15 Underground British Clothing Brands Londoners Swear By

Over the last few years, a new wave of British clothing brands and fashion designers has emerged from the United Kingdom (UK).

The country of Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Burberry, the UK (and London, a world fashion capital), have the world’s most coveted fashion designers.

In this article, I’ll introduce you to 15 British clothing brands loved by Londoners for their excellent stylistic approach to blending old money vibes with new money trendy fashion.

Without any delay, let’s explore London’s best clothing brands for young and stylish gentlemen.

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ARIES

Aries is an established British fashion label helmed by the Italian-born and English-based Sofia Prantera.

The label is famous for its cult-like streetwear collections – for ex, Sofia’s signature London-style streetwear is inspired by London’s nonconformist rave fashion culture.

Often associated with renowned fashion designers such as Romeo Gili and Giorgio Armani, Aries’ creations have a unique, sensual touch, which sets them apart from these established labels.

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BETHANY WILLIAMS

Founded by a London-based fashion designer from the Isle of Man with the same name, Bethany Williams is a UK-based clothing designer label with sustainability at heart.

The designer advocates for sustainable fashion by using innovative design solutions, such as incorporating recycled, deadstock, or organic materials into the products.

Bethany’s sustainable clothing includes trench coats and classic styles in the finest fabric sported by celebrities like Kate Middleton, Alexa Chung, Rita Ora, and Victoria Beckham.

Such dedication to sustainability and innovative approach to design has made the British clothing brand super popular among the younger generation in the UK.

A Queen Elizabeth II Award winner and an LVMH Prize finalist, Bethany is undoubtedly one of the most talented emerging UK fashion designers.

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E.L.V. DENIM

Hailing from East London, E.L.V. DENIM is one of our favourite British clothing brands.

E.L.V. stands for ‘East London Vintage,’ a name matching the label’s dedication to sustainability and choice of natural fabrics.

The brand uses discarded denim patches and turns them into sophisticated ‘Vintage Fashion’ styles.

With a strong emphasis on reducing waste, the label follows a zero-waste design philosophy:

“Every piece of denim we use in production is giving second life to a fabric which otherwise would be destined for landfill,”

says the label’s founder.

The brand’s collections are manufactured in East London, seeking to minimize water consumption and carbon footprint.

For example, it only takes 7L of water to create a pair of E.L.V. DENIM jeans, compared to 7000L for an average pair.

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CHARLES JEFFREY LOVERBOY

Founded by Charles Jeffrey, Loverboy is one of the upcoming British clothing brands taking the fashion community by storm.

The clothing label has earned an LVMH Prize nomination and won the British Emerging Talent prize at the 2017 Fashion Awards.

Loverboy successfully depicts the contemporary lifestyle of Londoners through superb androgynous fashion collections. The label is also known for its controversial ‘femboy‘ aesthetic clothes.

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AHLUWALIA

Priya Ahluwalia launched her fashion label, AHLUWALIA, in 2018 after graduating with an MA in Menswear from the University of Westminster; two years later, Ahluwalia was jointly awarded the LVMH Prize.

The designer blends elements from her dual Indian-Nigerian heritage with her London upbringing roots.

The brand works with vintage clothing and ‘deadstock’ apparel to create unique and forward-thinking garments for modern fashionistas.

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DAVID KOMA

David Koma is an upcoming British clothing brand known for its ‘sculptural statement’ dresses inspired by feminine silhouettes.

Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, David Koma studied Fine Art in St Petersburg and graduated from Central Saint Martins.

With a first collection at age 15, David has showcased at London Fashion Week twice so far.

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BIANCA SAUNDERS

Bianca Saunders, one of London’s most popular gender-neutral clothing labels, specialising in transitional pieces and bespoke shirts.

Bianca launched the menswear designer label in 2017 after graduating from the Royal College of Art.

The label seeks to disrupt the conventional gender stereotypes in fashion with ultra-contemporary collections.

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EDELINE LEE

Founded by the Canadian-British designer with the same name, EDELINE LEE is a British label known for its immersive and performative shows at London Fashion Week.

The designer puts a lot of emphasis on precision cutting, hand-made details, and the femininity of form.

Here’s how Edeline Lee depicts her novel concept of fashion:

“Female identity is in flux, in our generation. Modern women live hectic, collaged lives and can’t subscribe to historical identities that have been laid out in the past. Women now are more powerful, stronger, more aware, and more capable than any other time in history.”

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EFTYCHIA

Eftychia is an affordable fashion womenswear brand focusing on traditional menswear tailoring.

The British fashion brand was launched in 2017 by the Greek fashion designer and Central Saint Martins graduate Eftychia Karamolegkou.

This British fashion brand is known for its beautiful creations of relaxed feminine style infused with subtle masculine details.

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HALPERN

Halpern is a modern British clothing brand that brings sequin designs and vintage fashion styles back to life.

Launched in 2016 by Michael Halpern, a London-based designer, the label’s disco-inspired aesthetic is a fresh breath of colour and craftsmanship.

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KING & TUCKFIELD

Thanks to its’ slow fashion’ philosophy, King & Tuckfield is one of our favourite British clothing brands.

Launched in 2016 by Stacey Wood, the brand combines sustainable materials with the rare art of tailoring.

The London-based label is also very famous for its gender-fluid fashion collections.

The label’s timeless creations, constructed from denim and merino, often showcase Stacey’s obsession with genderless silhouettes.

The brand’s creations highlight the limitations of ready-to-wear, gendered designs while celebrating the idiosyncratic individuality of queer style.

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KWAIDAN EDITIONS

Kwaidan Editions label was founded by the fashion designers and husband and wife, Léa Dickely and Hung La, in 2016. ‘Kwaidan’ translates to “strange stories” in Japanese.

‘Kwaidan Editions’ is a reference to the 1965 movie by Masaki Kobayashi and the book by Lafcadio Hearn, both of which have the same name.

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16ARLINGTON

Helmed by Marco Capaldo and Federica Cavenati, a design duo and life couple, this British fashion label has anchored its confident narrative in “design for a good time.”

According to its founders, 16Arlington makes clothes “with stories to tell, the morning after.”

The brand’s uncompromising and straightforward vibe has supporters from all around the world.

Think celebrities such as Solange Knowles, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Adwoa Aboah, Lena Dunham, Celeste, and Jorja Smith.

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CHOPOVA LOWENA

Chopova Lowena is another British clothing brand with sustainability at the core.

The label is the joint creation of Emma Chopova, an American-born designer from Bulgarian parents, and Laura Lowena, a British designer.

Thanks to its co-creator’s beautiful cultural blend, Chopova Lowena’s designs are rare ‘letters’ of traditional craft and responsible sourcing.

The label has a cheeringly unconventional approach to fashion haute couture.

Chopova Lowena’s creations meld shamanistic totems, neon knits, and the air of a futuristic shipwreck.

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LIAM HODGES

Liam Hodges is one of the most controversial or nonconformist British clothing brands.

The British fashion brand was founded in 2013 by the designer Liam Hodges as a luxury streetwear brand that caters to those who forsake conformity.

Liam Hodges aims to serve the ‘online-born’ generation and has its definition of being successful.

British Clothing Brands FAQs

Now it’s your turn…

I hope you’ve enjoyed our selection of the most promising upcoming British fashion designers right now. Here are a couple of questions for you.

What upcoming and popular British clothing brands should we cover next and why?

What are your top 3 British fashion designers right now? – old and new.

Leave your answers in the comments so others can benefit from your expertise.