The Best NYC Streetwear Brands Right Now

Image via Complex Original

Founded: 2012
Where to cop in NYC: V-Files Store, 12 Mercer Street

Not everyone can afford designer clothing. There's no shame in that. It doesn't make them any less of a fan of the couture craftsmen that they follow. LPD New York pays homage to these creatives with fashion-inspired jerseys—placing designers' names on the back of T-shirts and mesh jerseys with their corresponding year of birth, or prominent number associated with the designer.

It's the street's response to the ever-blurring line between streetwear and high fashion, and the ultimate connection of the high-low aesthetic. They've recently branched out to the art world too, allowing you to rep names like Warhol and Pollock on your back. While their staying power is yet to be determined, what's clear is that they're hot right now—they keep selling out in stores like V-Files. Plus, when the shirts are popping up on NBA superstars such as Kevin Durant, it's safe to assume that LPD is much more than an underground movement. 

Founded: 1997
Where to cop in NYC: ONLY NY, 176 Stanton St. 

NYC has a strong history of championing sportswear and technical brands that are built with function in mind. The city is a hectic place, and the performance attributes of the garments not only fair well within NYC's environment, but they look cool, too.

Inspired by the city's heritage with brands such as The North Face and Polo Ralph Lauren, ONLY NY has taken the city's connection with underground skate culture and applied it to the most wearable of streetwear pieces. If you're into bucket hats, 5-panel caps, graphic T-shirts, and printed button-down shirts, ONLY is your brand.

Founded: 1995
Where to cop in NYC: MEMES, 3 Great Jones St.

Hip-hop runs through the veins of 10.Deep. The brand, which is known for putting out noteworthy mixtapes and breaking new music, is still down for the backpack kid that's finding his way into camo print rugby shirts and floral-print button-ups.

18 years and running, 10.Deep has championed artists such as Kid Cudi and Wale throughout the years, and creates clothes just as bold as the rappers' sounds. Although heavy on military influence, streetwear fans can still find wardrobe staples such as baseball jerseys, crewneck sweatshirts, 5-panel hats, denim jackets and tank tops.

Founded: 2009
Where to cop in NYC: Saturdays Surf SoHo, 31 Crosby St. 

A surf brand in NYC? Certainly, and Saturdays Surf NYC has brought its wavy vibes to the world of men's style—making the Big Apple the perfect home for its graphic tanks, tees, button downs, and cozy crewnecks.

Saturdays defies classification, and that's exactly what makes it a streetwear brand: It's out to make its own, calculated path. Despite the brand's laidback demeanor, Saturdays continues to open more shops around the globe, but still stays true to its surf roots and has even collaborated with a NYC skate legend, SHUT, on a series of skate decks.

Founded: 2006
Where to cop in NYC: Atmos NYC, 203 W. 125th St.

The mid-2000s heralded in a new generation of streetwear brands, and, once again, NYC was at the center of the youth culture movement. Brands were putting flips on familiar logos, and Acapulco Gold found its niche with play on hip-hop references.

The brand is still up to its old tricks, and it works for them. Whether placing an image of Tupac when he got on a T-shirt or graphic tees that aren't afraid to say "fuck you," AG proves that its still a sunny place for shady people. Still, you can also catch a celection of chino and camo shorts and button-up shirts from the brand, too.

Founded: 1997
Where to cop in NYC: The Reed Space, 151 Orchard St.

If you want to become inspired, listen to Jeff Staple. The brand founder printed his first T-shirt by sneaking into Parsons School of Design's silkscreening lab and pressing-up tees after hours. Flash forward 16 years, and he's running one of NYC's best streetwear brands.

Most people know the brand for its signature pigeon logo, but the brand has branched out and collaborated with Mike Tyson and even found itself on the back of LeBron James while focusing on cut-and-sew pieces. However, Staple's street cred is still strong as it has never abandonded its streetwear roots—never leaving the cultural touchstones of graphic tees, tank tops, and 5-panel caps.

Founded: 1990
Where to cop in NYC: Black Scale, 296 Elizabeth St.

SSUR is an O.G. within NYC streetwear and the brand, headed by Ruslan Karablin, shows no signs of letting up its presence—however subtle it may be. This year saw the brand present the most provocative display booth at Project MVMNT, which featured a scene that was straight out of drug cartel crime scene—limbless bodies, bundles of money, and illicit substances galore.

SSUR gained more than enough notoriety through its “COMME des Fuckdown” collection, which became a favorite of A$AP Rocky and every other kid with an interest in streetwear. Recently, the collection took a dip in a cup of lean courtesy of Black Scale, producing a range of purple-tinged pieces. On top of that, the brand also collaborated with Been Trill on a handful of snapbacks that have been worn by Big Sean and Travi$ Scott. It has been a busy 12 months for SSUR, and we don’t see any signs of letting up.

Founded: 2003
Where to cop in NYC: Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream, 465 W. Broadway

The house that Pharrell built covers so much ground that we considered making it two entries. But on the real, his astronaut-inspired line just rang in its 10th anniversary, and is also poised to make billions of dollars after a recent expansion. It doesn't hurt to have industry heavy-hitters in your corner, like Jay Z and menswear designer Mark McNairy.

Many streetwear labels have attempted to make the transition into higher end menswear, but thanks to McNairy, BBC's Bee Line takes the playful brand up a notch without losing any of its trademark whimsy. Trippy patterned varsities and contrast button blazers abound, and Pharrell is a staunch brand ambassador—he can't stop wearing some of the pieces himself.

Founded: 2011
Where to cop in NYC: Kith Manhattan 644 Broadway; Kith Brooklyn, 233 Flatbush Ave.

If we were able to place a firm ownership on the intersection of menswear, streetwear, and where they move towards the future, Kith would be a good bet. Ronnie Fieg transformed Kith from a way of giving his collaborations a retail space into a full-fledged brand with some impressive output.

Collections feature coach jackets, tank-tops, crewneck sweatshirts with side zippers, collaborations with Parisian streetwear brand Brooklyn We Go Hard, windbreakers, and sweatpant-like trousers. It's scary: Kith continues to get better and better with each drop, substantiating itself as one of the most distinct voices in New York—even bringing the city's flavor to Miami.

Founded: 1994
Where to cop in NYC: Supreme New York, 274 Lafayette St. 

Where would streetwear be without Supreme? Seriously, contemplate that for a moment. The brand captured the downtown cool of the mid-'90s and successfully parlayed its cultural cache into a global representation of NYC youth style.

The brand has grown from its symbolic Box Logo tees and camp hats to button-down shirts, collaborations with Clarks, Comme des Garçons SHIRT, and The North Face—to a consistent voice of which bands and musical acts of yesteryear today's kids should be up on such as the Misfits and Wackies. 19 years later, and the hype hasn't died down; we can only imagine what fall/winter 2013 will hold.