21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (2024)

The best suit brands are experts in their field, and when you slip on one of their creations you should feel transformed. You might stand a little taller, your back a little straighter, your chest a little broader, like you’re literally bursting with swagger. (Go ahead, give yourself a flirty little Austin Butler-esque look in the mirror.) Sounds pretty good, right?

The Best Suit Brands, According to GQ

  • The Red Carpet Specialists: Armani, Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Tom Ford
  • The All-American Upgrades: Brooks Brothers, J.Crew, J. Press, Todd Snyder, Sid Mashburn
  • The Globe-Trotting Tailoring Geeks: Anglo-Italian, Drake's, Ring Jacket, Saman Amel
  • The Funky Upstarts: Factor's, Giuliva Heritage, Husbands, Stòffa
  • The C-Suite Favorites: Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, Canali, Zegna

Here's the thing: A suit is always going to look best if it’s made especially for you, and there are plenty of bespoke tailoring houses, everywhere from Savile Row to Milan, which will do just that. (Anderson & Sheppard, Henry Poole & Co., Rubinacci, and Liverano & Liverano, to name a few.) But those brands are unavailable off-the-rack and have little online presence, and bespoke suits are expensive and can take forever to deliver.

Thankfully, there are plenty of great off-the-rack options, too. Before you keep scrolling, though, a few things to keep in mind.

  1. Have a good tailor in your rolodex for adjustments and alterations. Most shops will do them in-house, but you may need to tweak your suit over time.
  2. Do your research. What are you buying it for? (A suit for the office will probably look a bit different than the one you buy for a summer wedding.) Do you want something classic and conservative, or casual and unstructured?
  3. Know your body type. Height, weight, shoulder type—they’ll all inform what looks best on you.

And, perhaps most important, never rush into buying one. Suits are an investment, and they should last you years. So get that Austin Butler face ready, bud, because the names you need to know the next time you're suit shopping are all right here.

The Red Carpet Specialists

Armani

Giorgio Armani was already an accomplished Italian designer when he launched his eponymous brand in 1975. Five years later, Armani was tasked with outfitting Richard Gere in American Gigolo, and the house has been synonymous with Hollywood glamour ever since. The suits Gere wore then, with their gently-padded shoulders and cinched waists, became a symbol of the era’s masculine style—and effectively broke Armani stateside. But in the '90s, the designer pivoted to a look he considered more “sincere”, stripping his suits of their structured underpinning and stultifying corporate machismo. Today, Armani suits tend to be slim and sleek, but the influence of his heyday remains.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (1)

Giorgio Armani

Small Scale Plaid Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (2)

Giorgio Armani

ASV Royal Line Double-Breasted Virgin-Wool Suit

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren might've started his brand hawking ties from a drawer in the Empire State Building, but his ambitions were obvious from the start. Today, his empire encompasses a half-dozen or so sub-labels, Polo most prominent among them. Polo serves up classic American sportswear and ur-prep staples with a subtly cosmopolitan twist; tailoring from the line includes flannel three-pieces, conservative navy sack suits, and a killer selection of entry-level tuxedos. Suits from RRL, Ralph's ode to the American west, skew vintage in inspiration: think chunkier glen plaids, herringbone linens, and beefy tweeds. The ne plus ultra of Ralph Lauren's tailoring prowess, though, is Purple Label, launched in 1994 and heavily inspired by old-world European glamor. If the vibe reminds you of the suits Robert Redford wore in the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby—handmade, elegant, tailored to a T—the effect is intentional: Ralph designed the costumes for the film.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (3)

Polo By Ralph Lauren

Wool Flannel 3-Piece Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (4)

Ralph Lauren Purple Label

Kent Hand-Tailored Wool Gabardine Suit

Thom Browne

You know a Thom Browne suit when you see one. It's no exaggeration to say that the New York designer upended the industry when he introduced his shrunken gray suit in the early 2000s, a now-signature silhouette with shortened pants (sometimes just shorts!) and square-shaped jackets, equipped with the brand’s telltale red, white, and blue trim. These days, Browne sells a riff that isn't quite as severe, but the house specialty remains as popular—and immediately identifiable—as ever. Who wouldn't want to join the coolest clique in fashion?

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (5)

Thom Browne

Classic Fit Wool Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (6)

Thom Browne

Classic Fit Twill Suit and Tie

Tom Ford

Tom Ford's tailoring is all about confidence—with a healthy dose of sex appeal added to the mix, for good measure. Suiting has moved more casual in recent years, but the brand sticks to what’s always worked: padded shoulders, traditional fabrics, masculine silhouettes. Ford is no longer at the helm of the company that bears his name, but his uncompromising, elevated taste remains its foundation.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (7)

Tom Ford

Shelton Fresco Stripe Wool Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (8)

Tom Ford

Shelton Cotton & Silk Fine Poplin Suit

The All-American Upgrades

Brooks Brothers

For nearly two centuries, Brooks Brothers was the name in American men’s fashion, introducing ready-to-wear to the masses in 1849. In 2020, the company filed for bankruptcy, but under the leadership of creative director (and all-around menswear OG) Michael Bastian, the brand has re-established itself by looking towards its storied past. Today you’ll find sturdy, classic American suits at prices that make its European counterparts shake.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (9)

Brooks Brothers

Classic Fit Pinstripe 1818 Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (10)

Brooks Brothers

Classic Fit Windowpane 1818 Suit

J.Crew

J.Crew has lived a hundred lives over the last decade or so, but the Ludlow, it's era-defining slim-but-not-skinny suit, continues to sell like hot cakes on a cold winter day. It's not hard to see why: if you're on a tight budget, it remains a platonic starter suit for everyday wear, and comes in a range of can't-miss fabrics and colors. Looking for a slightly less corporate vibe? Under Brendon Babenzien, the ex-Supreme designer responsible for the Crew's menswear reboot, the brand introduced the Kenmare, an altogether more relaxed silhouette with a slouchier jacket and single pleated trousers. (J.Crew’s third offering, the Crosby, sits squarely between the Ludlow and the Kenmare; it's a reliable mainstay of GQ's tailoring coverage, too.)

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (11)

J.Crew

Kenmare Italian Cotton Pincord Suit Jacket

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (12)

J.Crew

Kenmare Italian Cotton Pincord Suit Pants

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (14)

J.Crew

Ludlow Italian Worsted Wool Suit Pants

Todd Snyder

Like plenty of the other names in this category, Todd Snyder, the patron saint of approachable menswear, makes a whole lot more than suits. But Snyder's tailoring remains a consistent highlight of his line, straddling the divide between big-box and Bergdorf Goodman. His selection of suits includes standard 9-to-5 garb, gutsier cocktail attire fare, and the rare surprisingly dialed—and surprisingly affordable—off-the-rack tuxedo.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (15)

Todd Snyder

Italian Linen Wythe Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (16)

Todd Snyder

Italian Linen-Silk Madison Suit

Sid Mashburn

Veteran Atlanta haberdasher Sid Mashburn sells suits that look like you’ve owned them your entire life. To make the process easy, Mashburn categorizes each line by numbers, from the casual, unconstructed No. 1 to the handmade, two-canvas No. 4. Like good jazz, it’s all about improvising and seeing where the groove takes you—Sid simply wants you to have as much fun getting capital-D Dressed as he does.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (17)

Sid Mashburn

Kincaid No. 3 Virgin Wool-Flannel Suit Jacket

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (18)

Sid Mashburn

Virgil No. 3 Suit

J. Press

Close your eyes and picture a college campus in the 1950s. All those chinos, oxford shirts, and tweed jackets? That’s J. Press in a nutshell. These days, the seminal American brand is Japanese-owned, and has reinvigorated itself by doubling down on the Ivy-inspired style Japan has long since mastered. Exhibit A: its impressive selection of off-the-rack suits, made in the USA with English and Italian fabrics.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (19)

J.Press

Fox Air Plaid Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (20)

J.Press

Fox Air Charcoal Blue Suit

The Globe-Trotting Tailoring Geeks

Anglo-Italian

As its name suggests, London-based Anglo-Italian merges the tradition of English sartorialism with the ease and comfort of Italian tailoring. Its suits lean soft, casual, and unstructured, and the brand also produces a whole wardrobe of things to wear them with—shirts, shoes, ties, and more. The reputation for impeccable customer service—and dedication to craftsmanship—certainly doesn't hurt.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (21)

Anglo-Italian

Single Breasted Navy High-Twist Wool Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (22)

Anglo-Italian

Single Breasted Wool Grey Flannel Suit

Saman Amel

Stockholm's Saman Amel only launched in 2015, but in less than a decade it has carved out a niche selling discreet made-to-measure suits sourced with fabrics from some of the best mills in the world. In recent years, its strategic push into off-the-rack tailoring has yielded suits cut with the same attention to proportion and premium fabrications—think notch lapel two-pieces made from blanket-soft wool and cashmere blends.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (23)

Saman Amel

Herringbone Wool Suit Jacket

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (24)

Saman Amel

Straight-Leg Pleated Herringbone Wool-Twill Suit Trousers

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (25)

Saman Amel

Wool-Twill Suit Jacket

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (26)

Saman Amel

Straight-Leg Pleated Wool-Twill Suit Trousers

Ring Jacket

Osaka’s Ring Jacket was founded in 1954 by insurance salesman Jhoichi Fukushima, who was frustrated with off-the-rack options of his time. 70 years later, Ring Jacket offers a veritable buffet of suiting flavors, combining influences of Japanese, British, American, and Italian tailoring in a line of expertly-constructed designs. So much so, in fact, that the classic menswear experts at The Armoury now offer a range of exclusive models made by Ring Jacket just for them.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (27)

The Armoury By Ring Jacket

Wool Model 6B Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (28)

The Armoury By Ring Jacket

Linen/Wool Model 3B Suit

Drake's

Drake’s seems to be on everyone’s moodboard these days, and for good reason: the British brand's de-fussed riff on classic menswear has helped it corner the market on ultra-premium prep. Take, for example, the Games suit, which Drake's creative director Michael Hill credits with turbo-charging the label's fortunes. Expertly designed for casual wear, it looks just as killer with a striped oxford shirt and chukkas as it does a foulard tie and brogues. It's a tricky matrix to operate in, but Drake's makes it feel as approachable as its clubby storefronts.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (29)

Drake's

Cotton Games Blazer Mk. I

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (30)

Drake's

Cotton Twill Games Trousers

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (31)

Drake's

Cotton Drill Sport Coat

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (32)

Drake's

Flat Front Cotton Drill Trousers

The Funky Upstarts

Factor's

Matt Lambert has always been a suit guy, and ever since the Sid Mashburn alum launched Factor’s in 2021, a lot more fellas have signed on to his agenda. His suits come imbued with a jolt of tempered ‘70s flair, thanks to their wide lapels, high-waisted trousers, and strong-shouldered, loose-fitting jackets. They're as classic as they are chill—a tricky-to-nail combination purpose-built for today's tastes.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (33)

Factor's

SB Suit in Ivory Wool Crepe

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (34)

Factor's

DB Suit in Blue Mohair Leno

Stòffa

Stòffa’s suits are preternaturally relaxed—you could easily confuse one of the brand's unstructured suit jackets for a pajama shirt, in the best way possible. The New York imprint outfits guys who wear tailoring because they want to, and its fabrics follow, uh, suit: lightweight tropical wools, nubby linens, and brushed flannels for the next generation of gray suit-wearers.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (35)

Stòffa

Double-Breasted Wool Suit Jacket

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (36)

Stòffa

Tapered Pleated Wool Trousers

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (37)

Stòffa

Cotton-Twill Suit Jacket

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (38)

Stòffa

Tapered Pleated Brushed Cotton-Twill Trousers

Husbands

Few suiting brands evoke the sex appeal of the ‘70s more effectively than Paris-based Husbands, founded in 2012 by former lawyer Nicolas Gabard. To say that Serge Gainsbourg would look perfectly at home in one of Husband's double-breasted suits is true, but doesn't quite do the GQ-favorite brand justice: the vibe might be retro, but the cut—sharp, feline, ready to boogie—feels extremely right now.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (39)

Husbands

Double-Breasted Linen-Wool Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (40)

Husbands

Single-Breasted Twill Suit

Giuliva Heritage

Giuliva Heritage is not for the faint of heart—or the light of pocket. Partners Margherita Cardelli and Gerardo Cavaliere only expanded into menswear in 2019, but they've already accrued an enviable roster of big-name fans, who favor the Roman brand's eclectic take on Italian style. Its ready-to-wear suits, often sold as separates, are unabashedly swaggering: Ferrari-red shawl collar dinner jackets, high-waisted trousers with a duo of deep pleats, and double-breasted blazers finished with peak lapels that stretch towards the heavens.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (41)

Giuliva Heritage

Stefano Blazer

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (42)

Giuliva Heritage

Vic Trousers

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (43)

Giuliva Heritage

Ascanio Blazer

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (44)

Giuliva Heritage

Joseph Trousers

The C-Suite Favorites

Brioni

Brioni suits are no-nonsense Italian elegance at its finest. Born in 1945 as a little shop in the heart of Rome, the brand and its founders—master tailor Nazareno Fonticoli and his business partner, Gaetano Savini—initially specialized in bespoke, eventually becoming a favorite of the jet-setting elite and Hollywood A-listers. (Brad Pitt is an especially ardent fan.) Long before stealth wealth was trending on TikTok, the Roman suiting brand was committed to selling the very best version if it.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (45)

Brioni

Windowpane Wool-Silk Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (46)

Brioni

Brun Super 150s Wool Plaid Suit

Canali

Sovico-based Canali is another Italian suiting brand with a rich history, one that stretches back nearly a century. Its price point is a tier below Brioni, but it boasts a similar a reputation for quality, fabric, and quiet, boardroom-friendly style. Canali suits predominately feature relaxed silhouettes and lightweight fabrics, made using the type of traditional Italian tailoring techniques you'd expect.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (47)

Canali

Kei Trim Fit Slub Wool & Silk Blend Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (48)

Canali

Siena Regular Fit Plaid Wool Suit

Brunello Cucinelli

Cashmere King Brunello Cucinelli built his multi-billion dollar kingdom in the tiny town of Solomeo (population: 400). Despite the tech titans who flock to his brand in droves, running an ethical, sustainable business is core to his identity; each year, Cucinelli re-invests 20% of the brand’s profits into the upkeep of the town. His suits skew elegant, casual, and look even better as separates—an earthy-brown linen sportcoat paired with, say, eggshell-white cotton trousers. Cucinelli’s wares don't come cheap, but they're unfussy, unpretentious, and about as laid-back as a $6,000 suit gets.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (49)

Brunello Cucinelli

Pinstriped Flannel Double-Breasted Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (50)

Brunello Cucinelli

Plaid Cashmere-Blend Suit

Zegna

Ermenegildo Zegna, an entrepreneurial 18-year-old suiting whiz, founded his eponymous brand in 1910. Since then, the tailoring house that bears his name has become famous for its obsession with fabric, commandeering its production chain from “sheep to shop”. Today, Zegna retains its classic Italian essence, but isn’t afraid to adapt with the times; in 2021, it introduced a suit explicitly designed for the home office, with a cashmere jacket tailored to drape like a robe. It offers plenty of off-the-rack options for work and play—and the increasingly-blurry line between.

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (51)

Zegna

15Milmil15 Stripe Wool Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (52)

Zegna

14milmil14 Regular Fit Pinstripe Wool Suit

21 Essential Suit Brands Every Menswear Fan Should Know (2024)

FAQs

What suits do all men need? ›

Contact us for more fashion tips and all your suiting needs. Common Questions: What 5 suits should a man own? Everyman should own a black suit, a navy suit, a grey suit, a brown suit and a tan suit with white, powder blue or cream shirts.

What is the suit trend in 2024? ›

Slim-fitting suits remain fashionable in 2024.

Ash Tailor Samui offers an extensive selection of slim-fit suits in an enticing color spectrum, including double-breasted, three-piece, two-piece, casual, and mix-and-match options.

What is trending in men's suits? ›

High-rise trousers, sharp lapels, and shoulder pads are the defining elements of the 2023 trend. In terms of color, men's suits have taken a turn towards the vibrant and expressive. Shades like electric blue, rich burgundy, and deep forest green have become the norm rather than the exception.

Who makes the best suits for men? ›

The Best Suit Brands, According to GQ
  • The Red Carpet Specialists: Armani, Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Tom Ford.
  • The All-American Upgrades: Brooks Brothers, J.Crew, J. ...
  • The Globe-Trotting Tailoring Geeks: Anglo-Italian, Drake's, Ring Jacket, Saman Amel.
  • The Funky Upstarts: Factor's, Giuliva Heritage, Husbands, Stòffa.
Apr 1, 2024

What are the three suits every man should own? ›

So, if there are only three suits you could ever have in the wardrobe, or if you are building a wardrobe of clothes from scratch, the dinner suit, navy suit and mid-grey suit are the three you should consider, no matter who you are or what you do.

What is the best suit color for 2024? ›

2024 is the year to step out of the monochromatic comfort zone. Electric blues, rich burgundies, and deep forest greens are making their mark. But it's not just about loudness; pastel hues are also gaining popularity, offering a subtle yet elegant way to make a style statement.

What color suit is trendy? ›

Navy is the most popular men's suit color, hands down, making up 50% of all suits. It makes sense, as the colour navy represents power and authority — both traits one wants to feel when they wear a suit. That's why navy is known as the presidential suit color. It's also a safe choice if you prefer to blend in.

What is the color trend in men's suits in 2024? ›

2024 Winter Men's Suit Color Trends: A Palette of Elegance

In the winter of 2024, ocean blue emerges as a prominent color trend. Conveying a sense of freshness and elegance, this deep blue hue mirrors the depths of the sea, injecting vibrancy into the gray days of winter.

What are the top 5 suits every man should own? ›

The Five Indispensable Suits Every Man Should Have
  • The Classic Black Suit.
  • Navy Suit.
  • Brown Suit.
  • Tan Suit.
  • Grey Suit.
Feb 18, 2024

Who has the nicest suits? ›

Best overall: J.

Crew's suiting proved modern and fresh. The same holds true today, and they make the best men's suits in classic and trend-forward colors, plus a range of seasonal fabrics.

Who makes the best suits for the money? ›

Indochino Hemsworth Suit

There are, of course, a plethora of luxury brands that offer bespoke suiting, but for a more reasonably-priced (yet still high-quality) option, Indochino is your best bet.

What suit does James Bond wear? ›

For moderately formal occasions he wears silk dupioni suits in shades of grey, blue and brown. If Bond is in a warm location, he's likely to wear a mohair suit for both business and social occasions. During the daytime, he might wear a tan cotton poplin or needlecord suit or an ecru linen suit.

What two color suits should a man own? ›

In fact, both the navy suit and medium-grey suit, when well-tailored, will almost certainly look superb on any gentleman and are therefore two items any man who takes the art of dressing well seriously should never be without.

How many suits should every man own? ›

For everyday, opt for a suit crafted in mid-weight wool with a touch of stretch. Depending on your profession, we recommend you should own a minimum of three business suits, but if you buy only one color, we recommend classic navy.

How many suits does one man need? ›

No matter how you like to dress or what you do for work, sometimes only a suit will do. But how many suits does a man need? For us, the magic number is three. Whether you're at a wedding, job interview or business event, these are the men's suits that will never let you down.

Do all men need a suit? ›

Every man needs a handful of suits in his life. However, some of us need a wardrobe of men's suits because we must wear them daily. Whether you're in finance, sales, law, or other professional industries, suits are your number-one way to make the best first impression you can.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Virgilio Hermann JD

Last Updated:

Views: 6023

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Virgilio Hermann JD

Birthday: 1997-12-21

Address: 6946 Schoen Cove, Sipesshire, MO 55944

Phone: +3763365785260

Job: Accounting Engineer

Hobby: Web surfing, Rafting, Dowsing, Stand-up comedy, Ghost hunting, Swimming, Amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Virgilio Hermann JD, I am a fine, gifted, beautiful, encouraging, kind, talented, zealous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.