In Best of the Best, we honour the brands and people behind the most covetable products. Here are the fashion powerhouses that earned a spot on our 2024 list.
Best Shirts: Brioni
Brioni is a Best of the Best regular for good reason. In the hands of design director Norbert Stumpfl, the brand has become synonymous with understated elegance via its meticulously crafted tailoring. The shirts are similarly impressive, from expertly cut classic business and dress shirts to modern and unexpectedly casual styles. The Vagabond Overshirt is a standout and perhaps the perfect expression of that contemporary genre. Generously proportioned with a soft spread collar and pleated chest pockets, it’s practical but smart at the same time. Stumpfl and his team render the style in Brioni’s signature ‘splittable’ wool-and-cashmere blend, in which the faces (that is, outer surfaces) of two separate fabrics are invisibly woven together to create an overshirt that’s as refined on the inside as it is on the outside.
Best Relaunch: Dunhill
Dunhill is a 131-year-old British menswear gem that, until recently, felt fusty and unloved. So when parent company Richemont announced that Simon Holloway had taken up the mantle of creative director, Robb Report was intrigued. Dunhill’s February presentation of Holloway’s debut collection (Autumn 2024) in London’s National Portrait Gallery didn’t disappoint. Statuesque models draped in sharply cut, softly textured and intricately layered tailoring, as well as in imposing full-length motoring coats in cashmere or leather—a longtime Dunhill signature—paraded through a salon. Eveningwear was both inventive and indulgent, with co-ordinating coats, suits and dress shirts out in force. Holloway’s collection, oozing glamour and sophistication, has put the once-sleeping English giant back on the scene.
Best Knitwear: Stefano Ricci Alpha Yarn Cashmere
There’s cashmere, there’s superlative cashmere and then there’s Stefano Ricci cashmere woven from the Florentine brand’s new Alpha Yarn. One of the finest fabrics on Earth, Alpha Yarn is sourced from Alashan, a remote region of Inner Mongolia. The fibre itself measures just 13.5 microns in diameter (a human hair can measure anywhere within the range of 50 to 120 microns) and is collected by hand-combing the extra-fine undercoats (also known as belly hairs) of juvenile Hircus goats. Dyed, spun and knitted into a pullover, Alpha Yarn is extraordinarily soft, lightweight and strong—knitwear to invest in.
Best Eveningwear: Ralph Lauren Purple Label
Ralph Lauren Purple Label’s Autumn 2024 eveningwear is exceptional, even by the brand’s own elevated standards. In a collection that experiments with the conventions of men’s tailoring, it stands out for its luxurious playfulness. A double-breasted tuxedo is rendered in Black Watch tartan with brass crested buttons, while silk evening waistcoats complement louche, pleated tuxedo trousers and shawl-collar smoking jackets. Velvet jackets also make way for full suits of the fabric, available in emerald green or rich royal blue. If you’re looking to make a statement at parties this autumn, Purple Label has you in mind.
Best Outerwear: Brunello Cucinelli
Signor Brunello, as he’s affectionately known, has unveiled his sporty side. In addition to his tailored brisk-weather staples—expect imposing greatcoats and sleek peacoats—this coming autumn will offer plenty to choose from in terms of handsome tan and chocolate-brown leathers with intricate shearling details. Whether bombers, knee-length car coats or asymmetric-fronted jackets that nod to classic biker styles, the house’s outerwear has a freshly rugged sensibility. Layer over one of Cucinelli’s impeccable flannel blazers or a chunky roll-neck.
Best Collaboration: Louis Vuitton Timberland Workwear Capsule
The Autumn/ Winter 2024 runway show saw an unprecedented collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Timberland. Marrying Louis Vuitton’s luxury sensibilities with Timberland’s ethos of utility and comfort, the Louis Vuitton x Timberland capsule collection features a range of sundry boot styles—LV 6-inch, Ankle, Mid and Ranger—in beige and black hues intrinsic to the American Western palette. Crafted in Fiesso d’Artico, the LV 6-inch boasts two designs in premium Italian nubuck leather, fortified by Timberland’s signature insulation and waterproof construction. An extension of this line includes magnified silhouettes across five styles, including Ranger and Mid, which sport elongated shafts and bag puller detail as well as a pull-on harness boot with side buckles and a harness. To commemorate the partnership, Louis Vuitton released 50 exclusive editions of the LV 6-inch ankle boots, featuring waterproof Italian leather embellished with the fashion house’s iconic monogram logo, alongside embellishments such as Louis Vuitton eyelets, lace tips, and ‘LV’ tongue initials in 18k gold. The exclusive design also bears the inscription ‘The Sun Is Shining On Us’ from creative director Pharrell Williams’ debut show in June 2023.
