The SSENSE Guide
to British Brands

Founded: 2013
City: London
Instagram: @anddaughter
SSENSE says: London-based label &Daughter is inspired by the idea of craftsmanship passed from generation to generation. Using a carefully picked group of local artisans and yarn makers from England and Ireland, designer Buffy Reid presents a collection largely populated by knitwear. These core knits revolve around simple, often primary colors to emphasize the quality of the yarns from which they are made.

Founded: 2022
City: London
Instagram: @aaron.esh
SSENSE says: Aaron Esh founded his eponymous label AARON ESH in 2022, having graduated from the illustrious Central Saint Martins. Speaking to SSENSE, Esh summarized his label: “I think it’s taking them concepts of sophistication and elegance and chic, and having them rooted in reality. Having Jack or John that walk down East London main high street, that may have in the past felt intimidated by wearing something that’s elegant, and giving them the confidence [to wear those clothes].”

Founded: 1992
City: London
Instagram: @alexandermcqueen
SSENSE says: Easily one of the most famous English fashion brands of all time, Alexander McQueen has been shocking and inspiring since it was founded in 1992. McQueen himself played a major role in the label’s ascendence to fashion royalty thanks to his maverick personality, which birthed some of the most memorable shows and garments in fashion’s history.

Founded: 2014
City: London
Instagram: @alighieri_jewellery
SSENSE says: Based in London’s iconic Hatton Garden district, which is known for its long history as the center of jewelry in England’s capital, Alighieri represents a brave new generation of British jewelry brands. Taking inspiration from the poems of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, founder Rosh Mahtani forges a range of refined pieces with a distinctively rustic edge, as though they might have been unearthed from ancient times.

Founded: 2014
City: London
Instagram: @ashleywilliamslondon
SSENSE says: After graduating from London’s University of Westminster, Ashley Williams spent two years designing in Lulu Kennedy’s Fashion East incubator for young talent. In 2015, she asserted herself within the wider British fashion scene with her solo runway debut. Typified by bold graphics, Williams’s collections channel millennial kitsch underlined by a profound sense of Britishness.

Founded: 1894
City: South Shields
Instagram: @barbour
SSENSE says: While technical fabrics like GORE-TEX and PERTEX® dominate the market for waterproof coats, it’s worth remembering that names like Barbour paved the way and continue to rival with waxed cotton. Beginning with oilcloth in 1894, Barbour went on to develop the paraffin-waxed cotton that it’s known for in the 1940s. Now the proud holder of three royal warrants, Barbour is literally fit for a king.

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @biancasaunders
SSENSE says: Drawing on her British and West Indian background, Bianca Saunders remodels classic menswear, breathing new life into garments we thought we knew. Saunders’s exercise in subversion repositions not only the garments themselves but also the modern man that wears them.

Founded: 2018
City: London
Instagram: @bleueburnham
SSENSE says: Fusing environmental sustainability with an unmistakable visual style, Bleue Burnham’s jewelry rose to prominence soon after the designer founded his eponymous brand in 2018. Best known for its stone-embellished signet rings, Bleue Burnham’s jewelry always makes a statement through color and organic shapes.

Founded: 1856
City: London
Instagram: @burberry
SSENSE says: If you were to ask the British public to name a British fashion brand, Burberry would likely be the most popular answer. Perhaps because of its memorable and immediately recognizable signature check, or perhaps because it’s been around for well over a century, Burberry feels like the archetypal English fashion brand.

Founded: 2020
City: London
Instagram: @carteryoungusa
SSENSE says: Founded in New York City but currently based in London, Carter Young represents one of the surest signs of Americana’s popularity in modern Britain. Although only founded in 2020, the label has all the hallmarks of one with centuries of workwear heritage behind it. Add to that an adventurous eye for subversive detailing and you’ve got the recipe for an Americana renaissance on English soil.

Founded: 2015
City: London
Instagram: @charlesjeffreyloverboy
SSENSE says: With an identity firmly rooted in London’s queer club scene, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY represents an unrivaled quality of British fashion: subculture. Informed also by the irreverence of punk, LOVERBOY’s subversive style has found a home in London—a city that celebrates the kind of unique identity and attitude intrinsic to Charles Jeffrey’s work.

Founded: 2022
City: London
Instagram: @charlieconstantinou
SSENSE says: Inspired by the desolate, extreme landscapes of Star Wars, Charlie Constantinou’s clothing combines futuristic visuals with function and adaptability. Speaking to SSENSE, Constantinou explains: “The whole idea is, yes, it looks nice, but you also have a trouser with five different fits in one. The construction of the zippers is designed so that you can wear them differently every single day.”

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @chopovalowena
SSENSE says: From folklore to climbing, the scope of inspirations behind London-based fashion label Chopova Lowena is wide to say the least. Deadstock and recycled materials form the bedrock of Chopova Lowena’s offering, making each garment one of a kind.

Founded: 2018
City: London
Instagram: @connerives
SSENSE says: Before graduating Central Saint Martins, New York native Conner Ives could already count Rihanna among his supporters. In the years since graduation, Ives has continued to build on this foundation, creating a distinctively colorful and sensual identity with his womenswear collection. Colliding, mismatched graphics sit side by side with masterfully tailored dresses to prove Ives’s skill range.

Founded: 2021
City: London
Instagram: @coucouintimates
SSENSE says: It is said that sexy underwear is not comfortable and comfortable underwear is not sexy. Cou Cou is changing this mindset, one piece at a time. Basic silhouettes cut from a soft pointelle knit fabric offer everyday comfort while the signature lace trim nods to a sensuality not generally present in daily lingerie.

Founded: 2012
City: London
Instagram: @craig__green
SSENSE says: With ongoing partnerships alongside the likes of Fred Perry and adidas, Craig Green has asserted himself as one of the UK’s foremost modern designers. The label’s signature items include quilted worker’s jackets, which embody Green’s desire to update classic workwear silhouettes.

Founded: 1969
City: London
Instagram: @cutlerandgross
SSENSE says: With more than half a century of experience, Cutler and Gross is a steadfast icon of Britain’s style world. Each pair of luxury frames is crafted by hand at an Italian factory in Domegge di Cadore and features its unique number to illustrate its limited, artisanal nature.

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @dilarafindikoglu
SSENSE says: Combining a punk mindset with expert tailoring, Turkish-British designer Dilara Fındıkoğlu has carved out a unique spot in the international fashion scene. Conceptual pieces—such as a dress made from Victorian cutlery from the FW23 collection—have cemented Fındıkoğlu as a modern visionary characterized by the same irreverence that sat at the heart of predecessors such as Vivienne Westwood or Alexander McQueen.

Founded: 1977
City: London
Instagram: @drakesdiary
SSENSE says: Drake’s began in 1977 as a haberdasher in Spitalfields, East London. Since then, it has become an internationally renowned fashion brand offering premium men’s tailoring and knitwear primarily, though it’s also well-loved for the scarves, shawls, plaids, and handkerchiefs that it has sold since its first days.

Founded: 2005
City: London
Instagram: @erdem
SSENSE says: With the goal of making women feel beautiful, Montreal-born Erdem Moralıoğlu’s London-based eponymous label has been producing some of the country’s most elegant garments since 2005. Known for its simple, flattering silhouettes, which feature graceful embellishment, Erdem designs for the archetypal English rose.

Founded: 2019
City: London
Instagram: @hattonlabs
SSENSE says: Hatton Gardens is to London what the Diamond District is to New York. Tapping into the centuries-old traditions of the area, Hatton Labs is setting the pace for Britain’s new generation of jewelry manufacturers. Since 2019, founders Jack Cannon and Joe Gelb have offered up bold accessories that make use of classic precious metals while incorporating a more modern character through colorful stones and out-there detailing.

Founded: 2020
City: London
Instagram: @johannaparv_
SSENSE says: Like so many other shining young talents among Britain’s designers, Johanna Parv began her career at Fashion East after graduating Central Saint Martins in 2020. Inspired by the bustle of London and its throngs of cyclists, Parv’s work combines technical fabrics with precise tailoring for a collection that draws a line between dynamic everyday usage and sartorial elegance.

Founded: 2008
City: London
Instagram: @jw_anderson
SSENSE says: Since its founding in 2008, JW Anderson has become one of the best-known British luxury brands, counting collaborations with UNIQLO, A.P.C., and more in its brief history. To put it in founder Jonathan Anderson’s words to SSENSE: “I think there’s always a strange bit of anxiety in JW Anderson. I like things that are always slightly off. There is a questioning in the brand, and there is always a bit of a brat in it. I still believe that and I still feel like that.”

Founded: 2016
City: London
Instagram: @kikokostadinov
SSENSE says: While Kiko Kostadinov’s ASICS collaborations have introduced his work to a huge audience, his label’s cult following is growing season after season. The designer’s namesake label introduced womenswear in 2018 with the help of sisters Laura and Deanna Fanning.

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @knwlslondon
SSENSE says: Taking design cues from the aesthetic of lingerie, KNWLS—made up of designers Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault—is known for collections bursting with refreshing femininity. At once technical and delicate in its character, it has found cult popularity among London’s creative 20-somethings, establishing the brand as one of the UK’s defining voices in womenswear.

Founded: 2021
City: London
Instagram: @luudan_official
SSENSE says: Having cut his teeth under names like Nicolas Ghesquière and Phoebe Philo, LU’U DAN founder Hung La balances classic luxury codes with all-out graphics. Aiming to subvert the clichés surrounding Asian identity, the brand takes inspiration from scenes like punk and motoring to find its distinctive and bold persona.

Founded: 2007
City: London
Instagram: @martine_rose
SSENSE says: What began as a shirting collection in 2007 has grown to become one of the best British fashion labels around. Martine Rose’s experimental takes extend from collaborations with Clarks to tailoring for the United States Women’s National football team and outfitting Kendrick Lamar throughout a career-defining beef with Drake.

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @metier
SSENSE says: Using materials acquired from some of Italy and France’s most exclusive sources, Métier bags are all handmade by skilled artisans in Florence and Naples. Although less than a decade old, Métier has broken into a world dominated by stalwart brands with centuries of heritage thanks to its range of understated leather bags for men and women that highlight the beauty of their materials.

Founded: 2010
City: London
Instagram: @miista
SSENSE says: Designed in East London and built in Spain, Miista’s unmistakable aesthetic distils founder Laura Villasenin’s rural Galician upbringing as well as her current metropolitan life in London. Striking, chunky sole units form the foundation of elegant, streamlined leather uppers to channel the contradictory aesthetic that has built such a cult following for Miista.

Founded: 2014
City: London
Instagram: @mollygoddard
SSENSE says: Few modern British fashion brands have an aesthetic as singular as that of Molly Goddard. Signaled by frills, florals, and tulle draping, the West Londoner’s creations exude a sense of feminine energy that has gripped the world’s fashion lovers since the label’s first show.

Founded: 2022
City: London
Instagram: @olly.shinder
SSENSE says: Reinterpreting classic menswear tropes through a queer lens, Olly Shinder’s collections feature recognizable workwear and sportswear elements mixed with head-turning cuts, elegant detailing, and subtle nuances that completely reshape the seemingly familiar.

Founded: 2017
City: Brighton
Instagram: @ouieworld
SSENSE says: Inspired by the intricacy of his grandfather’s pocket watch, Louie Cresswell designs complex jewelry defined as “a system of parts, working together, an interplay of precision, materiality, and defiance.” Using everyday objects such as key rings or toggles as the starting point, Cresswell fashions luxurious and refined accessories that rest on the interplay between the everyday and the extraordinary.

Founded: 1970
City: Nottingham
Instagram: @paulsmithdesign
SSENSE says: Since 1970, Paul Smith’s unique design language has become world-famous. Balancing playful color palettes with an irrefutable mastery of tailoring, Paul Smith appeals across the spectrum. Fifty years after founding his first boutique, Paul Smith is one of the foremost modern British designers.

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @ranra_studio
SSENSE says: Formerly known as Arnar Mār Jōnsson, RANRA was founded in 2017 by Arnar Már Jónsson and Luke Stevens. Based on three core pillars of craftsmanship, performance, and sustainability, RANRA produces clothing that’s as technically advanced as it is beautifully made.

Founded: 2011
City: Manchester
Instagram: @representclo
SSENSE says: Beginning life as a humble screen-printing operation in 2011, Represent has grown to become one of the defining names in British streetwear. Founded by brothers George and Mike Heaton and still hailing from Manchester, the brand is a true hometown hero story.

Founded: 2010
City: London
Instagram: @simonerocha_
SSENSE says: Simone Rocha’s eponymous label has been telling an intimate story of girlhood since it was founded in 2010. In recent years, the label’s popularity has rocketed thanks to its recognizable tropes like bowed ribbons and pearls, which distill its feminine charm.

Founded: 2015
City: London
Instagram: @soar_running
SSENSE says: SOAR Running is one of a growing number of modern activewear brands that offers garments stylish enough to wear every day without sacrificing the technical acumen needed to rank as an elite athletic label. Color palettes and subtly tailored details are Tim Soar’s chosen methods for repositioning high-end activewear.

Founded: 2017
City: London
Instagram: @stefan_cooke
SSENSE says: Earning stripes working under Walter Van Beirendonck, Craig Green, and John Galliano as well as earning a host of awards, Stefan Cooke cofounders Stefan Cooke and Jacob Burt impressed immediately. Since 2017, Stefan Cooke has had a strong identity that relies on returning elements like braided denim and cutout knitwear as its basis.

Founded: 2001
City: Paris
Instagram: @stellamccartney
SSENSE says: Since 2001, Stella McCartney has made her fame by designing womenswear that posits practicality on equal footing as beauty. Designed for women who balance a career and family life but value creativity and find joy in beautiful tailoring, McCartney’s collections offer wearability and laid-back luxury in one package.

Founded: 2013
City: Brighton
Instagram: @storymfg
SSENSE says: Most of Story mfg.’s collection is made in India by local artisans who use traditional dyeing methods, which have become a signature aspect of the Story mfg. aesthetic. Combining a conscious approach to manufacturing with a freethinking outlook on style, the label has carved out a singular niche.

Founded: 2010
City: London
Instagram: @studionicholson
SSENSE says: Studio Nicholson’s collections act as a welcome antidote to the ever-changing tides of trends within fashion, centered around minimalist character and muted color palettes. Founder Nick Wakeman has, since 2010, cut her label’s pieces with relaxed silhouettes inspired by Japanese architecture as well as the European menswear uniform.

Founded: 2021
City: Brighton
Instagram: @the_ouze
SSENSE says: Taking its name from the river that runs through his hometown of Lewes, East Sussex, The Ouze began as a passion project during COVID lockdown for founder Toby Vernon. Using the ancient lost wax technique, Vernon became attached to the organic rawness of the style.

Founded: 2013
City: London
Instagram: @t_o_o_g_o_o_d
SSENSE says: Founded by sisters Faye and Erica Toogood, Toogood combines the skills of the interior designer and Savile Row–trained pattern-cutter respectively. Taking design cues from the modest practicality of workwear uniforms, Toogood looks only to UK and European manufacturers to source its exquisite materials.

Founded: 2008
City: London
Instagram: @victoriabeckham
SSENSE says: In the arena of iconic British couples, few come close to the heights of Victoria and David Beckham. One a member of one of Britain’s most beloved girl bands and the other a legendary football player, they represent British culture like few others. Since 2008, Victoria Beckham has been better known for her eponymous luxury fashion label, which supplies modern wardrobe essentials defined by sharp tailoring and timeless detailing.

Founded: 1971
City: London
Instagram: @viviennewestwood
SSENSE says: The late Vivienne Westwood is a hallowed figure in British fashion. From the subcultural world of punk to the couture heights of bridal, Westwood’s name is a mark of authenticity and luxury. Signatures like tartan and the orb logo still detail Westwood’s designs, which have undoubtedly inspired and paved the way for most modern British fashion designers.

Founded: 2014
City: London
Instagram: @walesbonner
SSENSE says: Buoyed by a wildly popular series of adidas collaborations, Grace Wales Bonner’s imprint is one of the brightest stars in contemporary English fashion. Citing her Jamaican-English roots as a central inspiration in her collections, Wales Bonner is well-known for retro takes on tracksuits, shirting, and outerwear. With a newly launched womenswear arm, the label’s rise is, at this point, seemingly unstoppable.

Founded: 2019
City: London
Instagram: @wedstudio_
SSENSE says: In the often conservative world of bridalwear, London’s WED has garnered attention since its inception in 2019 thanks to a rebellious take on the category. Founders Amy Trinh and Evan Phillips rely on three fundamental principles outlined as The Three C’s: “Cut, Craftsmanship and Creating consciously”.

Founded: 1995
City: London
Instagram: @ymclondon
SSENSE says: YMC is a stalwart of London’s fashion scene. Offering a range of subcultural classics given personality by idiosyncratic cuts and head-turning fabrics, YMC is always highly wearable and brings impact to any outfit.