We are constantly on the lookout for the world's best new brands in order to expand our selection of menswear, sneakers, accessories and lifestyle products. So, to ensure you’re first to the know when it comes to the latest releases and the best independent labels, we’re launching a new monthly series where we take a moment to introduce you to our favourite new brands. Below, you’ll find three brands to look out for this month at OPUMO - alongside a few of the stand-out pieces from each collection.
From: Amsterdam
Bio: Established in 2012 by brother and sister Koen and Laura Warmerdam, 45 30 specialises in well-designed menswear. Inspired, by the craftsmanship and life lessons of their grandmother Cornelia who said ‘life is as it is, but you can make a difference in the details,’ 45 30 combine clean design and understated details to modernise a range of classic menswear silhouettes. What is more, for every product you buy, 4530 helps by giving a t-shirt to a person in need by working in cooperation with well-known giving partners across The Netherlands.
Favourite Pieces: All of 45 30’s designs are pared down to their most refined qualities to ensure that the brand makes the perfect pair of trousers, the most dependable sweaters and the t-shirts that are more comfortable than most. Which is why a few of our favourite products from the brand’s latest collection include the slightly textured Sand Milan Knit alongside the sophisticated rendition of the roll neck in the form of the Green Emil Turtle Neck.
From: Copenhagen
Bio: Berit Mogensen Lopez is a Danish textile and pattern designer who works in the intersection between art, design and fashion. Having graduated from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 2001, with a degree in fashion and textile design, Mogensen has since worked in the fashion industry – creating various clothes and prints – as well as a digital artist where she uses selected elements from her unique paper collages or from her expressive individual paintings. Berit’s special attention to colour characterises her work, and she claims that ‘colours and shapes may resonate in emotions like music’. ‘When I paint, I work out of restlessness, looking for the beauty in surfaces and colour clashes’.
Favourite Pieces: It’s the balance between the raw and unpolished that makes all of Mogensen’s pieces so special – as the tension between the controlled and uncontrolled ensures each composition is dramatic as well as contemporary. Although we do have trouble in pledging allegiance to a particular favourite, both Mogensen’s On Top Print and In Between Print perfectly represent her special attention to colour and shape and are the perfect building blocks when it comes to amassing a collection of contemporary prints.
From: Paris
Bio: Originating from the French capital, Pairs in Paris was founded by Caroline Robert and Antonin Waterkeyn in 2014 out of the belief that ‘design and quality can be paired to improve our lives.’ Inspired by the Parisian flair of ‘natural everyday beauty’, Pairs and in Paris make a range of unisex sneakers that share the best of traditional craftsmanship and urban design. With this natural philosophy driving the creative process behind the brand, Pairs in Paris represents an honest, innovative and unique name amongst the ever-expanding sneaker market.
Favourite Pieces: Every pair of Pairs in Paris sneakers is skillfully crafted using premium leather and natural materials from respected craftsmen in local tanneries, which will naturally appeal to a number of contemporary sneaker shoppers. But, what makes the brand stand-out is its varied selection of styles. From the classic low top leather Martel sneaker to the more progressive Valmy runner sneaker, there is quite simply something for everyone. Not to mention, the elegant Velcro Ambroise sneaker and the understated front-zipper of the Milton sneaker.
Be sure to check out our ultimate guide to men’s trainers.
