Image via Complex Original
Written by Nicholas Grant (@NicholasGrant)
With the holidays in our midst, and the inevitable pain of shopping for loved ones looming over our heads, the accessibility of our favorite stores online has never been more important. We've learned to rely on others to give us the scoop on what's cool, then we set sail into the vast sea of e-shops and hope for the best. Thanks to technology from the future, and a growing menswear industry, no year has been better than 2012 when it comes to shopping for new gear on the world wide web.
While tastes may vary, there's no doubt that there are a few online shops that did it best. Think incredible sales, exclusive items, smart content, easy navigation, and loads of awesome stuff. So while your girl is out at the mall, wasting her time among a bunch of sniveling children and lazy-ass weirdos on Segways, break out the credit card in the comfort of your own home and check out The Best Online Menswear Shops Of 2012.
Huckberry isn't your normal members-only startup. First off, you don't have to wear a corny jacket. In fact, you'll most likely get a chance to purchase an awesome jacket below retail, because Huckberry gives exclusive online-only deals on some incredible gear. The best part is that you only get a certain amount of time to access it, so once that week long sale is done, it's done. Thank Huckberry for adding some excitement to shopping online.
"Clothes get weirder" should definitely be the mantra SSENSE goes by with wacky pieces from Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester and more. But somehow, the collections are selected with effortless cool style. With a supply that ranges from shit we need to have, to shit no one else will dare to carry, SSENSE covers the online clothing spectrum with only the best, and then styles it even better.
Our Nordic friends (who were once accused of e-commerce swaggerjacking another big-timer on our list) are now at the top of the food chain in menswear e-commerce sites. This could be thanks to their abundance of top-of-mind brands like Junya Watanabe and Head Porter, in addition to a solid selection of Norse Projects goods.
What doesn't Unionmade carry? This shop should make everyone's "Best of" list off the strength of their stock list alone. Not to mention the countless collabs with brands like Alden, Golden Bear and Harris Tweed—San Fran's best menswear shop is loaded with goods you can't find anywhere else.
While Barney's main bread & butter has been its world-renowned luxury stores in New York City, this year's e-commerce revamp really lit a fire under e-shoppers' asses. Thanks to easier navigation, faster checkouts for registered users, and friendlier functionality, Barney's effort towards making online shopping easier has paid off. It doesn't hurt that it still carries some of the most sought after goods on the planet.
Sure, it's one of the best store blogs around, but does it have a good online shop? Well, duh. The Richmond-based shop has collaborations, lookbooks, and a brand list menswear nerds salivate over, along with a few brands that people will start salivating over next year. And the new web design makes an amazing shopping experience even better.
Union L.A. is the authority on all things Japanese-cool. Actually scratch that—Union L.A. is the authority on all-things-cool. Period. The streetwear mavens are the keepers of dopeness and the introducers of obscure brands that will one day be your favorite. For a shop that's been around and evolving since it's days as a streetwear mecca beginning in '89, Union LA is the blueprint.
Tres Bien can do no wrong. These Swedes are pretty much the best stylists, the shop carries the best goods, and it has a new layout that may be the best designed menswear e-commerce site around. And when Tres Bien dropped the new "Welcome" collaborative brand with Our Legacy on us, the shop's spot on this list was solidified.
Nobody does luxury mixed with street better than RSVP Gallery. With an inventory meticulously picked by dudes with next-level taste (and friends in high places), RSVP owns Chicago retail. A capsule collection withA$AP Rocky, and a vision that made the snakeskin snapback a holy grail, show that RSVP has some incredible clout.
MR PORTER pretty much runs the gamut when it comes to online clothing. Along with NET-A-PORTER for women, MR PORTER's launch last year wasn't just filled with exciting drops, cool pop-up shops, exclusive content, and a seemless online shopping experience—the sales are practically unmatched. With 50, 60, and up to 70% off some extremely hard-to-find goods, MR PORTER is simply the best.
