The Long Road to Success in Menswear
Becoming a successful menswear brand takes time, with many top labels being at least 10 years old
Menswear's hottest brands may seem like overnight successes, but the reality is that they have been around for a while. In fact, nearly every big clothing label today is at least 10 years old. This suggests that succeeding in menswear requires a long-term commitment, with brands needing to spend years grinding to get good at their craft and get the word out.
The Importance of Time and Effort
It takes time for brands to develop and refine their style, and for people to take notice. Labels like AURALEE, Soshiotsuki, and ssstein, which are now being hailed as the modern face of Japanese fashion, were all founded in 2015 or 2016. Similarly, Danish label mfpen has been around for at least half a decade, but only recently gained widespread recognition after its well-received Spring/Summer 2027 presentation at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Breaking Through to the Mainstream
Some brands do manage to gain hype more quickly, such as A.Presse, which turned five this year and is already making waves in the fashion world. However, for most brands, it takes around a decade to break through to the mainstream. This can be seen in the following table, which compares the founding years of some popular menswear brands:
| Brand | Founding Year |
|---|---|
| AURALEE | 2015 |
| Soshiotsuki | 2015 |
| ssstein | 2016 |
| mfpen | 2017 or earlier |
| Our Legacy | 2002 |
| Camiel Fortgens | 2010 or earlier |
| A.Presse | 2018 |
| Rier | 2019 |
The Role of Fashion Weeks and Partnerships
Fashion weeks can play a significant role in helping brands gain recognition, as seen in the cases of mfpen, Camiel Fortgens, AURALEE, and ssstein, which are now regulars at Copenhagen and Paris Fashion Weeks. Partnerships and collaborations can also help brands cross over to mainstream success, as seen in Our Legacy's partnerships with Stüssy and Dover Street Market placement, and Soshiotsuki's win of the LVMH Prize. However, not every label is fortunate enough to hit it big, and much of the quality clothing being produced remains underdiscussed.
The onus is on retailers and consumers to take a chance on unknown brands and uncover the great talent of tomorrow today. By doing so, they can help to promote a more diverse and vibrant fashion scene, and give recognition to the many quality labels that are currently flying under the radar.
