkwood Park, a park in Houston Beyonce frequented as a child. Beyonce's Parkwood Management signed a fifty-fifty partnership with Arcadia Group, the firm led by Sir Philip Green, that operates Topshop. But once allegations of sexual, physical, and racial abuse came out against Green, Beyonce bought out Arcadia Group's stake in the business and announced a deal with Adidas in 2019.

Ivy Park for Topshop was cute, but the Adidas collaboration packs more punch and, thanks to its innovative marketing strategy, has been more pervasive. The rollout started at the end of 2019 with an Elle cover and fashion shoot featuring Beyonce wearing pieces from the collection, which officially launched in January 2020. It was hard to escape images of Beyonce wearing leggings, bodysuits, biker shorts, sports bras, and sneakers from the collection, which came in an orange, maroon, and ivory palette—some likened it to Popeyes' color scheme. Beyonce modeled each piece of the assortment for the e-commerce site and starred in the campaign. But then, orange, rolling boxes started to populate our IG feeds and celebrities ranging from Reese Witherspoon to Yara Shahidi posted videos of themselves modeling pieces from the Ivy Park collection, and getting really clever with production. The Ivy Park orange box became a badge of honor among celebrities and influencers and organic IG content for Beyonce and Adidas. The line sold out online within hours and took over Adidas stores globally. She followed that up with a Drip 2 and Drip 2.2 later on this year, which also sold out. Celebrity lines are nothing new, but Beyonce, once again, has created a new blueprint for how to drop and market product in a way that captures our attention and makes us want to buy.—Aria Hughes