John Smedley
Underrated30-gauge merino knitwear
Premium Basics · United Kingdom
Quality
9.5/10
Price
$$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Premium Basics
Segment · 22 labels
Premium basics brands, ranked by quality
22 labels in our index, ranked by editorial quality score
Perfected staples — the best possible version of a plain thing. The 22 premium basics labels in this edition average 7.6/10 for quality with typically accessible prices. John Smedley, Merz B. Schwanen and Hanro set the tone.
Labels
22
Avg quality
7.6
Median price
$$
All labels in this group
Merz B. Schwanen
On the Value Frontier — no label offers more quality for less moneyUnderratedheritage loopwheeled basics
Premium Basics · Germany
Quality
9.5/10
Price
$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
Hanro
Underratedluxury underwear and loungewear
Premium Basics · Switzerland
Quality
9.5/10
Price
$$$
Design
6 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Lady White Co.
premium knit tees
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
9/10
Price
$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
Sunspel
luxury tees and underwear
Premium Basics · United Kingdom
Quality
9/10
Price
$$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
American Giant
On the Value Frontier — no label offers more quality for less moneyUnderratedheavyweight basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
8.5/10
Price
$$
Design
6 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
John Elliott
elevated LA basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
8/10
Price
$$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
CDLP
minimal underwear and loungewear
Premium Basics · Sweden
Quality
8/10
Price
$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Cuyana
women's refined basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
8/10
Price
$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
James Perse
luxury tees and casual basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
8/10
Price
$$$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
Les Tien
premium sweats
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
8/10
Price
$$$
Design
6 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
COS
minimal elevated basics
Premium Basics · Sweden
Quality
7.5/10
Price
$$
Design
8 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Arket
clean Scandinavian basics
Premium Basics · Sweden
Quality
7.5/10
Price
$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Asket
transparent pricing capsule basics
Premium Basics · Sweden
Quality
7.5/10
Price
$
Design
6.5 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Colorful Standard
color basics and sweats
Premium Basics · Denmark
Quality
7/10
Price
$
Design
6 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet · Casual
Kotn
cotton basics
Premium Basics · Canada
Quality
7/10
Price
$
Design
6 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Skims
solution-focused shapewear and loungewear
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
6/10
Price
$
Design
7.5 of 10
Reputation
7.5 of 10
Trendy · Casual
Uniqlo
functional basics and layers
Premium Basics · Japan
Quality
6/10
Price
$
Design
7 of 10
Reputation
8 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Muji
On the Value Frontier — no label offers more quality for less moneyquiet utilitarian basics
Premium Basics · Japan
Quality
6/10
Price
$
Design
7.5 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Calvin Klein
underwear and logo basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
6/10
Price
$
Design
6.5 of 10
Reputation
7 of 10
Quiet · Casual
Everlane
direct-to-consumer basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
6/10
Price
$
Design
5.5 of 10
Reputation
5.5 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Quince
value-oriented basics
Premium Basics · United States
Quality
6/10
Price
$
Design
4.5 of 10
Reputation
6 of 10
Timeless · Quiet
Other segments
Scores are editorial judgments — how we score.