The best tailoring brands for women offer pieces that look just as good styled together as they do separately and are ready to work hard in your wardrobe all year round. Labels that are best known for their minimalist approach – think Jil Sander, The Row and Totême – have long paved the way for a perfectly pressed wardrobe, delivering clothes that require little time or effort in order to feel polished. The same can be said about team Vogue stalwarts Filippa K, Wardrobe.NYC and Frankie Shop, all of which specialise in timeless tailoring.
The main takeaway from years of searching for the perfect suit is thus: whether slim fit over oversized, tailoring needs to fit perfectly. A well-cut piece – regardless of whether it’s high-street or high-end – will elevate your wardrobe to no end. This is why alterations are worth considering, even for low ticket items.
How do you style a tailored wardrobe?
There are infinite ways to style a tailored wardrobe. Needless to say, blazers and tailored trousers – worn together or separately – are a sensible choice for any corporate environment. They are, however, just as impactful outside of office hours. Whether worn with a T-shirt and kitten heels or simple white trainers, anything tailored is a true workhorse.
Where do you buy the best tailored clothes?
When it comes to purchasing tailored pieces, the endless options can feel overwhelming. Our go-to names include Ferragamo, Prada, Bottega Veneta and Bettter, a label centred around upcycling, founded by fashion editor Julie Pelipas. On the high-street, meanwhile, Arket delivers strong two-piece options, while Cos is a failsafe for smart skirts.
Here, find British Vogue’s edit of the best brands for contemporary tailoring, no matter your budget.
Vogue’s top picks of the best tailoring for women:
- Best oversized blazer: Frankie Shop Oversized Gelso Blazer, £345
- Best tailored trousers: Filippa K Darcey Trousers, £300
- Best tailored skirt: Studio Nicholson Tyrell Skirt, £375
- Best high-street buy: Arket Wide Twill Trousers, £129
- Best tailored coat: The Row Polli Jacket In Virgin Wool And Cashmere, £2,370
Filippa K
Swedish fashion house Filippa K witnessed a facelift under the direction of its creative lead, Liisa Kessler, who joined from Saint Laurent in 2022. Nordic craftsmanship and sensibilities are slashed with a razor-sharp edge. The outcome? Comfort meets cool.
Toteme
Founded in 2014 by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, the Swedish brand Toteme has become eponymous with Scandi minimalism. From oversized trench coats to the perfect shirt, you’ll find it here.
Prada
To state the obvious: Prada is up there in the pantheon of greats when it comes to tailoring. Miuccia and Raf’s latest vision? Angular, double-breasted skirt-and-short-suits, as seen on their autumn/winter 2024 runway.
Bottega Veneta
From structured leather jackets to 100 per cent wool capes, Matthieu Blazy’s Bottega Veneta tailoring knows no limits. Every piece has unique flair, crowning it the destination for anyone after a suit with a difference.
The Frankie Shop
A stratospheric success story, Frankie Shop has become the fashion insider’s one-stop-shop for anything tailored. At the top of our wishlist? The brand’s oversized blazers.
Ferragamo
Creative director Maximilian Davis has made effortless tailoring a signature since his appointment at Ferragamo. Each season, the designer presents an array of cut-to-perfection outerwear, suiting and separates, in unique colour palettes and materials.
Joseph
Joseph is an easy sell for minimalist-lovers. Clean lines, superb materials and carefully-constructed details have propelled the brand to become a household name since it was founded in 1983.
Cos
In the market for something more directional? Cos specialises in fusing traditional fits with modern silhouettes. A case in point? The brooch-detail blazer, which is fresh from the brand’s the spring/summer 2024 collection.
Bettter
Fashion editor Julie Pelipas started Bettter with the intention to create suiting with a sustainable backstory. The collections are crafted from deconstructed vintage suits and deadstock materials, offering a range of fits and styles.
The Row
Founded by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, The Row has garnered a loyal fanbase since its founding in 2006. And rightfully so. The label sings of time-tested luxury, perfecting the cut of the most basic of wardrobe staples. If a pair of trousers that will stand the test of time is what you’re after, look no further.
The Row
Tor Pant In Virgin Wool
Tibi
Tibi’s take on traditional tailoring comes with contemporary edge. See its smart, wide-leg shell pants, complete with cargo pockets, and its cotton-twill chino Sid pants.
Arket
You can’t go wrong with Arket’s tailored separates. The wool-blend twill blazer and matching trousers are as versatile as they are stylish. Ditto this summery sand-hued set.
Wardrobe.NYC
The clue is in the name: Wardrobe.NYC’s brand identity is built around the idea of hardworking staples. Its tailoring – be it a long wool coat or simple throw-on blazer – speaks for itself.
Studio Nicholson
“For me, there’s no question – it’s always fabric first,” says Studio Nicholson founder Nick Wakeman, who founded the brand in 2010. “Tactility and structure inform the end result; I create shapes according to how a cloth behaves, because after all, everything we wear is an engineered product – the raw materials must fit the end purpose.”
Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent’s trademark silhouettes – namely, its big-shouldered blazers, cigarette pants and skirt suits – aren’t to be missed. Expect true investment pieces, ready to be handed down generations.
Jil Sander
As Vogue once said (in reference to a grey suit), Jil Sander’s “greatest achievement” was “rekindling the relationship between professionalism and chic.” Taking the mantle from the namesake founder, current creative directors Lucie and Luke Meier have honed a similarly refined approach to tailoring during their tenure, too. The proof is in the pieces.
Stella McCartney
As a keen suit-wearer, Stella McCartney knows first-hand the dos and don’ts of a great suit – the top priorities being eco-credentials and everlasting appeal.
Theory
Function is at the heart of Theory’s DNA. Every piece is crafted with movement and practicality in mind, resulting in easy, hardworking tailoring that’ll take you from desk to dinner table.
Weekend Max Mara
Weekend Max Mara, an offshoot of the eponymous mainline brand launched in 1983, stocks an array of suiting, realised in various fabrications, blends, finishes and cuts.
