By Lucas Nicholson.

Simon and I were talking the other day about a brand I was wearing – Original Fibres, as it happens. We often have these chats because while we have a strong overlap in the brands we like, we also differ. 

I lean more casual in what I wear, and I’m not so focused on luxury or bespoke, so I often buy brands that are a little more mainstream, with looser fits and less focus on top quality. We thought it might be worth discussing a few I’ve tried, as it can’t all be waisted bespoke oxfords and Liverano ulster coats, nice as that would be! 

None of these brands have been covered on Permanent Style before, and while there are some things here for the high-end PS reader, it’s also important to realise what these cheaper products lack. There are some great options at this level, but you often have to be more discerning, or at least understand what you’re paying for. 

The finish on certain garments may not be at the level you’re used to, the fits may be a little inconsistent as brands follow trends a little more, or the raw materials may be slightly lower quality. We’ve touched on issues like this with bigger brands like Uniqlo, who may use lower grade cottons or use treatments on their knitwear; or with someone like Massimo Dutti, where Simon has talked about what he would and wouldn’t buy from them. 

But as long as you’re under no illusions about what you’re getting – perhaps seeing these clothes as basics, or as a seasonal piece that won’t be as heavily worn – they can complement a lot of other things on PS. I also use this as a way of testing new styles or colours that I may not be sure about; I use eBay purchases in the same way. 

One of my priorities, and still a good guide generally to quality, is that most of these brands are made in Europe and use mostly natural materials. Long gone are the days when you could guarantee something was better made by being in the EU rather than Asia, but I find it’s still a good starting point. 

Without further ado, here is my list of five brands, with details on which pieces I liked from them (I’ve often tried many) and things to watch out for. Do add your own experiences or ask questions about sizing etc in the comments. 

1. Original Fibres

These guys used to be known as Flax, as their premise was that linen is a great renewable fibre and should be used more. They soon hit a limit when they needed something to sell in northern European winters, and that led to exploration of other areas, and a name change.

The majority of their collection is made in Portugal and I have a variety of items from them, my favourite being a heavy linen chore coat. I also have corduroy trousers from them in a slightly wide, straight-leg style, which I wore heavily during last winter with knits.

Overall I would focus on casual items with Original Fibres, and those made in more robust materials. The finer ones aren’t quite as good and the tailoring isn’t really up to a PS standard. Also check the size charts closely, as I found I had to move up and down in sizes to get the right fit.

This summer I got the linen beach jacket with matching trousers in Rocky Blue, and it really saved me during the intense heat we’ve had; I even wore it one day to Pitti. The heavyweight linen railway jacket, on the other hand, is incredibly robust and more suited to transitional weather than high summer.

In winter I got a pair of casual black cords from them with a straight fit and patch pockets on the back, and a mock neck in an interesting blue made from a Zegna wool.

• Heavy linen chore XXL – £315
• Linen beach jacket  XXL – £195
• Wide leg trousers  36 – £220
• Merino high neck crew XL – £180

2. HE Sports 

I’ve known the founder of this brand, Greg, since I was working at E Tautz and he worked in Jigsaw at the end of the street. He launched his own brand a couple of years ago, making workwear clothing mainly in factories in the north of England, beginning with terry toweling shirts for holidays around the pool.

It was his ‘shaper’ trousers that first got my attention though. They’re fairly basic but very functional, with a drawstring waist, loose leg and sturdy materials, mostly Brisbane Moss. They were a godsend during paternity leave at the beginning of the year, when I could throw them on at a moment’s notice and feel more dressed than in a pair of sweatpants.

Some of the finishing on the products is a little rustic, but as mentioned above, if you see them as very functional or adjust expectations, they’re great.

I also have the towelling shirt in terracotta, which makes for an excellent wine bottle carrier! And a lovely heavy lambswool knit that smells heavily of lanolin and I feel I could wear it through the harshest of winters, but always with a shirt underneath as it is on the scratchier side.

• Panama Shapers size 3 – £189
• Terry towelling one-piece collar shirt – £175
• Ecru chunky knit – £185

3. GRDS 

Gradus, or GRDS, is a Korean brand that sells Italian-made loafers with some modern treatments. I was after a pair of light suede loafers for the summer that I could knock around in and not worry about: my default choice would be Alden LHS, but they were ruled out both by the lack of availability and how high pricing has become.

I found GRDS and they have a similar unlined model. They’re Blake-stitched, which won’t be what everyone wants in a shoe like this, but the make was good for £250. Unlined Italian suede and the perfect look of a pair of five-year-old Alden LHS.

Unfortunately I got a half size too small, which is something to watch out for. I tend to try and use the Japanese style of measurements when purchasing shoes online from a brand I haven’t tried, as it is an actual measurement, but I still found these too small so it isn’t a perfect system.

I now have the correct size, they have loosened up a fair bit with wear as they are unlined so keep that in mind. Also they say online they wash the shoes to give them a slightly broken-in look, which I can’t speak on technically, but I would say definitely works.

I also follow RESq on Instagram, who features them heavily in outfit layouts so I can see what they will look like in a few years. I wouldn’t say I would choose all of the styles they make, but the company is certainly interesting and it seems they do a lot with last shapes and orthotics (having been born out of the impressively named ‘GRDS Biomechanics Lab’) so if that is something you need to wear, these may be a good option for you.

This is one reason I’ve included GRDS over some of the other lower-priced shoes that populate our Instagram feeds – they often just produce similar shoes to the more established brands but at a lower quality level. GRDS felt fresher and more interesting, while still having some classic menswear influences.

• Suede loafers – £221

4. Arktis

Arktis is an old manufacturer of smocks for the British military, and they’re great value for the functionality. I’m currently on my fourth. (Mainly due to changes in sizing and due to burning a hole in one with a cigar, another story for another day!)

I normally choose the B110 model in either olive or navy. It’s made of a cotton/nylon ripstop with big pockets and cut in a traditional smock shape – so check the size charts. I normally wear a 46/56 in tailoring and recently graduated to an XL in this style. They are definitely cut on the looser side, but there are plenty of drawstrings to help give the jacket some shape.

I love these coats and have worn them hiking and on city breaks, especially in the navy. I actually wore an olive one on our excursion to the Highlands last year! They’re showerproof enough to give you temporary cover from the rain, light enough that I don’t overheat in them, and have enough pockets to carry everything I could ever need in a day. I also enjoy throwing one over tailoring on drizzly days, for that high-low look Simon often speaks about.

For me, the style has something of the Stone Island vibe without the controversial branding. I also haven’t strayed into other items from the brand as I feel they get a bit too modern military, which isn’t my style.

Bear in mind at this price that there’s the occasional loose stitch or thread, but the make is so functional that it doesn’t matter. You aren’t getting Stone Island levels of make here, as the price makes obvious.

• B110 smock – £168

5. Aubin and Wills 

This is where we get into some dangerous territory, furthest away from the PS ethos. The biggest issue is probably the range of makes and styles, with some made in the UK and some elsewhere, some styles rather bold and not all designs I’d want.

But, I stick to the Made in Britain pieces and that’s done me well. I have a bright-red chore coat made out of Abraham Moon cloth, for example, that reminded me of the classic wool CPO shirts the Americana brands recreate. Other knits and coats made in the UK have been good too.

As with a few of the more mainstream menswear brands, the shirt collars are a bit small. I also wouldn’t go near the tailoring and wouldn’t see any of these as investment pieces. Stick to simple cotton things like a chore or a Harrington though, and they can be decent.

The colours aren’t always what I’d want – a bit punchy – but if you like that fun Ivy/Drake’s look these are a nice option. I would put it on a par with Polo or Hackett, but as the company isn’t as big it feels like it has its finger slightly more on the pulse. Given the breadth of offer, and the price level, I think it’s one that should stay on the PS radar of the PS reader.

• Saltfleet jacket – £395