Brands To Watch This Summer

You copped some Fear of God. You waited in line for Supreme. You saved up enough cash for that Raf parka. Now what? If you're hungry for something new, look no further than these seven labels for a taste of what's to come in men's fashion. From the emerging upstart Jakob Hetzer, to London's Peir Wu, and the sneakers from Veja that are just beginning to invade our shores, there is plenty of young talent worth knowing right now. Get out there this summer and get to familiar with some of the most promising brands on the rise. Who knows? One of these guys may make your next grail.

òL stands for “Outside Line,” which is fitting for the young New York-based brand. In December 2014, designer Allen Aderotoye founded the label with the intention to make clothes that he himself would wear. That still plays a large role in the identity of òL, but its main focus is to produce functional pieces that balance practical cuts with progressive ideas—​which is to say that the worker jacket, trousers, shirts, and caps from the Spring/Summer 2016 “Silver Spoon” collection aren’t humdrum in the least bit. Think raw hems on shirts, slits on the knee of trousers, and perfect pocket placement on various garments. All this from a brand that’s only in its second season. “The ground roots of our identity come from my personal style as the designer,” says Allen. “We infuse our take on forward-thinking style that is cool and easily wearable, while maintaining mystique.” This fall, òL will release its new collection, titled “Underdog,” followed by its Spring/Summer 2017 “HòLy Ghost” collection. As Allen explains, “We are focused on connecting the dots we have started to create, bringing forth our cultural identity globally.”

London’s Peir Wu is the rare woman who designs men’s clothing under an eponymous label. And while the future of fashion may be genderless, for now, there are some elements of guys’ style that Peir finds especially appealing. “What I like about menswear is that it’s largely functional, and no bullshit,” she says. “There’s a cognitive element needed in order to design it; you’ve got to have some sense and you’ve got to know about who you’re designing for. It’s all these little puzzles fitting together systematically that I find a really interesting and worthy challenge.” Peir Wu’s collection for this season makes use of the types of clean lines and minimalist details that makes the wearer look effortlessly cool: relaxed trousers, a full-length, robe-style coat, and a bomber jacket in what she calls “technical linen,” all have a slight futuristic edge, but are easy to wear. Peir, who has worked on Raf Simons’ label in the past, shares that legendary designer’s feel for clothes that appeal to thoughtful dressers. And with any luck, she’ll soon share the same type of rabid fanbase, too.

In early 2014, Jakob Hetzer started his eponymous line because he didn’t feel like anyone was designing the clothes he wanted to wear. Today, the brand consists of graphic tees, flannels, and distressed coats. It’s punk. It has a dirty street vibe. The Spring/Summer 2016 “STREETSMART” collection is the perfect example of what Jakob Hetzer stands for: clothes that, as his friend Reese describes them, “look like you just fell off your motorcycle, but you’re on the way to church.” As of now, Jakob Hetzer is sold online and at Machus in Portland. Hetzer is currently in talks with other stores around the world to have the next collection stocked at their locations. But, he says, he doesn’t want it to be available everywhere. “I like things that aren’t easy to get,” he says. Either way, Hetzer is headed in the right direction. Not bad for a 19-year-old.

Brice Partouche, best known for starting up the rock-inspired French label April77, may have surprised a few of his followers when he launched Satisfy, his new line of designer-level running gear. But don’t question his street cred. “Don't get me wrong: I'm still the music guy, and I'm still very involved with April77!” Brice says. But his love for athletic endeavors has captured more of his attention recently. “I found running and the more I got into it, the more I couldn't stop,” he explains. “Today, I run 120 miles a month.” That first-hand experience has helped Brice steer Satisfy away from the same old, same old of performance gear and athleisure brands. He focuses on high-end fabrics from Switzerland, Japan, and France, and uses them to create clothing that is just as much at home on a cross country trail as it is for a weekend night around town. Satisfy has already caught the attention of cool-guy shops like Berlin’s Voo Store, colette in Paris, and Opening Ceremony. “Running is like skateboarding, or punk rock,” Brice says. “It's a free space. A free space where wearing 2.5" inseam shorts in Paris is totally cool.”

Many clothing designers cite a lofty goal as the inspiration for starting their labels, like a desire to “redefine the suit” or to set new boundaries for how men dress. When asked about the motivation behind his brand N/A (aka Necessary Anywhere), Nick Lewis offered a much more down-to-earth explanation. “I would say it was not one thing, but a couple,” Nick says. “The first being my lack of excitement to put on an item I wore every day.” He’s talking about socks, which N/A has rolled out in eight different styles, from no-show loafer socks to mid-calf length. Each pair strikes the perfect balance between subtlety and a dash of style for an oft-overlooked element of every guy’s wardrobe. “After the last 10 years in retail for both small and large companies, often the focus was placed on statement pieces or ‘it’ items of the season,” he explains. “Yet those were only intended to be worn for specific occasions or at specific times. I wanted to place the same attention towards items that could be ‘necessary anywhere,’ universally appropriate for every day, every occasion.” His second goal was to create quality socks that you don’t need to buy in multiples—all N/A socks are sold as single pairs, so you don't need to buy more than you need at any given time.

“Long term, I want N/A to be recognized for adding just that little bit of extra confidence or excitement to mundane tasks or objects,” Nick says. Now that he’s conquered socks, expect to see N/A take on boxers and T-shirts next. Upping the style quotient of your basics has never seemed like a more worthy goal.

New York-based brand paa started as making headwear in 2013, but designers Al Verik and Peter Jurado always envisioned a full collection. “We had to start somewhere,” Al says. Today, paa has grown into a sportswear-inspired label that offers minimal outerwear, tees, trousers, shirts, and, of course, hats—all of which are made in the USA. The clothes aren’t revolutionary, but that’s not the purpose of paa. “We stick to making things we like and don’t get too wrapped up in what’s trending. We’re not exactly reinventing the wheel, but rather adding our own subtle twist to classic silhouettes,” Al explains. “We enjoy developing quality pieces that have longevity and can easily be a staple in your rotation. Our hope is that the clothes do not demand immediate attention, but, with a closer look, there’s more that meets the eye.” Immediate attention or not, paa has already caught the eye of a dream team of retailers who stock the line: Opening Ceremony, Need Supply, Gentry, and UNION. Why reinvent the wheel, when this one is working just fine?

French sneaker brand Veja isn't exactly new—​founders Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillon first started working on the label about 10 years ago—​but if you haven't heard of it in the US until recently, you're not alone. Although the collection has been a big hit at home in France and in Japan for some time, Veja is only now gearing up for some big moves Stateside, recently landing at sneaker mecca Kith and rolling out in other influential shops and boutiques soon. The key to Veja's appeal so far has proven to be a perfect mix of sophisticated, minimal design, an unbeatable price point, and quality materials. The last element also comes with the added bonus of a focus on fair trade and eco-friendly materials. "Across our sneakers, we use organic cotton for the canvas, which is fairly traded," Sébastien says. "We use wild rubber from Amazonia for all our soles, which we source directly through producers living in the Amazonian rainforest. And we use a new mesh, made 100% from recycled plastic bottles." The fact that the recycled materials don't look like recycled materials goes a long way, too.

But don't expect these changes to affect Veja's product in any major way. "Veja started as an adventure with two guys—​both of us 25 years old at the time—​who wanted to create our own paths and give more meaning to our lives," says Sébastien. "We will continue to follow this path and the same values." Good news for American sneaker lovers who want a new name in their footwear rotation.