The New Guard: 10 Designers to Watch in 2016

From New York to Milan, Los Angeles to Krakow, 10 new labels have arrived, representing the next generation of designers to know.

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Complex Original

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With so many new designers making noise on the Internet, it can be difficult to identify those who are actually saying something of substance. Fortunately, we’re always dialed into the most promising menswear talent. Here, we introduce 10 new labels that should command your attention in the new year and beyond.

New Things Creative (left)
New York City
Childhood friends Edwin Bolta and Ricardo Reyes started a creative agency and art collective for like-minded individuals. Through that partnership, a clothing line was born­. Each unique item is thoughtfully designed with comfort and function in mind. The goal? To become the new classics. 

Edward Crutchley (right)
London
A master of textile design, Crutchley has been tasked with creating custom fabrics for the biggest names in fashion. Now, he’s focused on doing the same in his own name, resulting in one of the year’s most buzzed-about collections. 

XXBC NYC (left)
New York City 
Inspired by ’90s hip-hop style, XXBC (or Twenty BC) NYC is all about being cool and laid-back—just like its designer, William Thompson. His pieces represent cutting-edge comfort not just for guys, but also for girls who want to share in that cozy life.

Death To Tennis(right)
New York City
Shared experiences in NYC’s fashion scene united English designers William Watson and Vincent Oshin. Together, the two have created a line that offers modern takes on shirting, topcoats, and tailored trousers.  

Mr. Completely
Los Angeles
Mr. Completely adds a layer of grit to standards like sweatshirts, band-collar shirts, hoodies, and denim. It’s grunge refined for the classic man. 

Sunnei (left)
Milan

In Italian, sprezzatura is loosely defined as “effortless cool,” which is a perfect description of the design ethos of Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo. Sunnei’s young and sporty menswear embodies ease and confidence, all in the best Italian fabrics.

Maxwell Snow (right)
New York City
Each season, designer Snow presents a new line of staples that builds upon the pieces from his previous collection, from T-shirts and denim jackets to jeans and Chelsea boots. The result is the perfect uniform of high-end classics cut to perfection.

Willy Chavarria (left)
New York City

Chavarria, a former Ralph Lauren designer and co-founder of Palmer Trading Co., debuted his namesake collection a few seasons ago, and it has quickly become synonymous with quality American menswear. Check the collection for boxy, oversize jackets and wide-leg pants, made with fabrics sourced from the world’s best mills. 

Misbhv (right)
Krakow, Poland

What started out as a cool T-shirt line for an inner circle of models, artists, rappers, and skaters, has now grown into a full-fledged collection that reflects an edgy European cool. Designer Natalia Maczek and creative director Thomas Wirski first gained a cult following after releasing a baby pink topcoat that would make Cam’ron jealous. As a result, Misbhv is stocked at the best retailers around the world. 

Proper Gang
New York City

For designer Max Vanderwoude Gross, “mature streetwear” is not an oxymoron. The Proper Gang aesthetic is exemplified by the elegant mash-ups in his collection, which features casual favorites with classic tailoring and unexpected fabrics.

This feature appears in Complex's Dec 2015/Jan 2016 Issue. Buy a copy today!​

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