There's a confidence to a truly minimalist wardrobe. No overt logos, no unnecessary embellishment, just fabric and cut doing all the talking. It's an approach we've always been drawn to at Peggs & son.
That means craftsmanship and old techniques sitting alongside material innovation, and some of the most interesting work in performance fabric right now comes from brands like ROA, Satisfy and Goldwin, who prove technical clothing doesn't need to look technical to perform.
At the other end of the spectrum, there's something to be said for the deliberately slow: Sunray Sportswear still make their tees in Japan on vintage tubular looms, where a single torso can take an hour to produce.
Universal Works take a similarly considered approach with their Wool Fleece range, developing the fabric in-house and running it across a wide selection of utilitarian, functional styles, from cardigans and waistcoats, to bombers and chore style jacket.
And then there's knitwear, where the focus has to be on the wool. Belgian label Howlin' produce all their knits in Scotland from Scottish wool and putting one on demonstrates just how much warmth and character a pared-back silhouette can still carry.
The Scandinavians, unsurprisingly, do minimalism better than most. Another Aspect, Annarr and NN07 all share that same instinct for restraint, clean lines and considered silhouettes paired with quality fabrics. Some standout pieces include the iconic Gael Jacket in brown check from NN07, as well as the Another Polo from Another Aspect, made in Italy from 100% merino wool.
But if one brand sums up the whole idea for us, it's Arpenteur. Based out of Lyon, they look to vintage French workwear, outerwear and sportswear for inspiration, work with French factories, and somehow produce clothing that feels both deeply rooted in the past yet completely modern. It's minimalism done properly, as they put it: "the sophistication of studied cuts and sleek finishes".
THE MINIMALIST WARDROBE
