Band of Outsiders

Its appeal was always more about taste than logos. Founded by Scott Sternberg, the label built a devoted following for its tailored, witty, California-inflected take on menswear and its inventive image-making — but it was also genuinely committed to quality construction. That commitment was a double-edged sword: the high prices that fine construction demanded ultimately drove the company to bankruptcy, because shoppers weren't always willing to pay them for styles that looked similar to cheaper alternatives elsewhere.

It started as a line of men's shirts and ties, and that sharp, considered take on classic menswear became its calling card. The brand was also famous for its imagery — particularly Polaroid ad campaigns featuring celebrities — and for a commitment to quality construction. Originally its button-downs were made in Los Angeles and its suits were tailored in Brooklyn at Martin Greenfield Clothiers, which underlined the make-it-properly ethos.

It's a film reference. The brand was named after the French New Wave film Bande à part by Jean-Luc Godard, fitting for a label built around its founder's film-school sensibility. The whole project was pitched at a niche where fashion design, cinema and a kind of "Wes Andersonian charm" intersect — so the cinephile name is very much on-brand.

It was founded by Scott Sternberg in Los Angeles in January 2004. The brand was shaped by his background in film, which gave it that movie-literate, character-driven identity from the start. It began with men's shirts and ties before growing into a fuller offering, and its LA origins set it apart from the New York fashion establishment.

In 2009 Band of Outsiders introduced a line of polo shirts under the cheeky sub-brand "This is not a Polo Shirt." — a play on René Magritte's painting Ceci n'est pas une pipe. It developed into a full line of casual men's clothing that took inspiration from heritage sports. The wink to Magritte captures the brand's habit of folding art and wit into everyday garments.

Its provenance shifted over time. In the original era, button-downs were made in Los Angeles and suits were tailored in Brooklyn at Martin Greenfield Clothiers. After the company went bankrupt in 2015 and was revived by its creditor, the Belgian holding company CLCC SA, the menswear brand has been based in London since 2016.

It did go bankrupt, in 2015. Notably, the very thing fans loved — its commitment to quality construction — fed the high retail prices that strained the business, since customers often weren't willing to pay them for clothing stylistically similar to cheaper options elsewhere. Its creditor, the Belgian holding company CLCC SA, then revived the label after being unable to sell off the intellectual property.

The brand became known for ad campaigns built around Polaroid photographs of celebrities — names like Frank Ocean, Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams, Jason Schwartzman, Marisa Tomei and Donald Glover, among many others. They were shot at distinctive Los Angeles locations such as LACMA, Chateau Marmont and Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Those intimate, offbeat portraits became as recognisable as the clothes themselves.

Yes, and they show its playful range. The brand released knitwear under the heritage label Glenmac in 2007, collaborated with American boat-shoe maker Sperry Top-Sider in 2008 using materials from grosgrain to shearling, and in 2009 worked with Spanish shoe designer Manolo Blahnik on women's shoes for his runway shows. These partnerships reflect the label's mix of heritage references and high-fashion flourishes.

Inventive, performance-like presentations were a signature. It staged a Spring 2012 collection at Pitti Uomo set to West Side Story's "America," then held "The Longest Show Ever" in 2012 — a 60-hour live-streamed Paris presentation with a model living in a built compartment and changing looks every 90 minutes. In 2013 it ran an interactive scavenger hunt across New York City. The shows turned runway moments into genuine spectacles.