The 30 Best Urban Clothing Brands

Ellie Nelson
Updated October 4, 2024 47.6K views 30 items

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Vote up the best urban clothing brands that let your style shine through the hustle and bustle.

Latest additions: Off-White, Carhartt, Puma SE
Most divisive: New Era
Over 1.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 30 Best Urban Clothing Brands

Urban clothing brands are at the forefront of fashion, constantly evolving to capture the vibrant essence of city life. The best urban apparel brands go beyond simple aesthetics, blending effortless style with practicality, catering to those who navigate the bustling streets with confidence. These brands offer a wide range of options, from the sleek and sporty to the bold and statement-making, making them a staple in the wardrobes of trendsetters worldwide.

With iconic names like Nike, Supreme, and Adidas leading the charge, these urban streetwear brands make sure that fashion enthusiasts have access to the latest trends and timeless pieces. Yet, the scene is rich with variety, featuring brands like Stüssy and A Bathing Ape that continuously push the boundaries of style and creativity. Make sure to vote up your favorite urban clothing brands that define the pulse of modern fashion and let your voice be heard in shaping what every stylish urbanite should have in their closet.

  • Nike, Inc.
    1
    287 votes
    Nike, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing and worldwide marketing and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan area. It is one of the world's largest suppliers of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of US$24.1 billion in its fiscal year 2012. As of 2012, it employed more than 44,000 people worldwide. In 2014 the brand alone was valued at $19 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses. The company was founded on January 25, 1964, as Blue Ribbon Sports, by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. The company takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Nike markets its products under its own brand, as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Blazers, Air Force 1, Nike Dunk, Air Max, Foamposite, Nike Skateboarding, and subsidiaries including Brand Jordan, Hurley International and Converse.
  • Adidas
    2
    269 votes
    Adidas AG is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures sports shoes, clothing and accessories. The company is based in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the holding company for the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company, Rockport, and 9.1% of FC Bayern Munich. Besides sports footwear, Adidas also produces other products such as bags, shirts, watches, eyewear and other sports and clothing-related goods. Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second biggest in the world, after Nike. Adidas was founded in 1949 by Adolf Dassler, following a family feud at the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik company between him and his older brother Rudolf. Rudolf had earlier established Puma, which quickly became the business rival of Adidas. Both the Adidas and Puma companies still remain based in Herzogenaurach, Germany to this day. The company's clothing and shoe designs typically feature three parallel bars, and the same motif is incorporated into Adidas's current official logo. The company revenue for 2012 was listed at €14.88 billion.
  • Supreme
    3
    299 votes
    Supreme is a skateboarding shop and clothing brand established in New York City in April 1994. The brand caters to the skateboarding, hip hop and rock cultures, as well as to the youth culture in general. The brand produces clothes and accessories and also manufactures skateboards. Its shoes, clothing, and accessories are sold extensively in the secondary market. The distinctive red box logo with "Supreme" in white Futura Heavy Oblique is largely based on Barbara Kruger's propaganda art.
  • A Bathing Ape
    4
    239 votes
    A Bathing Ape is a Japanese clothing brand founded by Nigo in 1993. The brand specializes in men's, women's and children's lifestyle and street wear, running 19 stores in Japan, including Bape Stores, Bape Pirate Stores, Bape Kids Stores, Bapexclusive Aoyama, and Bapexclusive Kyoto. The Kyoto store also includes Bape Gallery, a space used for various events and art shows sponsored by Bape. There are also stores located in Hong Kong, New York, Taipei, bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul and Singapore. The company previously operated Bape Cuts hair salon, Bape Café, and Foot Soldier. Nigo also founded the women's clothing lines "APEE", and "BAPY", the female "couture" clothing line.
  • Stussy
    5
    169 votes
    Stüssy is a clothing brand and private company started in the early 1980s by Shawn Stussy. The company is one of many that benefited from the surfwear trend originating in Orange County, California, but it has largely been adopted by the streetwear and hip-hop scenes.
  • Levi's
    6
    391 votes
    Levi Strauss & Co. is a privately held American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business. The company's corporate headquarters is located at Levi's Plaza in San Francisco.
  • Timberland LLC is an American manufacturer and retailer of outdoors wear with a focus on footwear. Timberland footwear is marketed towards people intending outdoor and casual use. The company also sells apparel such as clothes, watches, glasses and leather goods. In 2007, Timberland was named the 78th best employer in the US on the CNN Money "One hundred best companies to work for" list. Timberland says that it is a proponent of corporate social responsibility. They offer deals on their products that are only available to customers and employees. Timberland’s corporate headquarters are located in Stratham, New Hampshire. Timberland also operates from offices in other parts of the world. Horween Leather Company supplies leather shells for footwear to the Timberland Company.
  • Urban Outfitters, Inc. is an American multinational clothing corporation headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It operates in the United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Its inventory primarily consists of clothing, footwear, and housewares, which largely draw from bohemian, hipster, ironically humorous, kitschy, retro, and vintage styles. The company has additionally collaborated with designers and luxury brands on several occasions. Urban Outfitters manages five separate brands, including its namesake, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN; together, the brands operate over 400 retail locations worldwide.
  • Converse
    9
    130 votes
    Converse is an American shoe company with a production output that primarily consists of sports wear, and lifestyle brand footwear. Converse manufactures its products under the One Star, Chuck Taylor All Star, and Jack Purcell names. Converse shoes are unique and distinguished by its Star Insignia. The company sells its footwear and other items globally through retailers in over 160 countries and through approximately 75 company-owned retail stores nationwide. The company has been in existence since the early 20th century, and in 2003, it was purchased for $305 million as a subsidiary of Nike, Inc..
  • New Era
    10
    99 votes

    New Era Cap Company, founded in 1920 and headquartered in Buffalo, New York, is renowned for manufacturing high-quality headwear. It is particularly noted for its licensed and branded baseball caps, which are popular among major league sports teams and fans. The company produces a wide range of caps, catering to various sports and lifestyle markets, and has become a significant player in the headwear industry on a global scale.

  • HUF
    11
    100 votes
    HUF is a streetwear and skateboarding clothing brand. Founded by Keith Hufnagel, the company established its first store in San Francisco.
  • Mitchell & Ness
    12

    Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co., established 1904 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a reputable sports apparel brand known for its authentic and vintage sports jerseys and accessories. Specializing in reproductions of historic sports team apparel, Mitchell & Ness caters to fans seeking nostalgic pieces across a variety of sports, including basketball, baseball, and football, and is widely recognized for its craftsmanship and attention to detail.

  • H and M
    13
    141 votes
    H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish multinational retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing for men, women, teenagers and children. H&M exists in 57 countries with over 3,500 stores and as of 2015 employed around 132,000 people. The first store was opened on the high street of Västerås, Sweden in 1947. It had 2,325 stores at the end of 2011, 2,629 stores at the end of August 2012 and opened its 3,000th store in September 2013 in Chengdu, China. It is ranked the second largest global clothing retailer, just behind Spain-based Inditex, and leads over the third largest global clothing retailer, United States based Gap Inc. The design team in the company’s Sweden office controls the steps of production, from merchandise planning to establishing specifications, and production is outsourced to approximately 800 factories in Europe and Asia. These facilities are used for horizontal division of labour, rather than being integrated.
  • The Hundreds
    14
    107 votes
    The Hundreds was originally founded in Los Angeles in 2003 by Bobby Kim and Ben Shenassafar as a men's apparel company and online magazine. Inspired by a California culture, the brand is considered a lifestyle project influenced by a variety of California's defining traits from punk to hip-hop, skateboarding to surf. Now sold worldwide, including at 4 of its own flagship stores across the States, The Hundreds has expanded beyond apparel, accessories and headgear to a print magazine, a footwear collection and eyewear line.
  • Diamond
    15
    107 votes

    Diamond Supply Co., founded in 1998 in Los Angeles, California, is a well-regarded apparel company known for its distinctive streetwear offerings. The brand provides a diverse range of clothing, accessories, and footwear. Diamond Supply Co. has established a strong presence in the streetwear market through collaborations and quality products, appealing to a broad audience seeking modern and stylish apparel.

  • Crooks & Castles is a streetwear clothing company. Founded by Dennis Calvero and Robert Panlilio in 2002, the company combines underground streetwear themes with high fashion looks, creating unique graphics and styles.
  • American Eagle Outfitters is an American clothing and accessories retailer, headquartered in the Southside Works Neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by brothers Jerry and Mark Silverman as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc., a company which also owned and operated Silverman's Menswear. The Silvermans sold their ownership interests in 1991 to Jacob Price of Knoxville, TN. American Eagle Outfitters is the parent company of Aerie and formerly of 77 kids. The brand targets 15- to 25-year-old males and females, with 911 American Eagle Outfitters stores and 158 Aerie stand-alone stores. In 1977, the first American Eagle Outfitters store opened in Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Michigan. Some of the brand's more popular products are low-rise jeans, polo shirts, graphic T-shirts, henley shirts, boxers and briefs, outerwear, and swimwear.
  • Hollister Co.
    18
    Hollister Co., often advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand owned by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18, at a lower price point than the parent brand through its SoCal -inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store. It was ranked as the second most preferred clothing brand of US teens on a long list of actual West Coast companies in 2008 by Piper Jaffray.
  • Pink Dolphin
    19
    74 votes

    Pink Dolphin, launched in 2008, is a dynamic American clothing brand specializing in vibrant and inventive streetwear. The company has carved a niche in offering youthful and colorful designs across a variety of apparel and accessories. Known for its exclusive and expressive collections, Pink Dolphin aims to deliver unique fashion statements to its audience, often releasing limited-edition pieces to maintain originality and appeal.

  • Abercrombie & Fitch is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for young consumers, and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. It has over 400 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally. The company operates two offshoot brands: Abercrombie Kids and Hollister Co., in addition to two brands, Ruehl No.925 and Gilly Hicks, that closed in early 2010 and 2014. Abercrombie & Fitch's main competitors are Aéropostale and American Eagle Outfitters, though they are less expensive. Its younger subsidiary, Abercrombie Kids, competes with Aéropostale's P.S., and American Eagle Outfitters's 77kids.
  • American Apparel is an American clothing manufacturer, distributor, and retailer based in Los Angeles, California, created by Dov Charney who was born in Montreal, Quebec. It is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer that also performs its own design, advertising, and marketing. It is best known for making basic, solid-color cotton knitwear such as T-shirts and underwear, but in recent years it has expanded—to include leggings, leotards, tank tops, vintage clothing, dresses, pants, denim, nail polish, bedding and accessories for men, women, children, babies, and dogs in various prints and colors.
  • Urbanworld
    22
    50 votes

    Urbanworld is a clothing brand that provides a range of urban fashion apparel and accessories. The company focuses on delivering stylish and contemporary designs that appeal to city dwellers and trendsetters. Urbanworld's offerings are characterized by a blend of modern aesthetics and practical functionality, catering to individuals who seek to express their personal style in urban environments.

  • Neighborhood
    23
    54 votes

    Neighborhood, founded in 1994 in Japan, is a prominent clothing brand recognized for its focus on lifestyle and modern apparel. The company provides a varied array of clothing and accessories, influenced by elements of motorcycle culture and military aesthetics. Neighborhood is well-regarded for its craftsmanship and high-quality materials, attracting a global clientele interested in sophisticated and robust fashion pieces that reflect an authentic urban lifestyle.

  • Hudson
    24
    56 votes
    The Hudson was an automobile built in Hudson, Michigan by the Bean-Chamberlain Manufacturing Company from 1901-02. It had no relationship to the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. The Hudson was a light steamer, with a vertical two-cylinder engine, single chain drive, and tiller steering.
  • Evisu
    25
    34 votes
    Evisu or Evisu Genes is a Japanese designer clothing company that specializes in producing denim wear through traditional, labor-intensive methods. The brand was founded in 1991 in Osaka, Japan, by Hidehiko Yamane. The initial production line allowed about 14 pairs of jeans a day to be produced, with each of them having a seagull hand painted on them by Yamane himself. Ebisu is the name of the Japanese folk god of money who is usually portrayed with a fishing rod. His name was selected for the new venture as money and fishing are two of Yamane's five favorite things. In the early 1990s Yamane introduced a tailoring line, followed by fishing and golf lines. In 1999, he introduced a ladies fashion line called Evisu Donna to complete the development of Evisu as a full-fashion range going far beyond a jeans brand. Evisu now has 65 shops in Japan. In March 2006, the company and Yamane were reported to Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office with another firm on suspicion of tax evasion. Yamane and the two firms stood accused of concealing more than 500 million yen of income as well as evading some 160 million yen in taxes over three years.
  • Born Fly
    26
    60 votes

    Born Fly Clothing, an American apparel brand, offers a broad selection of urban-inspired clothing, including tops, bottoms, and outerwear. The company is known for blending contemporary style with a casual flair, catering to those who embrace a fashionable yet laid-back aesthetic. Born Fly combines trendy designs with comfort, positioning itself as a notable name within the urban fashion landscape.

  • Freshjive
    27
    45 votes
    Freshjive is a Californian streetwear brand founded in 1989 by artist and entrepreneur Rick Klotz. The brand drew its roots from surf and skate culture and is famous for its artworks including controversial topics such as Palestine, animal studies, police brutality, domestic violence and Pentagon's black operations. In 2009, they removed the name of the brand from all their products. In Australia, more specifically, in Sydney, Freshjive is known for its trademark, T-Shirts and singlets which portray the 'freshjive' logo on the chest. Other designs are also quite common. These items vary to those found both online and in America.
  • Off-White
    28
    0 votes

    Off-White, established in 2013 by designer Virgil Abloh, is a contemporary fashion label based in Milan, Italy. The brand merges streetwear with high fashion to offer a distinctive range of apparel and accessories. Known for its innovative and often avant-garde design approach, Off-White frequently explores themes of contemporary culture and vision. It has swiftly gained prominence in the fashion industry, appealing to a diverse audience seeking cutting-edge and conceptual clothing.

  • Puma SE
    29
    0 votes
    Puma SE is a major German multinational company that produces athletic and casual footwear, as well as sportswear, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. The company was formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. The relationship between the two brothers deteriorated until the two agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Both companies are currently based in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Puma makes football shoes and has sponsored a number of footballers, including Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Lothar Matthäus, Kenny Dalglish, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Adam Lallana, Radamel Falcao, Sergio Agüero, Cesc Fàbregas, Olivier Giroud, Marco Reus, Marco Verratti, Gianluigi Buffon, Mario Balotelli and Diego Godin. Puma is the sponsor of the Jamaican track athlete Usain Bolt. In the United States, the company is known for the suede basketball shoe it introduced in 1968, which eventually bore the name of New York Knicks basketball star Walt "Clyde" Frazier, and for its endorsement partnership with Joe Namath.
  • Carhartt
    30
    0 votes
    Carhartt, Inc., is a U.S.-based clothing company founded in 1889 that focuses on work clothes. It is still a family-owned company, owned by the descendants of company founder Hamilton Carhartt, with its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.