Formal streetwear is a fusion of classic formal attire with urban street style elements. It combines tailored pieces like blazers and dress pants with sneakers or statement accessories. This style is unique as it brings a sophisticated and polished touch to the streets, challenging traditional notions of formal dressing and allowing individuals to express their personal style in a more relaxed and contemporary way.
Beams Plus is the Tokyo-based heritage menswear line of retailer Beams, reworking classic American Ivy, workwear and military styles in Japan.
Why it's similar. Beams Plus has cut mid-century Ivy, military and workwear patterns in Japanese fabrics since 1999, oxford button-downs and quilted liner jackets that dress up a streetwear wardrobe.
Antwerp house known for clashing prints, embroidery and relaxed tailoring, now designed by Julian Klausner under majority owner Puig.
Why it's similar. One of the Antwerp Six, Dries Van Noten has layered clashing florals and jacquards over loose suiting since 1986, the dressed end of print-driven street style.
British label founded by Paul Smith in 1970, known for traditional tailoring twisted with bright colour, stripes and prints across menswear and womenswear.
Why it's similar. Paul Smith opened in Nottingham in 1970 and still twists British tailoring with the multicoloured Artist Stripe, suits and knitwear that read formal without reading stiff.
Italian luxury menswear house known for its own wool and cashmere fabrics, fluid tailoring, Su Misura service and the Triple Stitch shoe.
Why it's similar. Zegna has spun its own wool in Trivero since 1910, and Alessandro Sartori's fluid Oasi Cashmere separates and Triple Stitch shoe are formalwear built on sneaker-era ease.
Independent Nottingham menswear label reworking British and mid-century workwear into relaxed, well-made staples like its Bakers Jacket and Aston trousers.
Why it's similar. David Keyte's Nottingham label reworks British and mid-century workwear into the Bakers Jacket and Aston trousers, relaxed enough for the street and cut cleanly enough for the office.
Independent Stockholm ready-to-wear label known for custom-developed fabrics, reworked wardrobe staples and its upcycled Our Legacy Work Shop line.
Why it's similar. Stockholm's Our Legacy develops its own fabrics and washes for boxy shirting and wide trousers, a 2005 label sitting between tailoring and the upcycled Work Shop line.
Independent Copenhagen label blending Scandinavian craft with skate and streetwear, now solely owned by co-founder Jacob Kampp Berliner after Silas Adler's 2024 exit.
Why it's similar. Silas Adler started Soulland in Copenhagen in 2002 at seventeen, and the label still runs Scandinavian tailoring alongside skate graphics, boxy shirting and the brim-fronted Adler fedora.
Los Angeles label by Guillermo Andrade, pairing oversized workwear and sportswear shapes with slogan graphics, grown out of the FourTwoFour on Fairfax boutique.
Why it's similar. Guillermo Andrade grew 424 out of his FourTwoFour on Fairfax boutique, scaling workwear and varsity shapes up until they showed on the Milan calendar rather than a skate park.
Stockholm fashion house founded in 1996 by Jonny Johansson, known for oversized tailoring, mohair knitwear, denim and the Musubi bag.
Why it's similar. Jonny Johansson started Acne Studios in 1996 with a small run of raw denim and now shows oversized Paris tailoring, mohair knits and Face-patch sweatshirts in one wardrobe.
Paris label founded in 1987 by Jean Touitou, known for raw selvedge denim, Demi-Lune bags and understated, long-lasting wardrobe basics.
Why it's similar. Jean Touitou founded A.P.C. in Paris in 1987 on raw Petit Standard selvedge and plain, long-wearing staples, the quiet backbone under a dressed-up streetwear outfit.
German-founded, Milan-based luxury house known for minimalist tailoring, now owned by OTB and designed by Simone Bellotti.
New York menswear label founded in 2016 by Emily Adams Bode Aujla, built on antique textiles and hand-embellished, often one-of-a-kind garments.
Historic Paris luxury house founded in 1889, now Fosun-controlled and designed by artistic director Peter Copping since 2024.
Tokyo menswear label founded in 2001 by Daisuke Obana, reworking American military and workwear archives into themed, relaxed tailoring.
Paris house by Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, known for minimal, modular tailoring, relaxed androgynous silhouettes and curved leather bags.
Independent Tokyo label by Ryota Iwai, building relaxed menswear and womenswear around custom-developed Japanese textiles and muted colour.
London menswear-led label founded in 2007 by Martine Rose, known for distorted proportions, rave-culture references and recurring Nike collaborations.
Seoul label from Dami Kwon and Jessica Jung mixing 1990s–2000s references, punk attitude and oversized tailoring in high-priced contemporary ready-to-wear.
Anonymous Seoul design collective making unisex streetwear built on oversized proportions, distorted logos and a signature blue.
Tokyo avant-garde label founded in 2001 by Tatsuro Horikawa, known for near-monochrome black, layered drape and asymmetric menswear.
Stockholm-based fashion house founded in 1903, known for Scandinavian ready-to-wear tailoring and pared-back menswear and womenswear.
Copenhagen label from brothers Julius and Victor Juul, making monochrome, industrial-minded ready-to-wear with technical fabrics, harnesses and custom hardware.
Porto-based menswear label by Reid Baker and Inês Amorim, reworking 1970s Americana and European tailoring into narrative-driven collections.
Copenhagen menswear collective making relaxed, tailoring-rooted staples: textured shirting, wide trousers, denim and knitwear built for longevity.
Why it's similar. Copenhagen menswear collective making relaxed, tailoring-rooted staples: textured shirting, wide trousers, denim and knitwear built for longevity.
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The best formal streetwear brands that blend sophistication with urban style include Beams Plus, Dries Van Noten, Paul Smith, and Zegna. These brands are known for their innovative designs that mix elements of formal attire with streetwear aesthetics, offering a unique and modern approach to fashion.
For those looking for more budget-friendly options in formal streetwear, brands like Universal Works and Soulland offer stylish pieces at a lower price point compared to luxury brands. These labels provide quality garments that maintain the essence of formal streetwear without breaking the bank.
Formal streetwear is unique because it combines the elegance of traditional formalwear with the relaxed vibe of street style. Brands like Our Legacy and LEMAIRE exemplify this by integrating tailored blazers and dress pants with casual elements like sneakers, creating a polished yet approachable look.
Beams Plus is definitely worth it for those who appreciate high-quality craftsmanship and versatile designs. Known for its attention to detail and ability to blend classic and contemporary styles, Beams Plus offers pieces that are both timeless and on-trend, making them a valuable addition to any wardrobe.
You can purchase formal streetwear online from sites like Mr Porter, Farfetch, and SSENSE, which feature a wide range of brands including Acne Studios, A.P.C., and Jil Sander. These platforms offer a curated selection of pieces from top designers, making it easy to find the perfect blend of formal and street style.