We've looked far and wide and have narrowed down the best basics in their class, so you don't have to. Here are 3 brands with long histories that made being best-in-class their mission. Basics don't have to be boring, but they do have to be functional.
1. Sunspel T-Shirts
Sunspel hails from England and has spent the last 160 years perfecting basic wardrobe essentials, their most iconic piece being the simple cotton t-shirt. Sunspel uses the finest long staple pima cotton for the essential basic, resulting in unparalleled softness, comfort and durability. A consistent observation of Sunspel’s crew neck t-shirt is how light the fabric is while maintaining a high level of performance. Worn today by British icons, most notably Daniel Craig’s Bond, the endorsement reflects the confidence in the quality of English craftsmanship and Sunspel’s drive to achieve perfect simplicity.
2. Echizenya Pants
Echizenya’s summer technical fabrics follow the motto "Easy to Care, Easy to Wear". The technical fabrics are designed so you can wash at home after wearing, hang to dry and wear without ironing. Whether it’s the summer seersucker, summer chameleon or compact jersey, each pant is a lightweight technical fabric with plenty of stretch and breathability.
Each pair of pants goes through over 150 fabrication steps, passing through dozens of skilled sets of hands and proprietary machines found nowhere else in the world. With over 65+ years of experience, there are few pant makers that claim their level of expertise.
3. Filippo De Laurentiis Polo Shirts
Our affinity for this Filippo polo stems from 3 main characteristics about this piece. First, the linen-cotton blend which performs like a technical fabric. Lightweight and naturally durable, the fabric also has a texture and look that can’t be replicated with technical fabrics. Secondly, Filippo has garnered experience in knitwear production going back three generations. Through innovation and experimentation their techniques reflect the rich history accumulated by the brand. Lastly, it’s the best fitting polo to date. A thicker collar helps the maintain a crisp and firm collar, contrary to most polo collars that sag and look sloppy. The slim fit is cut in a way that you get a nice tailored fit without being overly restricting, no polo looks as good underneath a sport jacket.