5 Brands to Know Before They Blow Up

In the current age of social media, it might be easier than ever to launch your own brand. I mean, who doesn’t have a clothing line these days? While some of those ideas still need to be developed further, there are brands out there that deserve the spotlight.

And sure, sometimes you can’t help yourself from wanting to cop the latest Supreme collab or saving up to buy some Off-White, but there's something to be said about sidestepping all of the hype and exploring under-the-radar brands.

Adsum NYC, Ader Error, Affix, Cherry Los Angeles, and SSS World Corp all cater to different styles and vibes, but you should definitely start paying attention to them. Don't you want to be ahead of the curve before their online stores sell out and it's too late?

Some of you might know Ader Error because of its Puma RS-100 collaboration—one of the highlights from the co-branded capsule that hit stores this past September. But you should be paying attention to the brand for much more. The South Korean collective (which chooses to remain anonymous) was launched in 2014 and has since developed a strong following that’s obsessed with its gender-neutral silhouettes. "Our clothing is unisex, and this kind of styling runs counter to the usual Korean dress culture,” one of the brand’s founders told WWD. “In the past, so many people felt strange, asking, ‘Why do they do that?’ But these days it’s very trendy and people enjoy this kind of styling." Its collections include pieces like double coats, oversized hoodies with playful yet minimal branding hits, and even functional totes. No matter what, creativity is at the forefront for Ader Error. Like its slogan "But near missed things” suggests, the brand continues to flip uncommon inspirations from everyday things into covetable pieces.

Where to buy it: SSENSE, Farfetch, Fig Collective, End., Selfridges, and Browns

The brainchild of Kiko Kostadinov (a notable alum of this list), Mackintosh head designer Taro Ray, stylist and creative consultant Stephen Mann, and Gimme Five founder Michael Kopelman, Affix is a London-based project bringing a more fashion-forward approach to traditional workwear. Service jackets and pants you’d expect to see on your local blue-collar worker are given a dose of style through new materials—like velvet that shouldn't make sense, but does, through well-executed design. Other options highlight aspects of the functional designs with well-placed contrast stitching.

Affix was initially launched as a program on the Know-Wave radio station (you can catch up on SoundCloud) before expanding its reach into clothing this past January with a special event at Dover Street Market London. It might only have one collection under its belt, but with the perfect mix of up-and-coming minds and OGs at the helm, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Where to buy it: SSENSE, Dover Street Market, Très Bien, Slam Jam, MR PORTER, and Haven

Birthed in 2017 by Justin O’Shea, former creative director of Italian menswear label Brioni, SSS World Corp creates head-turning pieces inspired by surfers, pimps, and heavy metal. Its Spring 2019 SSSandman collection, debuted this past June in Paris, largely took cues from O’Shea’s home in Australia and includes vibrant-colored suits, coats, silk shirts, pants, and high-cut shorts that feature a tribal pattern he spotted on a surfboard. Some T-shirts even have graphics of koalas and kangaroos smoking marijuana and driving hot rods.

Aside from the show-stealing all-over prints, SSS World Corp does perfectly tailored suits, branded accessories, and more subtle graphic T-shirts for those who may not be quite ready to dive right into a satin shirt covered in flaming skulls. The best part is that the pieces are relatively affordable; T-shirts start at $55, while a bomber jacket costs $365. "With the influence of streetwear and the image and power from some of these modern-day brands, it's not about price but about pushing a belief and identity with a luxury feeling,” O’Shea toldBusiness of Fashion. “It's that mixture between formal and street, which inevitably I think is the trend that will go forward."

In just a year, SSS World Corp has caught the attention of many, including artist Wes Lang (the same guy who did the art for Kanye West's Yeezus tour merch back in 2013), who O’Shea worked with on a special collaboration.

Where to buy it: SSENSE, Selfridges, Slam Jam, Jeffrey, Antonioli, and the Webster

Longtime friends Joseph Perez and David Levy have been around the fashion industry all their lives. “My parents have been working in the clothing industry for a long time—production and manufacturing, private labels, the behind-the-scenes of it,” Levy says. “Joe’s parents were doing the same thing. We both grew up in factories, watching sewers and pattern makers.” It only made sense then that this past January they launched their own brand, Cherry Los Angeles.

Cherry Los Angeles is heavily inspired by nostalgia. Many of the brand’s graphics, for instance, are pulled from the ‘90s posters they hung in their childhood bedrooms, including photos of Carmen Electra, Dennis Rodman, and Porsche 911s. Some pieces, like a pair of tapered and pin-tucked Dickies work pants, harken back to Perez and Levy’s days of altering their private school uniforms, as well as their love of skate culture. “Everyone is looking back and yearning for the past, so we try to give you that feeling with everything we put out.”

Much of what you might’ve seen online are Cherry tees or hoodies, but don’t get it twisted: Cherry Los Angeles makes a few cut-and-sew pieces, too. And they’re all made right here in the USA, in downtown Los Angeles, to be exact. “We didn’t want to make any Gildan,” says Levy. “We didn’t want to use any blanks. We wanted your favorite T-shirt to last.” You can currently only buy Cherry Los Angeles online, which is keeping it fairly exclusive for the time being, but a lot of its pieces already sell out. Not to mention, it’s become one of the most buzzed-about streetwear brands out of L.A.; it’s already being rocked by Justin Bieber, Wiz Khalifa, YG, Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin. Check out Cherry Los Angeles before it’s too late.

Where to buy it: Cherry Los Angeles

After attending Parsons, designer Pete Macnee interned at a handful of major labels, including Bottega Veneta, before landing a job as a product developer for Billionaire Boys Club. It was at BBC that he met Mark McNairy, who he later wound up doing graphic design work for. From there, Macnee began working on clothing designs in his spare time and eventually approached McNairy's pattern maker to help him make a Balmac coat. In 2015, Macnee officially founded his own label, Adsum.

Adsum, or "I am present" in Latin, aims to create clothing inspired by New York, where Macnee currently lives, and Canada, where he’s originally from. "We make all sorts of clothes for the different aspects of our life," Adsum art director Christian Rice says. "There are some technical outerwear pieces because we love getting out into elements, some sportswear-influenced ones because we all grew up playing sports, and the traditional men’s staples you need for your garb." For instance, the brand's Fall/Winter 2018 range pays homage to the Summit Series that took place between the Canadian and Russian national hockey teams in 1972.

Adsum’s collections consist of men's staples with an emphasis on premium quality—Italian Moleskin work shirts, classic oxfords, slouchy fleece, jackets, and simplified graphic T-shirts. “What helps us sleep at night is that we’ve tried our hardest to make the best product without cutting corners,” Rice says. It shouldn't be long before Adsum starts getting the more widespread attention it deserves.

Where to buy it: Kinfolk, C’H’C’M’, Westerlind, Need Supply Co., End., Garbstore, and Oi Polloi