10 Designers Re-Defining British Style Right Now

British designers have been at the forefront of the fashion world for years with their take on traditional classics. Looking dapper is something British designers have taken pride in over the years, while adding their own touch to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. With increased consumer access to the world of fashion, it has become increasingly difficult for any designer, let alone those in the British realm, to stay relevant.

This means that now, more than ever, one needs something extra to stand out from the pack. A unique, noticeable quirk. A cut synonymous with success. A use of color or fabric re-imagined to engage today’s fashion. There are some designers who are taking these routes to completely re-define tradition and establish new standards in British style.

Brand: Agi & Sam

The two 20-something designers Agi Mdumulla and Sam Cotton have already received their fair share of success and accolades. They won the British Fashion Award’s Emerging Menswear Designer, as well as GQ’s 2014 Breakthrough Fashion Designers Award. This shouldn’t come as a shock if you are familiar with Agi & Sam’s playful prints that they nail home in every collection, and those magnetic silhouettes you can’t help but gravitate to due to the unusualness and ability to wear from head to toe with ease.

Brand: Clothsurgeon

The traditional Savile Row bespoke program has been successful long before we were born, but guys like Rav Matharu are taking it to new heights with his brand Clothsurgeon. Along with a ready-to-wear sportswear collection in rare fabrics and materials, the bespoke program allows you to wear some of those amazing fabrics in silhouettes only Matharu has perfected. Goat suede bomber jacket with satin lining? You’ve got it. Blackwatch plaid overcoat? Of course. The customization options are virtually endless.

Brand: 1205

With combined training from the unconventional Central Saint Martins and the traditional tailoring of Savile Row, Paula Gerbase’s designs are a very calculated amalgamation of modern and classic that transcend any label. Her label, 1205, founded in 2011, has propelled Gerbase to become a British Fashion Award nominee by blurring the lines with unisex cuts focused on androgynous aesthetics using high-end fabrics. You still get the suit cuts and knitwear that live on the menswear continuum, but with experimentalism ingrained throughout the design.

Brand: Casely-Hayford

Casely-Hayford is one of those brands that’s truly bound for ultimate menswear success and it’s due to father-son duo, Joe and Charlie Casely-Hayford. Emerging as one of the most respected menswear brands around, Casely-Hayford’s brand ethos focuses on duality with emphasis on traditional British tailoring mixed with relevant subcultures like sportswear, skate, and punk. At the root the duo’s designs are perfectly executed to keep their pieces well-fitting, aesthetically pleasing and grail-worthy.

Brand: Christopher Raeburn

Christopher Raeburn is a master at, well, re-mastering. Taking vintage materials and fabrics and creating something more contemporary, Raeburn has dabbled in military and aviation-inspired collections, accurately repurposing the traditional attire while adding his own flair, and always ethically. Never sacrificing the ethos of his brand, his focus on experimenting with different cuts and silhouettes has taken him to worldly fame in the fashion industry.

Brand: Lou Dalton

Lou Dalton’s presence in British menswear has been well-established from the start. Breaking through in 2012 with her London Collections: Men debut of her Spring/Summer 2013 collection, her designs embody her working-class roots as you see a tinge of workwear. She really gives a literal interpretation of “work hard/play hard” by mixing unique cuts of tailored and sportswear classics. Her Spring/Summer 2015 collection even has a little more functional side to it with the use of more technical fabrics and pocket and zipper placement you wouldn’t normally find on bomber jackets or overcoats. She has showcased a desire to change the norm without stepping on the toes of those who’ve paved the road for classical British menswear.

Brand: Palace Skateboards

Skate gear with an emphasis on high-quality materials that are cut and sewn with precision—that is something Lev Tanju has built a goldmine on with his global-reaching skate brand, Palace Skateboards. Having already taken over the streetwear scene in London with their T-shirts, hoodies, and skate decks, all made with minimal design and an emphasis on branding, Palace is now in the discussion with legendary brands like Supreme because of the cult status it’s risen to. The Palace tri-logo is already iconic in and of itself and the brand’s collaboration list is one most brands aspire to come close to. The focus is still very much on the cool British skater lifestyle, but Palace has given it new life.

Brand: Represent

The youth of the UK can’t always be dapper. Sometimes, you just need to have a casual, monochromatic look to set the tone. And George Heaton’s work for Represent Clothing is a prime example of how the youth are re-inventing British style. Elongated cuts form the new basic, and his muted color pallet is much in line with the dark tones that are so popular today.

Brand: Matthew Miller

There are plenty of brands out that have tried to push their political agenda through their designs, but Miller has done it on a scale that has garnered a lot of attention as of late. Truly considering his work as art that people can wear and express themselves, he uses British tailoring formerly seen as uniforms and updates them with modern cuts, details and even messaging that is relevant today.

Brand: Craig Green

As one of the most talked about designers this year, Craig Green has certainly made a name for himself in a short timespan. Even though he is widely recognized for outlandish wooden board headgear during his Fall/Winter 2013 runway show, his designs have far exceeded his novelty. Well past avant-garde, Green’s menswear collections are filled with original silhouettes and details that cannot be defined by style or origin. When websites are comparing your work to the likes of Rei Kawakubo, you are a fashion star in the making.