The 25 Best Men's Style Brands of 2011

Image via Complex Original

Billy Reid

The Alabama designer's brand is still going strong. This year's capsule collection with J. Crew translated the designer's southern aesthetic to a broader audience, while a K-Swiss sneaker collaboration put a down-home twist on his favorite pair of kicks. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour stopped by his show last fashion week, and you know that's a co-sign worth paying attention to.

Outlier

Combining dope fabrics and modern fits, Outlier's gear has managed to break itself free from its former associations with messenger culture. Couple that with their attention to technical gear and functionality, and you end up with dope stuff like their recent Minimal Backpack. This year has also seen the debut of slimmer pants, as well as winter-ready essentials like merino-lined, water-resistant chinos.

Club Monaco

This Canadian company has long been on the sidelines because of a lack of an online store, but now relevant collections from former hickey designer Aaron Levine and a new collection designed in conjunction with A Continuous Lean's Michael Williams have put them in the spotlight. It doesn't hurt that their made in the USA collection is manufactured in the same factory as Gitman Vintage, a shirting brand that seems to have become the de facto oxford shirt of stylish guys and nerdy menswear bloggers alike.

BLK DNM

Johan Lindeberg's latest project combines his love for casual gear and rockstar style into a  whole concept store. He's been receiving some great buzz for his attention to denim fit and awesome leather jackets. With a recent fragrance release, it'll be interesting to see how this fledgling lifestyle brand develops.

Naked & Famous

Scratch & Sniff Jeans? Glow-in-the-Dark Denim? Only the quirky minds at Naked & Famous can come up with this stuff, let alone sell it. Exclusive jeans for Barney's and collaborations with denim company Momotaro also show that they can make stuff for the luxury crowd and hardcore denimheads. They're also prepping to launch a full collection next year, so they're definitely worth watching out for.

Ovadia & Sons

One of the brands that epitomizes the growing love for luxury tailored gear, the twins behind Ovadia & Sons seem to have hit the ground running. With a penchant for expensive fabrics and prices to match, their shirts, monk strap shoes, and double-breasted jackets still managed to practically sell out as soon as they were available on their website. This response prompted getting them immediately picked up by retail stores, from department stores like Bloomingdale's to smaller boutiques like C'H'C'M.

Stussy

Still holding it down for the streetwear game, this year Stussy went heavy with the pop culture references. Running the high-low spectrum with collections inspired by Marvel Comics, Beavis and Butt-Head, and underground artists like Daniel Clowes, they've also continued to branch out with the Stussy Deluxe line and collaborations with Pendleton, Timberland,  and Dickies, all the while continuing to prove themselves as a relevant brand.

Ebbets Field

We're pretty sure every other company making men's clothes has had a hat made by Ebbets Field Flannels. Whether appealing to the streetwear, heritage, or #menswear set, their hats have been rocked by a variety of dudes.

Balmain

Kanye West has often been seen rocking this designer label, mostly in his distressed jeans and the denim-on-denim look he rocked at the VMAs, but the extremely high price point means that most guys wanting to get the look probably won't skip out on rent to cop an ombre chambray buttondown.

Gant Rugger

This brand's been getting hyped on blogs for a while, but this year saw a visible expansion in retail space, opening a standalone store in NYC's NoLiTa. Combine that with clothing that both average dudes and skinny-hipster types can relate to, and it's easy to see why designer Christopher Bastin's clothes are a hit with kids just setting off for campus, as well as the young adults graduating from it.

Unis

Designer Eunice Lee has been in the game for over three years now, but her brand has been picking up tons of steam thanks to a reputation for well-fitting pants and simple, unbranded gear and quality outerwear. This year also saw her debut into suiting, resulting in a suit that is super versatile, not stuffy, and fits most guys perfectly. She also opened a Los Angeles outpost, where her understated aesthetic and casual appeal should resonate with the California cool guy vibe.

Penfield

Providing solid, affordable outerwear, it's been a hit with everyone from streetwear dudes to even preppy guys, as a lookbook shot by F.E. Castleberry of Unabashedly Prep has shown. The unpretentious brand has managed to achieve a balance of staying relevant without being super-trendy, which helps explain its mainstream appeal. Despite that, they also make product that appeals to dudes who want more unique, of-the-moment pieces like fair-isle down vests.

Golden Bear Sportswear

This leather manufacturer has made some of the sickest jackets to come out this year. Making jackets for the likes of Engineered Garments, Unionmade, and Ronnie Fieg, the company has shown it can make badass biker jackets like cafe racers, as well as prep-friendly varsities that also have street cred.

Nike Sportswear

The Destroyer Jacket is easily the varsity of 2011. Debuting a custom shop at Bowery Stadium, it was hard to walk around on a chilly day and not see a dude rocking one. They stepped up their game with an entire collection made in Italy, resulting in beautiful crewneck sweatshirts made from quality cashmere, among other great items. The brand also hooked up with up-and-coming rappers like the A$AP crew and Stalley, making them custom jackets of their own. Hell, Complex even got one made in our latest issue, those things are just that cool.

Striver's Row

Combining elements of menswear from all sorts of places, this brand kind of came out of nowhere and got hyped fast. They opened their Atlanta flagship store and got co-signed by bloggers and rappers almost overnight. It helps when one of your founders cut his teeth at brands like Akademiks and PRPS. Mixing buttondowns, camouflage, denim, and an easy-wearing sensibility, it's not hard to see why so many people are interested in the future of this brand.

Mitchell & Ness

The brand that most likely brought snapbacks back, Mitchell & Ness has been killing it this year. Thanks to dudes like Don C., who paired their caps with luxury material like snakeskin, moves like this certainly got people talking — and more importantly, copping. Beyond hats, the brand's clothing has also been making waves, such as a recent varsity jacket collaboration with Boylston Trading Co.

Junya Watanabe

This label has the sort of gear that everyone wants but very few people can buy. Shops like UNION LA stock its expensive garments, which made waves across the Internet when  Justin Bieber rocked the designer's Fair Isle Varsity jacket during a performance on The TODAY Show. In addition, his work for Comme des Garcons is as fresh as ever, and has plenty of dude's saving up just to cop one thing for their closets.

Supreme

Let's be honest: Supreme never really fell off, but solid collections and collaborations with the likes of Levi's, Timberland, Clarks, and Adam Kimmel show why the New York brand continues to have a devoted following.  The fact that their gear makes appearances in several fashion editorials shows the brand is gaining popularity outside of the hypebeast set, and their recent expansion to London shows that Supreme is still a top dog in the game.

J. Crew

J. Crew shows no signs of stopping their growing popularity. They debuted higher-end men's like Wallace & Barnes this year, as well as an equally solid collection at fashion week, attracting the likes of Beyoncé. In addition, they're one of Bing.com's top-searched fashion brands of the year (and the only "mall brand" on the list), and made themselves available internationally via sites like Mr. Porter. Strategic placements like this has managed to establish the company as a purveyor of easy-wearing, rugged men's clothes.

Givenchy

Ricardo Tisci's work has ingrained itself into the minds of hip-hop heads and casual Kanye West fans alike. Other than heavily working with Kanye and Jay-Z on the cover and other art concepts for Watch The Throne, his rottweiler designs were seen everywhere this year. Other rappers like Pusha T and Kid Cudi hopped on the rottweiler shirt game. Plus, people are finally starting to pronounce the label's name right, which is a definite sign of mainstreaming.

Mark McNairy

It was his well-made footwear that got him noticed, and since then Mark McNairy has branched out into full lines. Whether it's "W**te Folks In Paris" graphic tees, "Fuck Off" ties, or ponyhair shoes with zebra stripes, the quirky designer continues to be one to watch. His recent debut into womenswear, coupled with taking over for Engineered Garments designer Daiki Suzuki at Woolrich Woolen Mills, shows he's serious about his clothing designs, which push the envelope between traditional looks, modern cuts, and a cheeky sense of humor.

Adam Kimmel

Leelee Sobieski's hubby has had a banner year. Not only did he collaborate with heavy hitters in streetwear like Carharrt and Supreme, his own collection is strong as ever. His quirky sense of style and presentation was exhibited through video lookbooks like making magician David Blaine swim with sharks, in a tuxedo, no less. Kimmel's star continues to be on the rise, and he's definitely worth paying attention to.

Uniqlo

The Japanese brand was super aggressive this year, opening several new flagship stores in New York with some crazy deals to match. Any ride on the NYC subway meant you were treated to ads about $10 jeans and other promotional specials. They also followed up the final +J collection with the announcement that Undercover designer Jun Takahashi would be taking over Jil Sander's stead. With regular folks and fashion-forward people in their grasp, it seems they've firmly established their foothold in the U.S. market, reflected in their new slogan: "made for all.”

Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang made his debut into menswear with his Fall/Winter 2011 collection. His luxury lounge gear is a welcome break from all the tailored clothing that's been exposed as of late, and an award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America put him on the map. True, his cashmere hoodies, slim sweatpants, and a variety of black gear don't come cheap, but co-signs from rappers and regular dudes have rocked his clothes as a symbol of stealth wealth and subtle luxury.

Dockers

Once the fodder for jokes about ill-fitting, pleated pants worn by dads everywhere, this brand's reputation has undergone a drastic change for the better. It kicked off the year with a series of notable designer collaborations with lauded brands like Michael Bastian, Alexander Wang, and Warriors of Radness. It also introduced new, slimmer pants in silhouettes that fit spot-on. In the course of a year, it seems Dockers have officially gone from being your dad's khakis to the new thing that's actually being worn in the streets.