6 menswear brands we're watching in 2026
These are some of the brands on our radar this year.
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Editor’s note on this list
If you’re new here, welcome to Sprezza, a weekly newsletter covering men’s style and personal taste.
This is our third year in a row sending a “brands we’re watching this year” email, and we love making these lists because we get to introduce you to independent brands with their own POV and narrative.
Look, there’s plenty of trash in the zeitgeist. And it’s my opinion that we desperately need more smaller, local, independent businesses, and always err on the side of supporting those who do great creative work.
What you’ll find about this group of brands is that each founder has a distinctive point of view. They aren’t just making stuff; they’re building something beyond themselves.
And the point of this list isn’t to be rigid or definitive. It’s simply about spotlighting brands that resonate with me and the Sprezza editorial team, too. So, we hope you enjoy it, and make sure you comment which ones we missed :)
Hanover
Location: New York, NY, USA
Why we like them:
Newly-launched Hanover is Chris Black cutting through the noise with a simple idea: normal clothes, done properly.
In a menswear landscape where everything feels too expensive, too weird, or too cheap, Hanover aims squarely for the middle: wearable pieces, priced realistically, and made well enough to last a long time.
The lineup is straightforward in the best way. Midweight polos that harken to Vampire Weekend’s beloved Contra, Cone Mills denim for $175 (still wild), easy Oxfords, graphic tees, and staples that feel lived-in from day one.
Everything is made in the USA, a commitment most brands have abandoned, and it shows in the hand feel and construction.
There’s no overdesign or overthinking it. It appears to be clothing for people who like clothes, but don’t take them too seriously.
I can get behind wearing jeans and a tee as a uniform.
Lej
Location: London, UK
Why we like them:
L.E.J. is founder Luke Walker distilling a lifetime of menswear into something quieter, sharper, and more personal. After cutting his teeth at Lanvin post–Central Saint Martins, Walker moved through Dunhill and Drake’s, absorbing everything from couture-level fabric sensitivity to the rigor of traditional British tailoring.
That type of resume shows up in the details: disciplined cuts, thoughtful construction, and an obsession with how a garment actually sits on the body.
But what makes L.E.J. compelling is the balance. There’s precision in the garments, but without stiffness. The clothes feel engineered, almost methodical, yet softened through rich fabrics and color that invite wear rather than reverence.
In many ways, the brand reads like a study in controlled freedom (an influence Walker traces back to his father, an aerospace engineer) where accuracy matters, but comfort is non-negotiable.
Horatio
Location: London, UK
Why we like them:
Launched in 2019 and now based inside the Royal Exchange at their self-described “City Boy Shop,” Horatio lives somewhere between pub culture, tailoring, and modern city life.
That perspective is immediately evident in the product. Horatio’s shoes are built on classic foundations (beefy loafers, derbies, boots) made to be worn hard, not tiptoed around.
A Dartmouth loafer can sit comfortably next to a wild horsebit cow loafer or a bold suede bit shoe, all sharing the same sense of confidence and irreverence.
But what’s compelling about Horatio is the looseness. Traditional silhouettes are pushed just far enough through color, texture, and proportion to feel alive rather than precious. They’re meant to be battered, lived in, or wiped down without ceremony.
That same mindset carries into the clothing. Cricket sweaters, knitwear, rugby shirts, even knitted bucket hats feel like natural extensions of the shoes, and that’s fun!
Cease
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Why we like them:
The brand was founded by two buddies, Ethan Pylypiw and Dan Pacitti, with one goal: making no-bullshit clothing. The color palette looks like the bottom of a Runts candy box, but the quality is dead serious.
The closest comparisons are Lady White Co. and Camber (who I’m pretty sure make their hoodies).
From this one-of-a-kind parka to their 20-oz. to their Made-in-USA thermal-lined hoodie, they’re clearly not messing around when it comes to keeping you warm.
Niceness
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Why we like them:
Founded almost eight years ago by Yuichi Goh, Niceness is a Japanese label rooted in craftsmanship and restraint.
Case in point: a wool chambray beach knit jacket inspired by beach jackets from the 1930s through the 1960s, constructed by combining elastic and firm yarns with loosely twisted threads.
As if that weren’t enough, the fabric is then sent to a leather factory, where cowhide leather details are added to the collar lining and cuffs.
Why we like them:
Then there are the kudu leather trainers, which mash up the silhouette of a unique U.S.-made sole from the 1970s with classic U.K. work shoes, all rendered in kudu leather from the legendary Charles F. Stead tannery.
The result?
A shoe that feels genuinely unfamiliar in the best possible, “wait, what am I looking at?” rway. Niceness’s attention to detail is second to none. It lives in the same universe as Visvim, just a few constellations deeper. More if you know, you really know.
Soft Goods Manufacturing
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Why we like them:
It’s always exciting to see the Rust Belt making real noise. Josh York is the founder of Detroit-based Soft Goods Manufacturing, and he’s manufactured clothing for Aaron Levine’s eponymous label, as well as for a roster of other brands.
They make some of our favorite T-shirts and basics, like this bratwurst-level beefy tee clocking in at 9 oz., cut and sewn in his Detroit factory (like the rest of the lineup).
Between the transparency about where everything’s made, the high-quality tees and thermals, and the fact that it’s all produced in the U.S., the value is unmatched. These are clothes built to outlive most of your wardrobe.
love u niceness