As we hit the end of 2019, streetwear is still leading the conversation in fashion. The definition of streetwear, and how people categorize it, has changed, but designers who authentically embrace tenets of the culture and interpret them in their own way are winning. Earlier this year, LVMH said the company observed revenue growth in the double digits that aligns with the arrivals of Kim Jones, the creative director at Dior Men, and Virgil Abloh, who holds the same position at Louis Vuitton men’s.
Outside of the luxury conglomerates, there are brands like Aimé Leon Dore, Rhude, and Pyer Moss that are extending their reach with strong product and storytelling. Meanwhile, large Japanese brands like Uniqlo, and cult ones like sacai, had their moments this year with on point product people clamored for. Nike is continuing to stake its claim in fashion by working with most of the designers on this list, including Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo, John Elliott, Alyx’s Matthew M. Williams, Abloh, and Cynthia Lu of Cactus Plant Flea Market. The industry is changing month by month, and each brand on this list is adapting, and succeeding, in its own way.
Here are Complex’s picks for the best brands of 2019.