10 Best Streetwear Brands

Finding The Best Streetwear Brands

Hello, fellow Zoomer. Do you also listen to 100 gecs, doomscroll Twitter, and keep up to date with Pete Davidson’s dating life? Do you spend hours of your free time compiling outfits into your Pinterest in the hopes of manifesting a trendy aesthetic?

It can be tough knowing how to dress when you don’t know where to shop. But if you want to look like you were born from the zeitgeist then you need to be aware of which brands are the hottest.

Actually, what you need to do is read through our ranking of the best streetwear brands. You’ll learn which companies are currently popping off, what differentiates them from their competitors, and whether their style is right for your Instagram reels.

10 Best Streetwear Brands

1. Supreme

Supreme and streetwear are as intertwined as adenine and thymine. It can be argued that streetwear wouldn’t even be a thing without this brand. Heck, the association between skateboarding and fashion is entirely because of Supreme.

Today the brand is known for their ability to draw crowds that could fill football stadiums, their exclusive collaborations with celebrities, and their exclusivity. You can expect an army of streetwear enthusiasts to wait for hours – or even days – as the release date of the next Supreme capsule drops.

The New York-based company is just as known for pushing the limits of brand appeal. They’ve released some strange products that seemed designed to appeal only to their most loyal adherents. 

You’ve probably read about the Supreme Brick, but did you know they released a toothpaste collaboration with Colgate, or that they made their own line of toothpicks?

While they began in 1994 as a space for skateboarders to purchase clothing and shred, they stand as an entirely different company in 2022. What makes them one of the best streetwear brands is that they continue to push fashion forward through experimentation.

Supreme products aren’t cheap, but your dollars will be going towards exclusivity that would make any New York City fashion student explode with jealousy.

Highlights

• The progenitors of streetwear
• An extensive list of collaborations with other celebrities and brands
• One of the most recognized brand names in streetwear
• Bold designs

2. Noah

Since we just covered one of the oldest and best streetwear brands, we may as well give the spotlight to a newcomer. Noah is a young American brand that draws inspiration from various fashion styles.

Noah is the ideal streetwear company for the ethically-minded consumer. The brand rallies against many of the impure practices that tarnish the fashion industry. 

They donate 1% of their profits to local environmental organizations. They also only work with factories and mills that treat their workers to fair pay, sensible work hours, and stable employment.

They’ve stuck to their guns since 2015 when Brendon Babenzien created the company in Soho, New York City (a fashion and creative hotbed in the city). Their vision has earned them interest from companies like Fear of God.

Noah’s style takes elements of streetwear, traditionalism, minimalism, and varsity. This means their selection is quite large and diverse. 

They just released their Fall/Winter ‘21 collection and here are some of the pieces that caught our eyes:

• Noah Wool Knit Cargo Pant – $660
• Noah Rugby Coaches Jacket – $320
• Noah Country Wool Shirt – $255

Highlights

• Transparent about their business practices
• A diverse range of styles to choose from
• The focus is just as much on their fabrics as their style
• Donates a portion of their profits to environmental causes
• Sources all their items through ethical means

3. Aime Leon Dore

Seems like Soho, New York is the best place on Earth for the best streetwear brands. There must be something in the Manhattan water. Aime Leon Dore is another company that hails from Soho, but to lump them in with every other pitter-patter fashion company would do them a disservice.

Aime Leon Dore’s aesthetic is simple and clean. The brand works to fabricate everlasting portraits through their clothing. Half the time this results in pieces that can make you look like the sharpest dressed character in a Wes Anderson movie. 

These pieces include the Aime Leon Dore Carpenter Pant ($295) and the Aime Leon Dore Mohair Cardigan ($435). Other times, their simplicity breeds innovation. Look at their Aime Leon Dore Molina Pappou Sweater ($435) or their Aime Leon Dore ALD / Woolrich Quilted Terrain Pant ($580) and tell us you can believe what you’re seeing. 

As you’ve probably gathered from the aforementioned products, Aime Leon Dore isn’t the cheapest brand. However, your money will be going towards rare items that are made with measured eyes and gentle hands. 

Even though they’ve only been around since 2014, Aime Leon Dore has earned their reputation as one of the best streetwear brands through unique designs and strong community development. 

Highlights

• Simple yet fetching pieces
• Collaborated with companies like Suicoke, New Balance, New Era, and Drake’s
• Instead of writing a full biography, they link to Nas’ Illmatic on their About page
• One of the best streetwear brands for winter products due to their selection of scarves, hats, and wool jackets

4. Stüssy

It’s time we look back to the past. We need to go back to the 1980s to talk about Stüssy. This brand actually predates streetwear, and you can tell as much if you look back at their original output.

Their first designs were much more influenced by surfer wear and beach culture. This is probably because they grew out of the beach scene in 1980s Orange County. Plus, Shawn Stussy was originally a surfboard designer before he got involved in the fashion game.

However, like the T-1000 adapting to its environment to slay its target, Stussy evolved with the times. Nowadays they’re one of the best streetwear brands because of their trendy clothing proportions, confident designs, and accessibility.

They’re more affordable than the other companies on this list of appealing fashion labels. For example, the Stüssy BASIC STÜSSY TEE costs $40, the Stüssy World Tour Ls Tee costs $50, and the Stüssy Overdyed Crew is $115. 

Their items have youthful energy. They’re emblematic of the times. This brand’s clothing combines a 40-year history in the fashion game and the expertise that comes with that, with a keen eye on what’s popping. 

Highlights

• Offers affordable yet attractive pieces
• Strong brand name based on decades in the fashion industry
• Stores located in Canada, the US, Australia, Europe, and Asia
• Very on-trend designs

5. Palace

Palace is the first British company to grace our list of the best streetwear brands. But what distinguishes them is their mystique. You can’t even access their webshop without a password. 

They cultivate an air of mystery around them which only entices people more and more. There’s some exclusivity to their products, partially due to their quality and partially due to their sales regularly outnumbering their supply numbers.

Palace is, first and foremost, a skateboarding company. That means what items they do have available are often tailored to the skating lifestyle. Expect baggy fits, loud graphics, and tough materials.

Levent Tanju founded the company in 2009 with help from the Palace Wayward Boys Choir. Their artistic vision draws inspiration from the 1990s with nods to VHS displays, athletic wear, and fleece. 

So, if you’re in the hankering for exclusivity then Palace is the best streetwear brand for you. Or if you really love England. Support the Brits, why don’t you.

Highlights

• More exclusive than other brands
• Durable products
• Unique designs that incorporate hints of 90s nostalgia
• High resale value

6. Market

Loud, proud, and standing out from the crowd is Market’s game. If you want a shirt with Dennis Rodman’s face plastered over tie-dye that drapes to your knees then you should check out this company.

Market’s products come in the form of capsules, meaning they drop loads at set times during the year. Their items are probably the most buoyant of all the brands we’ve covered in this list. 

Imagine if Neil from Art Attack went ballistic with a packet of branded stickers and smiley faces and you’re on the right track.

The Los Angeles-based company stirred up the streetwear industry in 2016. They were eccentric and captivating like lightning in a bottle. This eccentricity is apparent by their product line which features shirts, hoodies, pants, and various hand-made knick-knacks.

Most streetwear followers know Market for their renegade Frank Ocean and Nike t-shirt, which is a bootleg item that sold out ridiculously quickly. Nowadays they’re a brand geared towards younger generations.

Their online presence is full of memes and energy, much like their clothing. Market doesn’t work with subtlety. They espouse an overflowing optimism towards life and fashion. 

Highlights

• Their designer t-shirts usually cost around $51
• Constantly rotating selection of clothes
• Work with celebrities like Dennis Rodman and Willem Dafoe
• Charming social media presence

7. Brain Dead

One of the most inspiring quotes from Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta is that ideas cannot be killed. They are bulletproof. They exist beyond people. That’s the sentiment Brain Dead uses when they craft their pieces. They don’t want to be recognized as a singular person or group but rather as a collaboration between people, thoughts, and arts.

The brand places high importance on graphics and takes influence from creator-owned DIY comic books, post-punk music and fashion, and underground movements. 

Their interest in comics has helped them collaborate with larger media companies like Marvel and properties like Magic: The Gathering.

They’re also well regarded for their sauces and culinary items. Oh, you thought chefs couldn’t dress well? Brain Dead is here to prove you wrong by producing items like the following:

• Brain Dead California Design Studio Enamel Sauce Pan, $47
• Brain Dead x Sunset Cultures Mole Spice, $15
• Brain Dead Vecere Abruzzo Olive Oil, $31

Brain Dead is a globally-based company with a tight team. It’s inspiring to feature a smaller company and to see that their quality has earned them big-name backing from larger corporations.

So, if you’re looking for retro-inspired, take-no-prisoners clothing with a dash of olive oil then we recommend shopping with Brain Dead.

Highlights

• Takes the focus away from the creators and onto the art itself
• Also sells cooking products
• Edgy designs
• Graphically-minded items that prioritize aesthetics

8. BAPE (A Bathing Ape)

Many Westerners who weren’t caught up with the fashion trends of the mid-aughts probably first heard of BAPE thanks to Soulja Boi’s “Crank Dat.” The rapper made a good point in that song; even today, your haters will likely still be infuriated if they saw you decked out in some BAPE products.

The Japanese streetwear company has been one of Tokyo’s strongest brands since 1993. Some of their items have gained notoriety for their bombacity like the following:

• BAPE MULTI FONTS SHARK FULL ZIP HOODIE MENS, $465
• BAPE 1ST CAMO ONE POINT FULL ZIP HOODIE MENS, $379

You’ve probably gathered that BAPE is loud. The brand loves to integrate big designs, camouflage, and bright colors. You don’t casually wear a BAPE product; you flaunt that bad boy like you just won the lottery.

You’ll probably have to win the lottery to afford most of their items, though. Their products ship from Japan and usually come in high quality. 

Yes, you’ll be getting what you pay for, but what you’re paying for is a flashy hoodie with a shark on it made with Japanese manufacturing philosophies.

But that recognition has attracted many other brands to work with BAPE. They designed great sneakers with Reebok, Carhartt (who we’ll get to next), and Adidas.

Highlights

• One of the most recognizable Japanese brands available
• Their style evokes the fashion-forward hub of Shinjuku
• Carefree design philosophy
• Extensive list of celebrity and brand collaborations

9. Carhartt

We just teased Carhartt in our previous entry on this list of the best streetwear brands. Now, we’ll give the brand their due spotlight.

We need to make one important distinction though. Carhartt is a workwear company that makes clothes for welders, outdoorsmen, and other physically-demanding professions. 

Their clothing is great but it’s not what makes Carhartt a standout streetwear company. That distinction comes from their fashion-forward line Carhartt WIP.

Carhartt WIP was created when two German brothers Edwin and Salomée Faeh approached Carhartt in the late 1980s with plans to modernize the brand’s clothing. Their products have the same rugged feel and dexterity of the parent company’s items but with streetwear flirtations.

Thankfully, you won’t be looking like a tow-truck driver should you decide to shop with Carhartt WIP. Their items take the strong bases of Carhartt pieces and imbue them with street-ready designs. 

Look at the Carhartt WIP Hooded Digital Sweatshirt ($168), the Carhartt WIP Cargo Jogger Pant ($148), and the Carhartt WIP Abbott Pant (Spring) ($128) as examples.

This means their items are often best-suited for rough-and-tumble consumers who intend on putting their bodies (and potentially their clothes) through a beating. A good pair of Carhartt WIP pants will probably last longer than your first and second marriages 

Highlights

• Tough-as-nails clothing
• Functional designs
• Easy-to-style pieces
• Perfect for winter as their items are usually quite heavy

10. Off-White

The final entry into our list Off-White, the Milan-based streetwear brand who has transformed over the past decade. They debuted with bright colors and designs reminiscent of construction gear. Indeed, all true streetwear devotees will recognize the infamous Off-White Classic Industrial Belt.

Virgil Abloh’s original vision was to find the space between black and white through fashion. Don’t take this statement literally as the company was better known for their uncompromising designs and accessories. 

It seems the brand has a new vision in 2022. While you’ll still find items with big crosswalk lines and blocky ascents, Off-White has adopted a more mature taste palette. Here are some items that highlight their refined offering:

1. Off-White Diagonal Brushed Crewneck, $1,280
2. Off-White Basic Turtleneck, $695
3. Off-White Arrows Field Jacket, $1,385

These products do a good job of showing where Off-White is heading in the future. However, the trendiest of streetwear devotees shouldn’t be scared if they think they’ll have to give up their ability to flex.

Plenty of Off-White products still come with enough glamor that people will notice when you’re wearing them, even if they don’t feature the company’s logo front-and-center. That’s the sign of a company with great design fundamentals. 

Highlights

• Italian-based factories give their products a unique, fashion-forward appeal
• Extremely high resale value
• Sold in select retail stores around the world
• Their designs have graced the halls of Paris Fashion Week

Which Best Streetwear Brands Are Hype Right Now? 

Streetwear is a culture as much about name recognition as it is about fashion. Nabbing the most in-demand pieces can provide you with authority in the community. That’s why you don’t see people flexing their new H&M pick-ups on Instagram.

That being said, there are a few tentpole brands that have long been the hypest in streetwear. These are Supreme, BAPE, and Palace. 

Carhartt WIP is the latest brand to rise in perceived value owing to their collaborations with rappers like Tyler, the Creator.

Is Stüssy Still a Best Streetwear Brand in 2022? 

Asking this question is akin to asking if it’s still safe to breathe oxygen after someone farts. Despite the numerous streetwear brands that have risen only to plummet soon afterward, Stüssy remains one of the most dependable streetwear companies. 

Their longevity speaks to the quality of the pieces. 

Which of The Best Streetwear Brands Are Similar to Supreme? 

The most similar products to Supreme’s can be found among the tourist sections of big Southeast Asian cities like Hanoi and Bangkok. Seriously, their bootlegs are out-of-this-world. 

But, they’re not the best in terms of integrity or authenticity. Supreme’s package is hard to emulate. There’s an indescribable quality to their pieces that makes a Supreme item a Supreme item.

That being said, we believe that Palace or Noah offer products that can scratch the Supreme-induced itch.

How to Shop the Best Streetwear Brands 

Now that you have an idea of which streetwear brands are worth your while, it’s time to put some thought into your purchase. We’ve drafted up a nifty cheat sheet of considerations to help guide your credit card to its rightful checkout.

Brand  

Branding is everything in streetwear. If Supreme can sell a brick or a crowbar with their name on it then you know that brand name carries more to it than in other industries.

Look into each brand’s history and vision to see which one embodies traits you admire.

Quality

Since some of the best streetwear brands come with huge price tags, you’ll need to be wary of what sort of quality you’ll be getting with your purchase. Some brands put more effort into their stitching and fabrics while others slap their designs on a Gildan heavy cotton tee and call it a day.

Comfort

Fashion is all about the look until your skin is covered with rashes. Think about how a garment will feel in the real world before you click the checkout. If you know you don’t like how wool feels then don’t buy wool!

Versatility

Streetwear is loud for the most part. You can’t wear some of the pieces everyday unless you plan your entire outfit around them. That’s not a bad thing, just something you have to keep in mind. Some garments will fit into some wardrobes while others will demand absolute devotion from your closet.

Logo

A good logo is key to a strong streetwear brand. If you want to show off your purchase then you’re going to want to select a logo that you love, not one that you have to cover with an overshirt.

Weatherproofing

There’s nothing worse than dropping a ton of money on an item of clothing only for one day of inclement weather to ruin it. Make sure to inspect whether the product you’re after will survive a few tussles with snow, rain, or the drying machine.

Price

Before you buy anything ask yourself if the product is worth the money. Think about how you will feel wearing the product in mind and how it will look on you. If you find yourself smiling when you ask yourself those questions then don’t let a few dollar signs stand in your way.

What’s the Best Place to Buy Streetwear? 

Buying directly through companies is the best way to support the brands but they may not have the best product selection. Many brands drop collections in limited quantities. If you’re looking for an older item consider checking the resell market on websites like StockX or Grailed.

What is The Most Popular Streetwear Brand Today? 

Supreme is still the streetwear king nearly 30 years after their debut. Every streetwear brand has been operating in its shadow or has been trying to replicate their success. 

People may not know Noah, and only some may hold Carhartt in high regard, but you can bet your buttcheeks that people will recognize a legitimate Supreme product when they see one.

How Do You Come Up With a Brand Name for Streetwear? 

Many streetwear companies developed their names as a shorthand for their mission. Look at Off-White as an example. Others used their founder’s name as a branding tool a la Stussy.

The best way to invent a streetwear brand name is by finding what inspires you and condensing that to its key components. You want a name that captures where you want your company to go with as few words as possible. 

Which Streetwear Brands are Unisex? 

Nearly every streetwear brand operating today makes garments for both men and women. If they don’t, their products are unisex by design.

Streetwear, whether intentional or not, often breaks gender roles by favoring larger fits over tailored-silhouettes. A baggy t-shirt can be either masculine or feminine depending on who is wearing it.

Final Thoughts

Streetwear is a beautiful thing because of its ability to unite people. Streetwear transcends languages, cultures, borders, and classes. It brings people together over the shared passion for fashion and what it represents.

Each of the best streetwear brands allows people to express themselves to the fullest degree. People can dress as rebelliously, as dangerously, as conservatively, or as functionally as they please. It’s a way for people to project their inner selves in a world that frequently punishes self-expression.

It’s of little surprise then that the best streetwear companies prominently feature such brash items. They know that their customer base has a burning desire to show off their inner selves but oftentimes lack the necessary outlet to do so. 

Streetwear offers people the chance to let loose, make friends, and forge their own paths through clothing. It promotes ingenuity, individuality, and freedom through aesthetics. People can have fun by pairing their favorite clothes together and brandishing how they interpret the world. 

So now that you’ve read through our picks, we leave the decision up to you; which company do you believe is the best streetwear brand in 2022?

How We Chose the Best Streetwear Brands 

Before choosing any brand, we scour the web and all the biggest e-tailers to ensure we know all the available options on the market. We look at customer reviews, star ratings, brand ethos, processes, materials, accessibility, and so much more. We weigh the pros and cons, so you don’t have to, helping you make informed shopping decisions.

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