Introducing Theory: the luxury New York brand changing the way men dress

The line between smart and casual dressing is becoming increasingly blurred, so there’s never been a greater need for brands that offer true versatility.

Enter Theory, the New York brand widely credited with being one of the first to establish the sportswear-as-workwear movement. Founded in 1997 by a former Calvin Klein executive and designer Elie Tahari, its ethos was to create simple unfussy, but classic designs based on fit, fabric and silhouette.

Focusing on basics with a high level of craftsmanship, the label sits at that sweet spot in the menswear venn diagram by combining casual wearability and accessibility with sharp style and slick tailoring. Functionality plays an important role in the construction of each piece of clothing, so expect silk cotton blends in the T-shirts, Swiss-engineered stretch twill in the trousers and cashmere mix for the ultimate comfort in the ironically labelled ‘joggers’ – a more appropiate name being sit-on-your-sofas.

Theory has become a must-have for those looking for comfort, structure and wearability rolled into one. Practical for work and the weekend, it’s the closest thing you’ll get to a uniform for the modern man.

Not sure where to start? Begin with comfort: you’ll likely want your trousers to have a bit of stretch (especially at this time of year) and you’ll want a fitted – but still structured – sweatshirt and T-shirt to pair with it. Top it off with a sharp suit jacket or overcoat that still allows room for movement but easily pulls the whole look together. Simple, fuss-free dressing has never been so easy.