Markus Lupfer

If you love a knit that does the talking for you, they reward the spend. The sequined lip-motif appliqués are Lupfer's calling card, and Vogue's Sarah Mower has praised how he strikes a balance between easy and dressed-up, witty and smart — pieces meant to make everyone from teenagers to grown-ups feel good in them. You're paying for that cult appeal as much as the wool.

Start with the sequined lip-motif sweater — it is the design that made the label and the easiest entry point into his world of statement knitwear. From there the wider knit collection, with its embroidered sequin motifs, builds out the same playful-but-wearable language.

Because Lupfer treats a sweater as a canvas rather than a layer. He is specifically known for his statement knitwear designs and sequined lip-motif appliqués, turning sequin embroidery into a recognisable signature instead of plain merino. That deliberate wit is what separates his knits from everyday basics.

It can be a smart way in, since the sequined sweaters hold a recognisable look that wears well over seasons. Inspect the sequin embroidery and motif edges closely in photos, and buy from sellers who show clear detail shots — the appliqué work is the whole point, so condition there matters most.

The brand is stocked by many high-end retailers worldwide, including Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Net-A-Porter, Le Bon Marché in Paris, Isetan and Shopbop. Lupfer also launched its own e-commerce store in 2014, so you can shop the collection directly online.

Markus Lupfer is a German fashion designer who founded his eponymous company, which is based in London. Born in Kisslegg in southern Germany, he moved to the UK to study fashion at London's University of Westminster, the same school that produced Vivienne Westwood and Christopher Bailey.

He graduated from Westminster in 1997 with first-class honours — and his final-year collection was bought by London boutique Koh Samui and sold out within two weeks. He made his prêt-à-porter debut at London Fashion Week in 1999, which marks the real start of the brand on the runway.

He won the British Fashion Council's New Generation Award in 2001, shortly after leaving university. He later took Best Designer of the Year at Spain's Prix de la Mode in 2008, and was named International Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards in June 2010.

His designs have been worn by Rihanna, Madonna, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Cara Delevingne, Salma Hayek and Claudia Schiffer, among others. The Duchess of Cambridge also wore the brand during her 2017 Royal Tour to Germany — a good signal of how broadly the look travels.

Lean into its built-in personality and keep everything else quiet. Because the knit is already a statement, it pairs best with simple denim or tailored trousers, letting the sequined motif carry the outfit — exactly the easy yet dressed-up balance the brand is admired for.