The Most Sought-After Streetwear Hoodie Brands For 2024
These are the labels producing the best and most-hyped hooded sweatshirts for men right now. Instant brand cachet guaranteed.
Hoodies are synonymous with streetwear. While they may have originated in the world of sportswear, as an evolution of the humble sweatshirt back in the 1930s, the hoodie’s status within the menswear canon has since been firmly cemented by numerous subcultures and the world of hip-hop.
Everyone from skaters in the 80s, to east coast rappers in the 90s, to street artists in the 00s has made the hoodie their own, adopting it for its inherent comfort, practicality and use as a canvas for customisation and logos. More recently and perhaps more interestingly is the luxury world’s appropriation of the hoodie, with every brand under the sun producing their own takes. These upscale versions are typically crafted using premium fabrics and made all the more exclusive through limited production runs and high price points.
The world’s best streetwear brands continue to own the style though, so if you’re looking to invest in your own, this is where to begin.
What makes a great streetwear hoodie
How it fits
Axel Arigato
Fit, of course, is crucial to a good hoodie. For the majority of pieces in your wardrobe, we’d usually advocate a slim, tailored fit. However, for a classic hoodie you intend to wear casually – whether as part of a streetwear-inspired look or not – you’ll want something in a relaxed cut.
The hoodie was designed to be a loose-fitting garment. Originally, it was used to protect workers, sportsmen and military personnel during cold winters and when exercising, so it was cut slightly boxy to accommodate layers underneath. This focus on function had the added benefit of making it supremely comfortable.
While some subcultures have ran with the baggy look over the decades, today you’ll want to aim for one that’s slouchy but not oversized. This means a hoodie with plenty of room in the chest and waist but which doesn’t consume your entire body. Ensure you can wear it comfortably with a T-shirt underneath, and pay particular attention to arm length. If the sleeves extend over your hands, it’s probably too big. You don’t want it to look like you raided your dad’s gym bag.
The fabric used
Aime Leon Dore
The hoodie has been elevated in recent years, with examples now coming in all manner of luxurious materials, from merino wool to cashmere. But for a legit streetwear hoodie you’ll should stick to classic cotton jersey/loopback cotton.
Incredibly soft, pliable and durable, cotton jersey was originally produced with tiny little loops on the reverse of the fabric. These were intended to draw sweat away from the body, keeping the wearer cool and comfortable while exercising. Although this isn’t strictly necessary today, many streetwear hoodies still come in this classic ‘loopback’ fabric.
Not all cotton hoodies feature these loops, though. Lighter weight jersey is now increasingly prevalent, and can be identified by the smooth feel on the reverse of the fabric, so if want something that can be worn almost all year round then keep this in mind as this type of hoodie will be far more breathable.
Brand cachet
Palace
Logos are king when it comes to streetwear. Designers have been emblazoning hoodies with their branding for decades, ranging from understated stitched insignias at the chest to full-blown graffiti motifs that cover the entire back and arms.
How far you go is purely down to personal taste. Do you want to subtly show off your allegiance to your favourite brand, or make a statement with your top half? The former is sure to get more wear over time, but there’s no denying that logomania is a key trend and way for you to plant your flag when it comes to showing off your fashion chops.
The best streetwear hoodies for 2024
Axel Arigato
Founded in 2014, Axel Arigato is now one of hottest names in the sneaker game, becoming a firm favourite with hypebeasts and fashion editors alike thanks to its boundary-pushing design and constant innovating.
The brand has since rounded itself out to become a fully-fledged menswear label, launching a ready-to-wear menswear collection with all the usual streetwear fodder: graphic tees, puffer jackets, loose-fit pants and, of course, hoodies.
Crafted from thick organic cotton and cut slightly oversized with dropped shoulders, each design features Axel branding using a variety of subtle and all-over logo treatments. If they are as sought-after as the kicks, they’ll sell out quickly.
Stussy
With one of the most recognisable logos in the world, Stussy is among the more well-known streetwear brands on this list. An icon of the surfing and skate communities, the label started in the late 80s, when founder Shawn Stussy started selling screen-printed T-shirts alongside his handmade surfboards.
The brand’s signature graffiti style scrawl has since become an icon of design, featuring on numerous tees, jackets and hoodies over the years. If you want a classic, logo’ed hoodie that doesn’t bow to hype, this is it.
Supreme
Supreme has one of the most copied logos in the industry. You could say the company signed its own copyright death certificate by slapping its distinctive (yet easily duplicated) Futura font, red-and-white box logo across everything from pens to bricks and bedding. This has naturally spawned a whole host of imitators and plagiarisers across the world, looking to cash in on the $1 billion business that is Supreme.
It had fairly humble beginnings in 90s New York, before rapidly expanding and eventually breaking the fashion mould by teaming up with luxury houses like Louis Vuitton. One of those collaborative designs will fetch thousands on auction sites today, but you can still get hold of a regular Supreme hoodie if you’re prepared to queue outside one its stores on drop day, or manically refresh the brand’s website.
A Bathing Ape (BAPE)
Like many Japanese streetwear brands, A Bathing Ape effectively made its name thanks to its distinct logo and branding. That instantly recognisable ape logo, as well as the label’s signature ‘cloud camo’ print, has been plastered across its products for years, to the point where you could easily pick a BAPE item out of a line-up.
It’s well-known for its shark and tiger hoodies, which feature graphic teeth prints across their hoods as well as, typically, colourful camouflage prints throughout. A Bathing Ape isn’t known for its subtle designs, so if you want to make a statement, look no further.
Palace
Established just in 2009, Palace is a relative newcomer when compared to some of the more long-standing brands on this list. But the impact it’s made has been no less significant. The London label now has four outposts around the world as well as a rabid fanbase that stretches across all four continents. This is thanks to its eccentric approach marketing and unique designs, which often feature its signature ‘tri-ferg logo’.
Palace has entertained plenty of collaborations over the years including a long-running partnership with Adidas and Jonah Hill, who has appeared in a few of its ads.
Awake NY
Started by ex-Supreme brand director Angelo Baque, Awake NY serves up some of the more interesting designs on the market, with its unique fusion of classic menswear and streetwear sensibility.
Its logo hoodies come in many forms, most of which feature sensible relaxed fits, so expect everything from full-frontal, cross-body branding to subtle logo embroidery at the chest.
Noah
One of a number of New York-based brands currently dominating menswear, Noah was founded by another ex-Supreme maestro, Brendon Babenzien. Through clever marketing, a sustainable approach to manufacturing and highly wearable Preppy pieces, Noah has carved itself out as one of the most sought-after labels on this list.
Its hoodies are among the finest garments the brand produces. A regular run of classic cotton jersey styles feature in every collection, while more seasonal designs make use of interesting fabrics as well as restrained logos.
Carhartt
Many wouldn’t consider Carhartt a streetwear brand. But the impact the Detroit company has had on menswear culture is incalculable. It may have started as a humble workwear label, but this changed in the 90s when the hip-hop community adopted Carhartt as their unofficial clothing brand. Some of the most iconic rappers of all time – including Tupac, Snoop Dogg and NWA – were seen wearing Carhartt work jackets, and its status on the streets was cemented forever.
Fast-forward to today and its hoodies are among the easiest to wear and best made on this list. If you’re looking to add a couple of workhorse pieces to your daily rotation, this is where to start.
Off-White
In a relatively short space of time, Off-White (and its late founder Virgil Abloh) turned the fashion world on its head. Through a string of iconic sneaker collaborations and its unique branding and design language, Off-White has become one of the hottest designer labels in the world.
Its hoodies aren’t exactly subtle, but you don’t buy into the brand for that. Instead, you embrace its huge arrow logos, bold scripts and interesting prints and wear them with pride. There aren’t many labels with this much cultural cachet right now.
The Hundreds
Fronted by Bobby Hundreds, The Hundreds began as a sort of community hub in California for those that loved skating and music. It remains so to this day, even recently venturing into the world of the metaverse and NFTs.
While that’s a bit above our heads, what we do know is that the US brand regularly produces some of the most wearable streetwear hoodies around. Whether featuring its signature script or ‘Adam Bomb’ logo, a Hundreds hoodie always becomes the focal point of a look.
Polar Skate Co
Polar Skate Co takes a more understated approach to design than many of its skate brand contemporaries. You’ll often find its menswear staples are subtly tweaked with a more relaxed fit, and may or may not feature its minimal geometric-style logo.
Look for hoodies in the brand’s deep purple, maroon or bottle green shades, which will look as good now as they will in five years time.
Patta
While most of the brands on this list are from the US, Patta was proudly founded in Amsterdam, where it continues to be based to this day.
If you’re looking then for a slice of European flair, then, this is the label to visit. Its hoodies are minimally styled in easy-to-wear colours, with slightly boxy cuts, which makes them ideal for integrating into similarly pared-back looks.
Jordan
Few brands have had as profound an impact on streetwear as Jordan. Michael himself wore the first pair of Air Jordans back in 1985, forever changing the sneaker landscape and kickstarting the multimillion-dollar player endorsement industry.
Today, the brand is worth over $3 billion, continuing to make a killing off its trainer line and clothing collections.
Aime Leon Dore
Aime Leon Dore’s collections regularly combine wildly different sources of inspiration to create a unique aesthetic. You’ll see preppy style influences mixed with classic tailoring combined with old-school 90s streetwear, giving ALD a flavour all its own.
Its hoodies are made to an extremely high standard, with emphasis placed on quality of construction, fabric and fit. Expect a wearable soft colour palette and well-placed branding that will only look better with time. It’s regular collab with New Balance is well worth checking out.
