The Best Brands of 2021 (So Far)

Image via Complex Original

Standout Moments: Renovating a 7-Eleven in Chicago, the entire Joe Freshgoods for 7-Eleven collection (especially the striped sweatpants)

Quality beats quantity. If you need any evidence of that, look no further than Chicago’s Joe Freshgoods. While most streetwear brands are rolling out new items weekly or monthly, Joe Freshgoods is much more calculated with how he decides to make his next big splash. So far, it keeps paying off for him, too. The Chicagoan entered 2021 coming off of arguably his biggest year to date, at least on a mainstream level, thanks in large part to a stellar New Balance 992 collaboration that debuted during 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend in his home city. He closed out the year with another shoe collab, this time with Converse, where he experimented with new apparel. A pair of striped green track pants from the collaborative capsule may have arguably been the highlight. 

His first big project of 2021 actually didn’t come until May, a two-part drop with 7-Eleven inspired by his visits to the convenience store throughout his childhood. Not only did he release a line of apparel complete with graphic T-shirts, socks, and yes, more great track pants, he was also allowed to fully overhaul a 7-Eleven location in Chicago with special window dressing, branding, floor stickers, and baskets. The project showed the importance of storytelling, an area that he truly excels in, and authenticity when it comes to brands collaborating with major IPs that can go beyond just utilizing a well-known logo or mascot from its archive. Oh, his second New Balance project, a 990v3, also graced the cover of Sneaker Freaker and is set to drop in July. It will surely be another sellout. And he has also teased a traveling dinner party series in collaboration with 1800 Tequila. Joe Freshgoods has been consistently releasing great work for years. These days his audience is just bigger. And it’s well deserved.—Mike DeStefano

Standout Moments: Launching its first fashion campaign starring Future, designing an outerwear capsule with Canada Goose for the NBA

Rhuigi Villaseñor, the creative director and founder of Rhude, raises the bar collection after collection. He started the year off by announcing a collaboration with sports car company McLaren. Villaseñor honed his love for tailored garments and automotive culture and produced a collection that includes items like knits, leather jackets, and sweatsuits all bearing the McLaren logo, which he showed alongside his Fall/Winter 2021 collection that featured women’s, a category he’s dabbled in before but he’s refining his vision for it. 

Continuing the streak of firsts, the brand also unveiled its first-ever fashion campaign, tapping Atlanta rapper and fellow collaborator Future. “With the grace of the wonderful Ebonie Ward (Future’s manager) and Future, we came up with an idea to recalibrate Future’s look with my current and next collection,” Villaseñor told Complex when speaking about the campaign. Wearing leather shorts and an embroidered burgundy bomber jacket, Future graced a colossal-sized billboard on Sunset Boulevard, putting a stake in the ground of LA fashion culture. Villaseñor also ventured into the world of outerwear, thanks to Canada Goose and NBA All-Star Weekend, becoming the latest designer to take creative reigns and produce a collection for the players and fans. “Living on the West Coast, I only know what I’m surrounded by, and it can only be so cold in California,” he tells Complex Canada. “So, in some ways, I brought this naivety and innocence to the table when designing.”

While Rhude keeps growing to new heights, Villaseñor makes sure to never forget where he came from. It’s why past collections have been inspired by his grandfather, or why this past May he released cream cashmere snapbacks on his mother’s birthday to raise money for the nonprofit Apex For Youth during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Oh, and he appears to be one of Jay-Z’s favorite designers right now too, certainly not a bad co-sign to have. Rhude’s clothing has become a staple in his wardrobe whenever he steps out these days. Without question, Rhuigi’s label is a standout amongst its counterparts. With only six months into the year, Rhude is running a steady race to the top.—Maria Mora

Standout Moments: Retroing its Nike Air Huarache collab for the first time since 2001, its Spring 2021 collection

Anyone who loves streetwear or has loved streetwear at one time or another probably has a soft spot for Stüssy. For over 40 years, it has helped shape and progress the fashion subgenre. After some down years in the 2010s, the brand feels rejuvenated again, and in the first half of 2021 it has picked up right where it left off in 2020. Its collaborative partners have remained solid. In April, it gave a nod to its Cali surfer roots through a small collection of Oakley shades, a modern update to the popular Eye Jacket style from the ‘90s. That same month it continued its collaborative partnership with Sweden’s Our Legacy on contemporary workwear staples like straight-legged canvas pants and padded overshirts. A pair of tan suede work boots was an unexpected highlight. But its biggest and most consistent collaborator was Nike. In January, the two brands linked up for a recycled nylon puffer hoodie and pants highlighted by a unique green dye treatment. A month later, Nike joined forces with Stüssy again to relaunch its cult classic Air Huarache collab for the first time since 2001 that were accompanied by cozy gray and black sweatsuits.

It isn’t all about the collabs though. Stüssy’s seasonal deliveries have also been full of items worth adding to your closet. Along with the usual suspects like core logo hoodies and T-shirts, there were also unique must-haves like a cream sweater with a billiards-inspired graphic covering the chest, a cozy forest green fleece jacket covered in blue flowers, a vacation shirt with large peaches printed all over it, or a paneled chore coat with matching pants. These are pieces that can give your wardrobe the perfect balance and live in your closet for years to come. For anyone eager to get back to traveling, there is a new Chapter store in Kyoto, Japan that opened up in March too, an indicator that somehow there is still room for this OG to grow. Four decades later and Stüssy is still at the top of its game and helping define an era. It must be doing something right.—Mike DeStefano

Standout Moments: Releasing its second collaboration with Porsche complete with a bespoke vintage 911SC, debuting the second installment of it “International Friendship Through Basketball” campaign with New Balance centered around the 550 sneaker

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Thankfully, it appears that Aimé Leon Dore founder Teddy Santis abides by this mantra. ALD has found out what it’s good at—a perfect balance of streetwear and menswear that feels like a nice transition from graphic T-shirts and hoodies to cable-knit sweaters and chinos. And rather than stray away from that equation, the brand continues to fine-tune it with each passing season. The result has been a mix of must-have patchwork cardigans that sell out in minutes, penny loafers in an array of materials and colors, painter’s pants, and fleece zip-ups. Need something more casual? There is always a graphic T-shirt, pair of nylon shorts, minimally branded sweatsuit, or New Era fitted to satisfy that need, too. And the collaborations continue to please. Rather than run the gambit of brands and their logos, ALD has also opted to expand on existing relationships. An ongoing New Balance partnership continues to impress (Santis was even named the new creative director of NB’s Made in USA business starting in 2022) and the brand also launched a sequel to its previous work with Porsche this past May complete with another fully bespoke vintage 911SC. 

ALD is making sure to honor its New York City roots along the way—the Unisphere is a recurring motif and they’ve introduced Yankees and Mets caps in a variety of premium materials. It’s why hip-hop icons like Nas and DJ Premier, streetball legend Skip to My Lou, and Knicks great Charles Oakley have appeared in campaigns. But most importantly, ALD is cultivating a community. Not everyone has the ability to experience Aimé Leon Dore’s flagship on Mulberry Street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighborhood firsthand, but it represents this idea in the best way. On any given weekend, you will see the same amount of people lining up to cop a $200 hoodie as a $4 espresso from its cafe. It’s all part of the experience, an experience we’re certain Santis is going to keep improving on in the future.—Mike DeStefano

Standout Moments: Introducing Italian tailoring and honoring the Negro Leagues with its Seventh Collection, debuting new silhouettes and kid’s sizing as part of its Essentials diffusion line

Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God is a perfect example of how a brand can evolve without having to completely reinvent itself. Coming onto the scene in the 2010s with a mix of thrashed vintage band T-shirts, tattered flannels, and slim denim with zippers at the ankles and elongated drawstrings, FOG has had to adapt as the aesthetic it helped define has slowly transitioned out of vogue. And it has been able to do so gracefully. One of its biggest steps forward came in 2020 when it released a full collection with Ermenegildo Zegna that perfectly merged the FOG ethos with the expert tailoring of the Italian fashion house. The brand’s Seventh Collection expanded on this idea with a heavier focus on timeless silhouettes like the introduction of tailored suiting handmade in Italy, classic Americana denim made in the USA, and elevated takes on sweaters and hoodies made of cashmere and wool. A series of sweatshirts and T-shirts featuring official Negro Leagues graphics were another highlight that acted as a subtle nod to his father, former MLB player and manager Jerry Manuel. And it’s impossible not to mention FOG’s Essentials diffusion line, which has continued to pump out earthy colorways in staples like T-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, thermals, and more, that give fans of all ages an opportunity to experience the FOG aesthetic who may not have the budget to afford the main line yet. It feels like everyone has an Essentials item in their closet right now and the quarantine’s uniform of sweatsuits all day, every day only made this more apparent. Lorenzo was a major player in bridging the gap between streetwear and luxury for so many years prior. He continues to be one of modern fashion’s defining faces. Now, he’s just found a new way to do it.—Mike DeStefano

Standout Moments: Denim Tears signing a two-year partnership deal with Levi’s and releasing a Pan-African flag knit sweater. 

Tremaine Emory, a.k.a. Denim Tears, has come a long way from being a stock associate for Marc Jacobs in 2006. Today, the Queens, New York native has built a reputation for being one of the most trusted creatives within the fashion and streetwear space. Emory has worn many different hats over the years including, but not limited to, hosting parties, podcasts, and pop-ups through his creative platform No Vacancy Inn, working as a brand director for Yeezy, and now serving as a creative/art director for Stüssy. But when it comes to his own clothing, what has always made Emory stand out is that his vision is deeply personal and goes beyond just selling products. Since losing his mother in 2015, he’s sold T-shirts with a drawing of her red velvet cake annually at Procell with all proceeds going towards Every Mother Counts—a nonprofit focused on making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother. For Denim Tears, a collaboration isn’t just for exposure, but serves as an opportunity to urge larger brands to re-evaluate their own practices. Last June, Emory took a stand and publicly urged Nike to not release his Converse Chuck 70 collaboration unless the company made more concrete commitments to diversity and racial equity—it led Converse to collaborate with Hank Willis Thomas’ non-profit, For Freedoms, on a campaign to get more voters to the polls in swing states. 

Emory’s storytelling has continued to result in pieces that capture and redefine images and symbols that define the African American experience. A parody of a Polo flag sweater, popularized by Lo Lifes in Brooklyn and Black models like Tyson Beckford, was reimagined to bear the Pan-African flag. A “Trans-Atlantic” military flight jacket he dropped this year includes a patch that commemorates the year 1619 on the chest—the year the first African slaves arrived in America. In April, Emory inked a two-year partnership deal with Levi’s and released a collaboration with Our Legacy that was centered on his popular cotton wreath motif. The symbol has been historically associated with the oppression of African Americans for years, but Emory single-handedly recontextualized it into an aspirational symbol with every hyped Levi’s drop. What makes Denim Tears one of the best brands out right now is that its clothing isn’t about the money. It’s about using clothes as a vehicle for change.—Lei Takanashi

Standout Moments: The brand’s collaborations with Vaughn Bodē and Noah. 

There are few folks within the streetwear and fashion space who have the vision that Chris Gibbs has. He’s a true veteran who has worked at Union since the ‘90s back when it was based in New York City and owned by Mary Ann Fusco. And he’s kept one of the world’s very first streetwear stores alive for decades now. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Gibbs has pulled out all the stops to make Union one of the most exciting brands this year. Its in-house label continues to grow with offerings like simple selvedge denim jeans made in the United States, boxy heavyweight fleece hoodies, and heavyweight jersey T-shirts that give their product range an elevated streetwear twist. Collaborations with beloved artists like Vaughn Bodē and graphic T-shirts that reference old reggae record labels like Disco 45 show that Union does “Know the Ledge.” So far, Union has released collaborations with brands like Noah, Awake New York, and Born x Raised to celebrate its big milestone. Its collaboration with Noah was titled “Truth Dare Dream” and reimagined historical figures like Beethoven, Shakespeare, and the French writer Alexandre Dumas as Black. It was a capsule that made great commentary on how history gets whitewashed that also raised funds for the Watts Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. With Awake New York, Gibbs highlighted a list of books with a campaign nodding to Los Angeles-based creatives like Reggieknow and Taz Arnold. With a new Air Jordan 4 collaboration on the horizon, and other collabs with brands like Off-White, Acronym, and Stüssy incoming, there’s only more to look forward to from Union this year and beyond.—Lei Takanashi

Standout Moments: The release of Cactus Plant Flea Market’s “Go Flea” movie and Drake’s NOCTA Gore-Tex apparel line. 

Nike once again proves why it is the biggest sportswear brand in the world. During the first half of the year, the footwear giant continued churning out fresh new apparel and sneaker collaborations while also revisiting much beloved classics. Drake’s newly released Nike sub-label NOCTA continued to drop standout products influenced by both trendy techwear styles and British roadman subcultures—everything from Gore-Tex apparel to elevated fleece tracksuits. Then came more product from Nike’s ongoing collaboration with Cactus Plant Flea Market, a collection that continued to capitalize off renewed interest in vintage bootleg Nike graphics while also exploring more adventurous methods of storytelling for the brand. The rollout for Nike x CPFM’s “Go Flea” collection was easily one of 2021’s most memorable campaigns to date. The brand tapped in White Trash Tyler, Travis Scott’s trusted videographer, to direct a comedic short film starring Bloody Osiris, Bouba Savage, RaysCorruptedMind, and Father Steve. The film showed us how Nike doesn’t have to take itself too seriously and that the brand will highlight its creative collaborators rather than just products. 

Of course, Nike also reigned supreme when it came to sneaker releases this year. Nike doubled down on the iconic Dunk silhouette this year, releasing notable collaborations with streetwear institutions like Chicago’s Notre along with SB Dunk Lows from skateboard shops like Carpet and Stingwater. Nike also knows when to service its fan base by giving us its greatest hits. This year, we also saw a pair of Supreme SB Dunk Lows that paid homage to the brand’s Dunk High collaboration from 2003. If that wasn’t enough, sneakerheads were also blessed with a re-release of DQM’s legendary “Bacon” Air Max 90. The brand also continued to cater to the high-fashion crowd through collaborations with Matthew M. Williams, Chitose Abe of Sacai, and Yoon Ahn of Ambush. Nike’s influence in that realm is exemplified by its upcoming Comme des Garçons Foamposite collab or Virgil Abloh debuting a Foam-inspired sneaker at Louis Vuitton’s Paris Fashion Week presentation earlier this year. Meanwhile, Jordan brand is still going strong, with Travis Scott dropping another Air Jordan 6 this year and brands like A Ma Maniere releasing elevated takes on the Air Jordan 3. Although it pains us to see resellers take all of Nike’s greatest releases, it seems that the brand is also looking to rectify the flaws within its drop model in the near future. Despite all the L’s we’ve taken collectively this year, Nike is still at the top of its game.—Lei Takanashi

Standout Moments: Yasiin Bey’s freestyle over ESG’s “UFO” at the end of Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter 2021 runway show and Kai Isaiah Jamal becoming the first Black transgender model to walk on Louis Vuitton’s runway. 

This year, Virgil Abloh quieted his naysayers with one his most thoughtful and powerful collections for Louis Vuitton yet. His Fall/Winter 2021 collection, titled “Ebonics,” was presented through a filmed performance art piece that starred the poet Saul Williams and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). Thematically inspired by James Baldwin’s 1953 essay “Stranger in the Village,” Abloh’s sixth collection deeply reflects on his position as Louis Vuitton’s first Black artistic director of menswear. Abloh takes Baldwin’s essay, which details his experience feeling ostracized as a Black man in Europe and America, and juxtaposes it against his popular “Tourist vs. Purist” mantra. His show notes describe this as “society’s established structure of outsiders vs. insiders.” And as some toxic internet commenters show, it still feels that plenty of self-proclaimed fashion insiders still see Abloh as an outsider who isn’t a “real designer.” This notion came to a head last season when Abloh was heavily scrutinized by the Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck, who accused Abloh of copying his designs. Despite Van Beirendonck’s accusations, some pointed out that Van Beirendonck was guilty of copying himself, culturally appropriating designs in the past.

For Fall/Winter 2021, Abloh toyed with the classic childhood question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It led him to re-envision the dress code of everyday characters such as the artist, the salesman, the architect, and the drifter. Monogrammed bags shaped like airplanes and three-dimensional puffer jackets designed to resemble the New York City skyline were some of the most extravagant pieces Abloh made for the brand. Others included amplified normcore pieces, like elevated bathrobes, denim jackets, and oversized trench coats. But like his Spring/Summer 2021 collection, we also saw Abloh proudly celebrating his Ghanian heritage and Black culture throughout the entire collection. There were Kente cloth robes inspired by his grandmother and motorcycle suits inspired by African wax print fabrics from Abloh’s mother. Other designs make subtle references to early-2000s rap fashion such as a pair of trainers inspired by Nike Foamposites and a Pelle Pelle-esque leather jacket. 

Three years into his role at the French luxury house and Abloh continues to amplify Black voices throughout. He put the spotlight on 21 Savage in his recent Spring/Summer 2021 campaign. He hired photographer Renell Medrano to shoot the campaign for his latest collaboration with the NBA in Harlem—the capsule was also designed alongside Chicago’s Don C. Perhaps what best encapsulates what Abloh is doing right now comes from dialogue shared by Kai Isaiah Jamal, the first Black transgender model to walk for Louis Vuitton, during the show’s presentation. “As Black people, as trans people, as marginalized people, the world is here for our taking, for it takes so much from us.” Abloh won’t stop taking Louis Vuitton, and what defines the look of luxury fashion today, into the direction it has to go in.—Lei Takanashi

Standout Moments: A collaboration with Clayton Patterson and the Japanese outdoor clothing brand South 2 West 8. 

Supreme is just too big to fail. The 27-year-old streetwear brand continues to build on its own legacy while expanding as a business. Although Supreme was recently acquired by VF Corp, the same clothing conglomerate that owns brands like Vans and The North Face, it has not lost any of its New York-inspired flavor. The brand still keeps it Downtown, releasing standout collaborations with artists such as Dan Colen and Clayton Patterson—yes, they finally made some Supreme Clayton Caps this year. At the same time, the brand still knows what resonates Uptown as seen with the snakeskin Supreme x Nike ACG boots that were co-signed by Bloody Osiris earlier this year. And there are still few brands out there that will champion the work of underground artists like the Philly graffiti writer Curve and the British punk rock artist Jamie Reid quite the way that Supreme does. What other brand will fly a legendary New York City graffiti vandal like Earsnot to Italy just to have him paint his iconic tags inside the store? Week after week, resellers are sitting on Discord cook groups hitting multiple checkouts on weekly drops, but Supreme still maintains its image despite how corny the hype culture surrounding it has become. Sure, you have plenty of herbs who buy a whole set of Supreme goods so they can eat a bowl of branded Supreme Wheaties for likes on Instagram. But you also have William Strobeck filming great skaters like Rowan Zorilla for incredible skate clips and movies like STALLION. Although it may feel like Supreme just pulls the same stunts season after season—a new box logo T-shirt, North Face collab, or hyped Nike shoe—the brand still surprises us. An unforseen South 2 West 8 collaboration this year fell right on the money with current gorpcore trends. And a recent Emilio Pucci collaboration gets ahead of the curve by highlighting a lesser-known Italian luxury brand whose psychedelic designs have inspired recent work by designers like Raf Simons and Dries Van Noten. Supreme will always be Supreme.—Lei Takanashi

Standout Moments: The release of Bottega Veneta’s digital magazine and Lil Yachty wearing lime green puddle boots in the music video for the “No More Beatboxing Freestyle.”

In 2018 35-year-old British designer Daniel Lee was appointed creative director at Bottega Veneta, an Italian luxury brand that’s been around since 1966. Lee, who previously held positions at Balenciaga, Maison Margiela, and worked under Phoebe Philo at Celine as director of ready-to-wear, has injected new energy into the brand that’s resonating with a diverse audience that ranges from actors like Daniel Kaluuya, who wore a Bottega Veneta suit to accept his Best Supporting Actor award at the 2021 Oscars, to Lil Yachty, who’s been sporting the lime green puddle boots.

Celebrity endorsements are cool, but for BV it all starts with the product. The house has long been known for its intrecciato weave technique, and Lee has amped that up for a new customer with accessories like the Cassette bag and the Lido mules. But men are also embracing the new Bottega look, sporting the brand’s chunky Puddle and Tire boots. Lee understands that it takes more than good products to sell clothes these days, which is why it made sense when the brand deleted its Twitter and Instagram accounts at the top of the year. No one knew exactly what happened, but in March when it released a digital magazine, Issued by Bottega, Lee told The Guardian, “Social media represents the homogenization of culture. Everyone sees the same stream of content. A huge amount of thought goes into what I do, and social media oversimplifies it.”

The magazine showed the breadth of Bottega’s customer, featuring music icon Missy Elliott, Biba fashion designer Barbara Hulanicki, and parkour athletes. And he tapped different artists (Masayoshi Matsumoto and Walter Pfeiffer for example) to interpret the brand in their own vision. Lee showed that yes, he’s selling luxury items, but these are items that can be lived in and worn by different types of people. This is also reflected  in his latest campaign, which features models along with music artists Skepta, Little Simz, and film director Melina Matsoukas. Lee understands what it means to be a relevant luxury brand in 2021 and we look forward to watching how he develops the brand and its storytelling.—Aria Hughes

Standout Moments: Telfar debuting the Eggplant shopping bag on The Wendy Williams Show and releasing another collaboration with White Castle. 

Telfar has become more popular, but it hasn’t lost its essence, which is rooted in community and inclusivity. Last year the bag was on the “Oprah’s Favorite Things” holiday list. Some fans expressed irritation over the bag becoming an even hotter items, but this is what designer Telfar Clemens always wanted: to sell items that aren’t just for you, but everybody. The year started off with Clemens landing the cover of Time Magazine’s The Next 100 Most Influential People. Following that, fans noticed a Guess bag that mimicked Telfar’s signature shopping bag. We see mass brands copy luxury and emerging brands every day, but it’s not so often that anything is done about it. But because of Telfar’s loyal fan base who made a lot of noise on social media platforms, Guess removed the bag from its assortment and stopped selling it. Clemens and Babak Radboy, his business partner and creative director, noticed the bag a month or so before Twitter users did, but didn’t take any action because they knew the bag wasn’t a threat to what they’ve created. They were right. “It’s a great, happy ending,” Radboy told The New York Times. 

More awareness around the shopping bag, which he sells directly to consumers from his website and sells out each week, has also meant resellers have tried to get into the mix. But the brand has attempted to remedy that problem with its Secure the Bag program, which they did for the second time earlier this year, that gives shoppers a day to pre-order whatever bag they want. He’s also released new colors like Azalea (fuchsia), Painter’s Tape (cobalt blue), and Eggplant (deep purple), which he debuted on The Wendy Williams Show. 

Telfar is best known for its signature shopping bag, but the company also makes strong unisex apparel, which we saw with its Converse collaboration, and on Rihanna, who wore a Telfar velour track jacket over a white bra top and mini skirt. Telfar also revisited his beloved White Castle collaboration, which made an even larger impact this year since he was hired to design and revamp all the uniforms for the chain’s 10,000 restaurant employees.  It’s nice to see a brand’s fan base grow organically without relying on inauthentic cheat codes, and Telfar has done just that.—Aria Hughes

Standout Moments: Opening a flagship in Paris, reuniting Dipset to rap in Madison Square Garden for its collaboration with the New York Knicks

Off the heels of its 10th anniversary, Kith still remains one of the most dominant brands in streetwear. Despite the pandemic, Ronnie Fieg managed to close 2020 off strong with a collaboration with the New York Knicks, an homage to the city’s beloved basketball team complete with a special freestyle by Harlem’s own Dipset. Fieg was undoubtedly setting the tone for what’s to come in 2021. 

At the top of the year, the brand dropped a full range of apparel and accessories that paid homage to the iconic animated comedy series, The Simpsons. To tie a bow on the collaboration, there was even an immersive in-store installation of the Simpsons’ home at its SoHo store. Fieg made it a point to hit all of the senses with a Kith Treats version of the series’ infamous pink doughnut created in collaboration with Doughnut Plant, too. Fieg also partnered with the Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.I.G) estate to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of his death with a collection that features iconic Biggie imagery. Additionally, Kith is the only streetwear brand that has publicly committed to the “15 Percent Pledge”—which means that Kith will dedicate at least 15% of its retail to Black-owned businesses and brands.  

Following the opening of Kith Tokyo last July, Kith made its debut in Europe in late February, opening its largest store to date in none other than Paris. Longtime partners Snarkitecture designed the 16,000-square-foot store, which features Carrara marble, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and an indoor Sadelle’s restaurant. It’s an impressive move to say the least that plants the Kith flag in the middle of one of the fashion capitals of the world, and shows the brand is committed to growing its global presence beyond its roots in New York City with each passing year.

And that still isn’t all Kith has done so far in 2021. Fieg was also able to further cement his place in the footwear industry. Already having a wide range of collaborations under his belt and over three decades of experience, he was named the creative director for Clarks Originals’ new 8th Street sublabel. The Queens native now designs original silhouettes that hone in on the iconic shoemaker’s craftsmanship. The partnership kicked off in April with the debut of the Sandford and Lockhill. As big as Kith is already, it continues to show there is always room to grow, and it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.—Maria Mora

Standout Moments: Officially collaborating with Drake on Certified Lover Boy apparel, decking out Drake’s Rolls Royce in full Chrome Hearts regalia

Chrome Hearts has been around since the ‘80s, catering to some of the biggest rockstars of all time like the Rolling Stones, Guns ‘N Roses, the Sex Pistols, and more along the way. It’s a family owned business that operates out of its own factory in Los Angeles. Its flagships extend from LA to Japan. Its supporters in the fashion world include Rei Kawakubo and Virgil Abloh. Yet, until recently, Chrome Hearts has intentionally been hidden in plain sight. But at the discretion of some of the younger members of the Stark family (daughter Jesse Jo and twins Frankie Belle and Kristian) and creative director Matt DiGiacomo, it seems like the biker-inspired brand and its gothic motifs are finally embracing its status in the fashion world it has long tried to shy away from. 

Continued collaborations with family friend and superstar model Bella Hadid and co-signs from some of hip-hop’s most stylish individuals (this generation’s rockstars) like Lil Uzi Vert and Offset have helped introduce the brand to a new demographic. But there is no doubt that the biggest boost that Chrome Hearts has seen that has raised its stock in the mainstream has been from Drake. Initially making the brand’s leather cross patch jeans a staple in his wardrobe, Drake most recently parlayed his love for the brand into an official apparel collab to promote his upcoming album Certified Lover Boy that released in limited quantities in Miami this past May. Along with it came a fully customized, and incredibly gaudy, Rolls-Royce Phantom complete with accoutrements like custom Chrome Hearts rims and a quilted leather interior that was put on display in Miami before being parked in Drake’s garage (it’s his personal car). It’s the biggest example thus far of Chrome Hearts finally embracing its popularity head-on. To satisfy the new demand, it has also begun to experiment with e-commerce, albeit minimally, by dropping limited runs of hoodies and T-shirts sporadically via its online store. For decades, Chrome Hearts wanted to stay out of the spotlight. Co-founder Richard Stark didn’t even consider himself a designer even after being recognized by the CFDA for his work. But the spotlight is undeniable at this point, and the brand is making all the right moves to keep it that way.—Mike DeStefano