The best affordable luxury fashion brands

What is affordable luxury fashion?

In between mass-market fast fashion and haute couture there’s huge range in quality and price point. Before we get into the best affordable luxury fashion brands, let’s define what exactly the criteria is–and what it isn’t–by starting at mass-market fast fashion and working all the way up through the six tiers of fashion.

The six tiers of fashion:

1. Mass-market fast fashion

They’re high-street and online stores with a big presence, low price tags and trend-led designs that have a short lead-time from design to distribution.

Brands include: SHEIN and Primark through to Mango, Zara and American Apparel.

2. Premium fashion

These are still trend-led fashion brands but with higher quality products that have a slightly higher price tag to reflect that.

Brands include: Levi’s, M&S, Abercrombie & Fitch and Massimo Dutti.

3. Affordable luxury fashion

Here the quality and price are stepped up again and might even be perceived as luxury. What unites these brands is a more premium shopping experience (both instore and online), the designs are timeless and designed to last well (much less focused on trends) and logos are discrete if present – never front and centre of the design. Pieces from these brands are priced in the hundreds, no more.

Brands include: Michael Kors, MaxMara, OffWhite and Reformation.

4. Aspirational luxury fashion

There’s a real emphasis on quality here, which extends beyond the finished product all the way back to the sourcing of ingredients, the design and production processes and the distribution and packaging methods. The brand’s values become a big part of the story, which connects on a deeper level with a smaller more loyal customer base. The designs often include highly visible logos, turning wearers into walking brand ambassadors. And the shopping experience is turned into an event. They’re large, elegant spaces with attentive staff, found in premier shopping districts around the world.

Brands include: Gucci, Loewe, MiuMiu, Fendi, Prada and Dolce&Gabanna.

5. Supreme luxury fashion

These brands are the crème de la crème. They’re defined by their heritage and the longevity of their success at the top. Everything from the product to the experience is pushed to be the best it can be – and the price reflects that. These are brands that are designed to be exclusive.

Brands include: Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Hermés.

6. Haute couture

Think of haute couture as one-off pieces of wearable art. It’s tailoring that’s exclusive to each individual client, using the finest materials and expert craftsmanship. Only a select number of designers are recognised by The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in Paris.

Brands include: , Iris van Herpen, Ralph & Russo

The best affordable luxury fashion brands and designers

First, we’ll kick off with the brands that nail both womenswear and menswear. Then we’ll home in on the best brands for affordable luxury womenswear and menswear.

Remember the key attributes of affordable luxury fashion are:

Quality: premium everyday wear
Design: timeless, not trend-led
Price: in the 100s, not more

TELFAR

Founded by Telfar Clemens, a queer Liberian-American fashion designer, in 2017, his label is designed to be radically inclusive. The now iconic TELFAR shopping bag is regularly being reinvented through collaborations and every new drop sells out fast. But today, the brand is much more than bags and other accessories.

Best for: Unisex wear and accessories
Where to buy: telfar.net
T-shirt price test: Basic T-shirt, $70
What we love: The iconic unisex TELFAR bag, in puff, $320

A.P.C

A.P.C. stands for “Atelier de Production et de Création” (Production and Creation Workshop) and considers these two fashion fundamentals to be equally important. The vision is to creative, durable products with a bold style won’t overshadow the wearer’s personality.

Best for: Womenswear, menswear, unisex and accessories
Where to buy: APC Store
T-shirt price test: Basic black tee, £125
What we love: Timeless Japanese workwear jacket in indigo, £295

Acne Studios

This Stockholm-based fashion house is the vision of Creative Director Jonny Johansson. The focus is on tailoring combined with an eclectic use of materials and custom-developed fabrics.

Best for: Womenswear, menswear and accessories
Where to buy: acnestudios.com
T-shirt price test: Unisex basic t-shirt, £240
What we love: Relaxed logo tape trousers, £440

The Frankie Shop

This relatively new brand (opened in New York’s lower east side in 2015) has quickly become synonymous with smart, oversized suiting. And a style that’s modern and timeless, cosmopolitan yet universal.

Best for: Womenswear, menswear and unisex
Where to buy: The Frankie Shop
T-shirt price test: Basic t-shirt, €59
What we love: The Frankie Shop Instagram

Citizens of Humanity

An LA-based denim brand with purpose. Denim uses a huge amount of water and energy to produce, using around 2,900 gallons of water for each pair of jeans. Citizens of Humanity are focused on using the latest technology and traditional techniques to make the highest quality jeans with as little environmental impact as possible. As for the cut, fit and design – you won’t find anything better.

Best for: Everything denim, for everyone
Where to buy: citizensofhumanity.com
T-shirt price test: Basic relaxed t-shirt, £180
What we love: The denim guide of dreams – for women and for men

Reformation

Sustainable and elegant womenswear for everyday and every occasion. Reformation is all about effortless silhouettes that celebrate the feminine figure.

Best for: Sustainable womenswear and accessories
Where to buy: thereformation.com
T-shirt price test: Ringer Muse Tee, £58
What we love: Oren Silk Dress, £348

Skims

Your first thoughts are probably either Kim Kardashian or underswear. But Skims has become so much more than those two parts. The clothes are high-quality everyday essentials with a focus on materials that feel super luxurious and fit like a glove – for everybody.

Best for: Everyday essentials for every woman
Where to buy: skims.com
T-shirt price test: Fits everybody t-shirt, £48
What we love: Fits Everybody Dress, £80

Solace London

This brand claims to blur the line between statement making and wearability. They’re occasion wear items designed to make a statement at black-tie or cocktail events. And the modest collection is designed with higher necklines and longer lengths, with still the with same signature striking silhouettes.

Best for: Occasion wear for women, including modest options
Where to buy: solacelondon.com
Dress price test: White maxi dress, £320
What we love: The Adami Maxi Dress in Light Pink, £550

The best menswear-focused affordable luxury fashion brands:

Percival

Menswear can often just stick to the classics. Percival are subverting the classics through unique texture and patterns. Their pieces are designed to be the building blocks of an everyday outfit. A dream for someone curating a capsule wardrobe.

Best for: Stylish menswear
Where to buy: percivalclo.com
T-shirt price test: Regular fit mascot t-shirt, £55
What we love: Heras Lures Five-Pocket Trousers, £150.00

Folk

Whilst Folk does do womenswear too, it all began with menswear. It’s focus is on relaxed tailoring, with a style that’s designed to be “simple yet detailed, refined and robust, humble but assured”. They’re stylish clothes made to be worn everyday.

Best for: Relaxed menswear
Where to buy: folkclothing.com
T-shirt price test: Striped t-shirt, £55
What we love: Wide fit blazer – sage summer twill, £195