The Best Men's Style Brands of 2013 (So Far)

Neff is on its way to becoming the Ciroc of streetwear. Endorsed by numerous rappers, which included 2013 collabos with Mac Miller, RiFF RAFF, and a dope set of watches by Ben Baller, the brand that started with headwear now offers tons of gear and accessories that channel bright beach vibes. The accessibility of the label's graphic and all-over print T-shirts has easily found a large fanbase, and if rumors are true of future partnerships with musicians in 2013, Neff is only going to climb this list.

Nike Sportswear has continued to be at the forefront of what's next in terms of technical and stylish gear, which is a tough job for such a giant corporation. The "performance meets style" story isn't a brand new one, but NSW is one of the few labels that executes it flawlessly and without obvious effort. The clothes still look good enough to rock daily, and being complemented by technically-enhanced details and materials only adds to their value. This isn't lost on super-niche brands like Fragment Design, who collabo'd with NSW this past year. If you're living a life that demands looking good and performance, look no further than what's coming out of Portland.

While menswear's moment in the spotlight may not be as singular as it was in the very recent past, it's pretty obvious that a lot of dudes still care about getting on their suit-and-tie shit. J. Crew and others allowed guys to get a taste of suiting up, but it's the Dutch company Suitsupply that gives guys choice beyond a standard blazer and trousers. Their sleek stores have a seemingly endless array of fabrics and fits that can be spun into a bespoke get-up, and their ready-to-wear is some of the best-looking and affordable menswear to date. Every location has an in-store tailor, meaning that even guys who are taking the plunge into dressier territory for the first time won't come out looking like a cheap salesman. With five stores in the states and four more on the way, these guys have definitely found a formula that's resonating with menswear dudes.

The sock game has had it's fair share of standout players in recent years, but 2013 so far has belonged to Stance. A sock brand wouldn't usually make a "best of" list, but after making serious splashes with their NBA Legends series and a Wu-Tang drop, Stance has become the sock of choice for anyone looking to inject a little color and personality into their outfit. Of course, it didn't hurt that Rihanna sported a custom-made pair while, uh, checking her email on our recent cover with her.

It still blows minds to think how far Club Monaco has come in such a short time. Recently appointed Aaron Levine has led the once-Euro trashy brand out from the dark, and stylish dudes looking for interesting and accessible gear have a destination that won't disappoint. So far this year, Club Monaco has enlisted the help of George Lewis aka Twin Shadow to model their wares in their first ever digital lookbook. They've also partnered with the classic surf brand Katin to create some surf vibes that everyone loves at the moment. If things keep going their way, Club Monaco might become the only place where you need to shop.

The Parisian brand made waves with their "Brooklyn Parle Francais" sweaters, but Brooklyn We Go Hard has come into its own in 2013. Besides putting out an incredible collection for SS13, the season's lookbook was one of the best of the year. Emerging from the same crew that ran with Stephane Ashpoole of Pigalle, BWGH scored it's first retail space in Paris, and continued to do collaborations with some of the dopest entities out there. It's rare for a brand to execute all points so well at such a young age, so there are only bigger and better things in the near future for BWGH.

Isaora is undoubtedly the best of the brands that seamlessly fuses a mountain mentality with an urban aesthetic. NASA-esque materials and techniques for city-ready garments immediately found a cult fanbase when the brand launched in 2009. But only recently has the style portion of the brand caught up with the incredibly advanced technical aspect. The collections available in 2013 blew minds with unique colorways, and every category of the label was on the same level as its lauded outerwear. Isaora broke out of being pigeonholed into a now crowded "outdoor gear for city life" market, and while it's leading almost everyone in technical construction, it can now contend with any brand out there in terms of style, direction, and all other aspects.

If you view the work, the partnerships, the visuals, and everything else, it would look like Huf is making a run for the crown of streetwear. And based on its first half of 2013, if they succeed, there's no way we'd be mad. Huf has been killing it for several seasons, and the past few months haven't been different. The L.A.-based brand has created solid staples of streetwear, as well as collaborated with some awesome like-minded partners. After putting out strong spring and summer drops, Huf proved that any dude looking to get back to a pure streetwear lifestyle needs to dip himself in this brand immediately.

Uniqlo is still like the apparel version of Google. If you need something, just Uniqlo it and you're sure to get a reliable version of what you set out for. But beyond accessible basics in every shape and color, the Japanese retailer has already produced some stellar projects in 2013. Their stylish polos designed by Michael Bastian will probably bring the item back as a staple in summer wardrobe around the country. Also, partnering with the Andy Warhol Foundation was a stroke of genius that had aspiring streetwear designers slapping their foreheads. The growing chain's "Airism" pieces set a new standard for breathable basics, and the marketing team went into overtime with a campaign that featured creatives including Danny Brown, who performed at the roaming pop-up shop that toured around NYC. As reliable as Uniqlo is, 2013 has been full of surprises.

Make sure to keep an eye on Astrid Andersen and her clothes that blend the two worlds of London and Copenhagen streetwear. A$AP Rocky is already a fan, so you know she's doing something right. The Danish-born designer just put on her first solo show in London Collections: Men, and the early co-signs she got from numerous industry insiders are very quickly being validated. The label is one of the brands that's leading the expansion of what the market considers "streetwear," and is definitely bringing nothing but exciting things to the table in 2013.

Marcelo Burlon's T-shirts have become a trend in and of their own. A huge number of stylish celebrities have been spotted wearing the Italian designer's goods, and it's only a small matter of time before kids in the streets are rocking them too. The vibrant animal-inspired shirts are definitely a good look, and time will only tell who the next stylish celeb will be who pops up in one of these.

Stampd charged out of L.A. and went from a great accessories brand to a full-on great brand, period. Collaborations with Kith and En Noir re-inforced the label's insider status, and their "Gods" collection produced a haunting lookbook that was one of the year's best. Even though the "Dope" and "West Coast" T-shirts were already fire, Stampd used 2013 to prove how much more they are than just a one-dimensional brand.

The greatest strength of Norse Projects is it's consistency. The Danish brand relentlessly produces collections that, with every piece's simplicity, utilitarianism, and durability, serves to further the brand's creed, which states "created to improve life - good for all seasons." The brand already has a Mark McNairy and Tricker's collab under it's belt, and a series of 5 panel cap releases in unique colorways, prints, and techniques had people waiting by the computer every week Googling the conversions between US dollars and Danish krones.

KTZ is one crazy looking brand, but it's horror and metal inspired direction makes it one of the most exciting labels to follow at the moment. The gear is definitely not for most guys, but anyone who can take a piece and incorporate it into their wardrobe is on a very advanced level. Of course, rocking it head-to-toe is another way to do it, and 2013 has seen some stylish celebs do just that. The label has been successful in London and Japan for some time now, and is just making inroads into the States. Don't be surprised to see other brands trying to copy this steez, and please remember who the OGs are.

Kith nearly shut down the entire game with their East Coast project. The Ronnie Fieg-led brand designed and also partnered with the leading creatives of their respective fields to produce headgear, bags, tanks, windbreakers, sunglasses, socks, varsity jackets, and sneakers that literally had people flying around the country to buy. The roll-out was genius, and proved once again that Kith is still the master of making people want things they didn't realize they needed. Case in point: the line to cop Kith's Mercer pants literally stretched around the block. This brand and its work are the reason why you need to start saving up frequent flyer miles for when they drop incredible work during the rest of the year.

Billionaire Boys Club came back in a big way in 2013, just in time to celebrate their 10th anniversary. It's pretty much a miracle for any brand to stick around for a decade, but to spend 10 years continuously setting the bar higher and higher for itself and its competitors is pretty remarkable. Mark McNairy continued to bring his wild side to the brand, and he and Pharrell recently announced BBC Black. The monochromatic diffusion line is sure to please both the fashion crowd and dudes who want clothes that do all the work. Not to mention, after a partnership with Jay-Z and the Iconix Brand Group, BBC's profits started skyrocketing. If the label's current projections continue, it could live up to its own name.

Katie Eary seemingly burst out of nowhere in 2013, and was suddenly one of G.O.O.D. Music's favorite designers. After working with the likes of Big Sean, 2 Chainz, and talking all things fashion with Kanye and co., the brand could've been set just gracing the backs of celebs and rappers. But unlike what a lot of celebs rock, Eary's designs are wearable and accessible to the everyday stylish guy. Her gear leans toward the more vibrant all-over prints that have gotten co-signs all over the world, and her SS14 collection kinda blew people out of the water. Expect great things for 2013 and beyond.

Somehow, after all this time atop the streetwear world, Stussy still manages to improve itself in terms of its gear and the lifestyle it promotes and visualizes. Just when you thought you knew everything there is to know about the now-global brand, it keeps on surprising. This year saw the launch of Stussy's first biannual publication, as well as dope lookbooks that featured members of the A$AP Mob. And when the brand wasn't setting trends with new gear, it was celebrating the golden era of streetwear with re-issues and homages to a past time that kids still emulate today.

At times, 2013 felt like the year when the public had to track what celebs were wearing Pyrex Vision pieces. Virgil Abloh's brand blasted off after Kanye wore a Pyrex hoodie on top of a kilt at the Sandy Concert in December, 2012, and since then anyone's who's been paying attention knows about the online-driven brand. As of now, the brand seems to be just a bunch of small collections and one-off projects, but it has re-defined how a brand can become relevant, profitable, and reign atop labels that have gone the traditional route. This is as much a story about brand and image management as it is of creation.

When Alexander Wang was chosen as the next man to head up the Balenciaga House, everyone's main concern was that his eponymous brand would suffer from a lack of attention—that's how popular his namesake business had become. The relaxed but still cool-as-fuck aesthetic that the California native popularized the look that downtown cool kids were attempting all these years; they just never had someone who could produce an entire collection of it. Everyone quickly grew to love Alexander Wang, the man and the work, but it was only after he was profiled by the New York Timesupon his Balenciaga appointment that people realized how good they had it, and how spoiled they had become with the quality of the work. In 2013, Alexander Wang and T by Alexander Wang went from cult faves to labels that people would kill for, and the Balenciaga appointment will only further the original brand's work.

En Noir started taking off in 2012, but this is the year it became everyone's favorite rappers' favorite brand...and beyond. In the first half of this year, En Noir has gone from the label that seemingly every celeb rocked courtside or at a performance, and into truly legitimate industry territory with a sick presentation at NYFW, as well as a invitation to show their goods at Paris Fashion Week. All this led to the brand getting picked up by Barney's, giving them the opportunity to expand their repertoire of materials and possibilities. And let's be honest, this is the brand that started the top trend of the year. Who knows what they're capable of with half a year left.