The Best Brands of 2021

The pandemic is still here and supply chain issues have heavily impacted the apparel industry, but brands are still managing to present exciting product and engaging narratives. There are the expected brands that have become mainstays like Stussy, Supreme, and Louis Vuitton that continue to draw in consumers with its core pieces and collaborations. And there are newer brands like 18 East, Denim Tears, and Joe Freshgoods that have carved out a space for themselves with their output that elicits hype, but isn’t grounded in it. 

It’s expected to push out collaboration after collaboration, but it’s harder to do it in a discerning way that’s still impactful. With that in mind, these are Complex’s picks for the best brands of 2021.