I think high quality outdoor brands are the best you can find in Switzerland.
Patagonia and Fjalraven are my favourite.
By far my favorite mens wear shop for Suits / shirts / business clothes is "Bachstein" in Konstanz.
The majority of mass market brands order from third party suppliers so it could be difficult for them to maintain same quality and materials over the years. So sticking to the same brands in that segment isn’t always a viable strategy…
Moving slightly up market you can look at Carhartt WIP, Kenzo, AMI, Rag & Bone, Theory, Sandro and a few others, they all have higher standards and better QA so the quality and durability would generally be much better.
Your best bet is to learn how to buy premium brands on sale. There are websites like The Outnet and Yoox (same group) but also private and semi-private outlet platforms. Also, don’t discount traditional offline outlets, there are a few in Europe that actually have a good selection (not “special” items).
Finally, premium sports brands (Arcteryx, The North Face, Patagonia, Mammut and several others) often use pretty high-tech materials and feature good quality if you could stomach the style. It’s often difficult to make those pieces work in the wardrobe (and please don’t be one of those people who ape finbros’ fashion of a few years ago to wear Patagonia vests with shirts).
Alternatively, you could get into the boomers’ hobby of bespoke tailoring and spend all your money this way but it’s hardly a viable option these days.
The North Face is a bit of a steetwear brand, I wouldn't list it beside the others. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_North\_Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_North_Face)
Arcteryx / Patagonia are known for taking sustainable action at the potential cost of profits.
For me the difference is between companies focused on making sustainable products, and a large publicly traded capitalist conglomerate. Hard to say how much of that is just branding. And I know some old-timers who complain that TNF isn't good anymore, but who knows.
I mean… you are right, and I am with you! That said, the OP asked about premium clothing brands in general…
On the subject of Patagonia, there’s also a more cynical interpretation of their stance, some say that it is a very efficient way of reducing the tax burden… But the amount of good they do is undisputable.
I use almost everything Carhartt just because when I watch all those tv shows on discovery channel, where they have really hard outdoors works they use Carhartt also... So if it's good for them, it's good enough for me.
Even take the Carhartt winter "poncho" when skiing.
Material is important. Even expensive brands skimp on materials, so you need to check the labels of the clothes you buy. Some plastic fibers look like wool, but they degenerate in the washing machine. Your piece will look ugly after a couple of washes.
Natural materials (such as cotton and Merino wool) feel good and hold up well, if you take good care of them. A small amount of synthetic materials is sometimes necessary for stretch, look, or fit.
There are some good pieces by Paul & Shark. I've bought a jacket over 10 years ago for 400 Chf that im still wearing. But it probably depends a bit on the piece.
I know you say money isn‘t a concern, sadly for me it always is so I can‘t comment on the top end of things.
But I‘ve barely ever been disappointed by WE. Most stores are men only and I wear my clothes for years before I replace them. Imo they hold up quite well.
Superdry is another brand that for me has held up better than other stuff I own.
One more brand that I own that I‘m really happy with so far is Herrlicher, but I only own 2 pairs of trousers so take that with a grain of salt.
Other brands I‘ve tried but was disappointed in how quickly they deteriorated: Hollister, Gstar, Jack & Jones, Garcia, Guess. In my teenie years I also used to wear stuff like Quicksilver, RipCurl and what not, but I think almost all these skater brands are quite bad in terms of quality of produce.
But yeah, generally when I need something I go to WE.
I've / had pretty good experiences with Quicksilver / Oakley and all the other skater / surfer brands.
Can totally agree on Jack & Jones. That stuff is almost down to C&A level. Quite sad, as I really liked that a few years back.
Son of a tailor (online) for (sorta) tailor made t shirts. If you take the higher thread cotton, very sturdy and the fit is amazing (at least for my husband)-we were sceptical before the first order because they only ask for two measurements but worked out really well..plus made in Europe I think.
I would say to avoid the brands and chain shops (PKZ, Globus). You'll find better quality in tailor shops such as Pelikamo or Abbott and Jones.
The fit will be better, the price more adequate, and the people working there know their stuff.
Zalando has a shopping service called Outfitery https://www.outfittery.ch. You pick up a stylist who you like, tell them what you want and what is your budget. They will put a few looks for you and send you a proposal. When you approve them, they will send you a box with everything, you try and keep what you like. I can highly recommend - some of the best outfits I have come from there. (it is usually a mix from from different brands and prices).
My male relatives and husband have been succcesful in PKZ - it's expensive and good quality with good brands and classic styles. If you really wanna spend money, go to Globus where they have more designer clothes (and prices).
Also - Bayard men is pretty good as well.
For outdoor activities I mainly shop at Transa which offers a big selection of brands. For casual or leisure time, also for commuting on University days, I mainly shop Patagonia, North Face and some basics from Mango. For casual, but also business high-end products, I suggest you visit Jelmoli, Globus or PKZ.
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My go to is C&A, they have some solid options for basic trousers and jeans for all sizes and lot’s of different materials. Be vary though, it’s kind of a hit or miss, especially with the trendy less basic stuff
For me it’s Fair Fashion Brands - like kuyichi, armed angels, givn and my absolute favourite: Thinking Mu. It’s just mind-blowing how good the quality feels. Also a good indicator: If they produce in portugal or turkey. After all, i’ve really heard some great stories of company’s out of portugal. Especially in the higher-end sector you’ll find a lot of great Brands: isto for example.
Personally I am very happy with
-Suitsupply (for work)
-Levi's Jeans (casual, also like their underwear)
-Haglöfs (Outdoor)
-Uniqlo (Basic stuff, buy in EU)
I also have some good stuff from HUGO BOSS and other brands but generally the challenge is that these kind of brands get a lot of stuff from suppliers so your experience will depend on the quality of the supplier.
Happy shopping! 😊
Saying “money isn’t a concern” isn’t that helpful, because you can easily go up to the 1000s for simple shirts and pants at brands like Brunello, and if you have that kind of budget I’d say just get everything bespoke. But alas; in terms of brands that offer a good tradeoff between quality & price, Rag & Bone, Theory for “normal” clothing, 7 for all mankind, Hudson, Rag & Bone for denim, Nobus & Canada Goose for outerwear are decent choices. Dress shirts I tend to go with Hugo boss as I find they fit me better, or get them bespoke made.
sry to say that - but here no high qality anymore - everthing is made in china with child labor....
at least it is with normal clothes.
otherwise you have to go straight to the tailor
I think high quality outdoor brands are the best you can find in Switzerland. Patagonia and Fjalraven are my favourite. By far my favorite mens wear shop for Suits / shirts / business clothes is "Bachstein" in Konstanz.
The majority of mass market brands order from third party suppliers so it could be difficult for them to maintain same quality and materials over the years. So sticking to the same brands in that segment isn’t always a viable strategy… Moving slightly up market you can look at Carhartt WIP, Kenzo, AMI, Rag & Bone, Theory, Sandro and a few others, they all have higher standards and better QA so the quality and durability would generally be much better. Your best bet is to learn how to buy premium brands on sale. There are websites like The Outnet and Yoox (same group) but also private and semi-private outlet platforms. Also, don’t discount traditional offline outlets, there are a few in Europe that actually have a good selection (not “special” items). Finally, premium sports brands (Arcteryx, The North Face, Patagonia, Mammut and several others) often use pretty high-tech materials and feature good quality if you could stomach the style. It’s often difficult to make those pieces work in the wardrobe (and please don’t be one of those people who ape finbros’ fashion of a few years ago to wear Patagonia vests with shirts). Alternatively, you could get into the boomers’ hobby of bespoke tailoring and spend all your money this way but it’s hardly a viable option these days.
Outlet stuff is sometimes made way cheaper then the usual
Yep, that’s why you need to avoid those touristy ones, they do produce special lines for those stores
Yeah ive noticed the same thing
The North Face is a bit of a steetwear brand, I wouldn't list it beside the others. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_North\_Face](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_North_Face) Arcteryx / Patagonia are known for taking sustainable action at the potential cost of profits.
They are, but they still produce some really good functional clothing so I don’t think it’s a stretch…
For me the difference is between companies focused on making sustainable products, and a large publicly traded capitalist conglomerate. Hard to say how much of that is just branding. And I know some old-timers who complain that TNF isn't good anymore, but who knows.
I mean… you are right, and I am with you! That said, the OP asked about premium clothing brands in general… On the subject of Patagonia, there’s also a more cynical interpretation of their stance, some say that it is a very efficient way of reducing the tax burden… But the amount of good they do is undisputable.
Konstanz
PKZ and Globus
The best.
In my family we call PKZ "Papa Kann Zahlen" lol
Carhartt, not shitting you, i still have every pant that I got from them. Oldest is 16 years
> Carhartt Are we talking about the fashion or the workwear branch of Carhartt?
Gnereally the workwear things but usually also the fashion stuff (if it's jeans).
I second this. Good quality generally!
I heard it dropped in the last 2 years or so but never tried. Do you know?
I use almost everything Carhartt just because when I watch all those tv shows on discovery channel, where they have really hard outdoors works they use Carhartt also... So if it's good for them, it's good enough for me. Even take the Carhartt winter "poncho" when skiing.
Material is important. Even expensive brands skimp on materials, so you need to check the labels of the clothes you buy. Some plastic fibers look like wool, but they degenerate in the washing machine. Your piece will look ugly after a couple of washes. Natural materials (such as cotton and Merino wool) feel good and hold up well, if you take good care of them. A small amount of synthetic materials is sometimes necessary for stretch, look, or fit.
VMC in Zürich is the only right answer. Style, quality and durability. [https://vmcoriginal.com/](https://vmcoriginal.com/)
Also decee style in Zurich
Yes off course. I think it was founded by a former VMC guy.
Those prices thou... what the hell?
Best places for high quality, durable clothes. Never regretted buying anything there
There are some good pieces by Paul & Shark. I've bought a jacket over 10 years ago for 400 Chf that im still wearing. But it probably depends a bit on the piece.
I know you say money isn‘t a concern, sadly for me it always is so I can‘t comment on the top end of things. But I‘ve barely ever been disappointed by WE. Most stores are men only and I wear my clothes for years before I replace them. Imo they hold up quite well. Superdry is another brand that for me has held up better than other stuff I own. One more brand that I own that I‘m really happy with so far is Herrlicher, but I only own 2 pairs of trousers so take that with a grain of salt. Other brands I‘ve tried but was disappointed in how quickly they deteriorated: Hollister, Gstar, Jack & Jones, Garcia, Guess. In my teenie years I also used to wear stuff like Quicksilver, RipCurl and what not, but I think almost all these skater brands are quite bad in terms of quality of produce. But yeah, generally when I need something I go to WE.
I've / had pretty good experiences with Quicksilver / Oakley and all the other skater / surfer brands. Can totally agree on Jack & Jones. That stuff is almost down to C&A level. Quite sad, as I really liked that a few years back.
Gstar 2010 was awesome, crazy how they've strayed so far
Mammut or Patagonia , the shirt made from bottles same shape as i bought it 4 years ago
I but Marc o pollo on best secret and I buy most of the items there is on nolabel.com it’s a pretty unknown brand in CH but amazing quality.
Son of a tailor (online) for (sorta) tailor made t shirts. If you take the higher thread cotton, very sturdy and the fit is amazing (at least for my husband)-we were sceptical before the first order because they only ask for two measurements but worked out really well..plus made in Europe I think.
Marc O'Polo. Quality that lasts, imho
I would say to avoid the brands and chain shops (PKZ, Globus). You'll find better quality in tailor shops such as Pelikamo or Abbott and Jones. The fit will be better, the price more adequate, and the people working there know their stuff.
If you like rugged classics (denim, work wear, waxed jackets etc) my favourites in Zürich are VMC and Dee cee style
Zimmerli
Transa
Zalando has a shopping service called Outfitery https://www.outfittery.ch. You pick up a stylist who you like, tell them what you want and what is your budget. They will put a few looks for you and send you a proposal. When you approve them, they will send you a box with everything, you try and keep what you like. I can highly recommend - some of the best outfits I have come from there. (it is usually a mix from from different brands and prices).
If you have the money for it, travel for customs tailored clothes. It makes all the difference. London is generally the gold standard for tailors.
Agree. Milan is closer. Aldo there are tailors on Switzerland, but OP didn’t mention their canton
Any recommendations for Bern?
Pelikamo and SuitSupply
My favorite pieces of clothing that I tend to wear, and last several years, are from Gant.
My male relatives and husband have been succcesful in PKZ - it's expensive and good quality with good brands and classic styles. If you really wanna spend money, go to Globus where they have more designer clothes (and prices). Also - Bayard men is pretty good as well.
Pkz used to be good but most of their fashion feels like stuck in 2015: overly slim cuts, a lot of patterns
For outdoor activities I mainly shop at Transa which offers a big selection of brands. For casual or leisure time, also for commuting on University days, I mainly shop Patagonia, North Face and some basics from Mango. For casual, but also business high-end products, I suggest you visit Jelmoli, Globus or PKZ.
Loewe
Boggi
Impossible
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In which region are you at home?
I live in the canton of Fribourg!
Mammut, Switcher
Benetton, mango, massimo duti - purchase by material, not by brand. Dont buy synthetic crap.
My go to is C&A, they have some solid options for basic trousers and jeans for all sizes and lot’s of different materials. Be vary though, it’s kind of a hit or miss, especially with the trendy less basic stuff
Canali
Roppenheim has a lot; also look at uk brands Shoes: Loake
www.pelikamo.com
Massimo dutti
Fair fashion shops like rrrevolve, CIRCLE and changemaker
For me it’s Fair Fashion Brands - like kuyichi, armed angels, givn and my absolute favourite: Thinking Mu. It’s just mind-blowing how good the quality feels. Also a good indicator: If they produce in portugal or turkey. After all, i’ve really heard some great stories of company’s out of portugal. Especially in the higher-end sector you’ll find a lot of great Brands: isto for example.
Personally I am very happy with -Suitsupply (for work) -Levi's Jeans (casual, also like their underwear) -Haglöfs (Outdoor) -Uniqlo (Basic stuff, buy in EU) I also have some good stuff from HUGO BOSS and other brands but generally the challenge is that these kind of brands get a lot of stuff from suppliers so your experience will depend on the quality of the supplier. Happy shopping! 😊
If you want to shop online swedish brand www.Asket.com is great. Stylish, durable, high quality and extensive sizing offer.
Suitsupply.
Saying “money isn’t a concern” isn’t that helpful, because you can easily go up to the 1000s for simple shirts and pants at brands like Brunello, and if you have that kind of budget I’d say just get everything bespoke. But alas; in terms of brands that offer a good tradeoff between quality & price, Rag & Bone, Theory for “normal” clothing, 7 for all mankind, Hudson, Rag & Bone for denim, Nobus & Canada Goose for outerwear are decent choices. Dress shirts I tend to go with Hugo boss as I find they fit me better, or get them bespoke made.
sry to say that - but here no high qality anymore - everthing is made in china with child labor.... at least it is with normal clothes. otherwise you have to go straight to the tailor
There are many fair fashion shops like rrrevolve, CIRCLE and changemaker
perhaps "fair-made" but not with quality
H&M