Marques'Almeida

If you love the deconstructed, frayed-edge look, the brand essentially defined it, so you are buying the original rather than an imitation. The duo's denim is cut with real technical sensibility beneath the raw aesthetic, which is why pieces tend to be treated as wardrobe keepers. Whether it is worth it comes down to how much you value owning the look from the label that helped start it.

The pricing reflects its position as an award-winning, high-end womenswear label rather than a casual denim brand. Marques'Almeida won the 2015 LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize, the largest cash prize for a new brand in fashion, and sells through luxury retailers like Net-a-Porter and SSENSE. That prestige, plus the considered construction behind the raw edges, sits behind the price.

The label was founded by Portuguese designers Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida, a duo who both studied at Central Saint Martins in London. They debuted the brand in London in 2011, and its name simply combines their two surnames. Their shared design language has defined the house ever since.

It is best known for its creative, deconstructed use of denim, and Style.com credited the label with helping launch the revival of distressed denim in the 2010s. The frayed-edge treatment became its signature look. Beyond that, though, the brand's real focus is high-end women's wear, so denim is only one part of the story.

Interestingly, no. Despite being renowned for their innovative denim garments, the duo did not actually include jeans in their collection until 2015, several years after debuting in 2011. Their early reputation was built on denim treatments and garments rather than classic five-pocket jeans.

In 2015, Marques'Almeida won the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize, described as the largest cash prize for a new brand in fashion. It was a major moment that elevated the label's standing in the industry and confirmed Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida as serious talents. The award remains one of the brand's defining achievements.

The brand is sold through its own e-commerce site as well as several major fashion retailers. According to its background, that includes giants such as SSENSE, Net-a-Porter and Matches Fashion. Shopping through these established stockists is the most reliable way to be sure of authenticity.

The label is the work of two Portuguese designers, but it is very much a London story, having debuted in the city in 2011. Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida both trained at London's Central Saint Martins before launching together. So the brand blends a Portuguese partnership with a London fashion-school pedigree.

It is easy to read it as a denim label given the famous frayed jeans, but its background makes clear the focus is actually high-end women's wear. The denim is the headline-grabbing signature, while the collections range much wider. Think of it as a womenswear house with denim as its calling card.

The raw, deconstructed pieces work best when the rest of the look stays simple, letting the frayed edges do the talking. A signature denim top or dress pairs cleanly with minimal knitwear or tailoring, balancing the brand's grit with a little polish. Lean into the effortless, slightly undone spirit the label is built on.