3 Independent & Minimalist Fashion Brands You Need to Know About

Ah, minimalism — one of the most popular styles that is both versatile and timeless. Minimalist pieces are the best go-to for any occasion. They can be mixed and matched in different outfits. 

The downside is a lot of basic pieces used in minimalist styles contribute to the significant amount of waste the fashion industry produces yearly. The simple nature of basic pieces also makes them easy to find in fast fashion brands, which aren’t really made to last. The 'higher quality' products, as seen on runways, are also constantly being discarded by high fashion brands to keep their exclusive appeal. Not to mention, they're also way more expensive to purchase. As a minimalist university student who loves aesthetic things, I’d rather support brands whose values in production I align with.

That said, these are three of my favourite independent and minimalist brands. They emulate the style and feel (without the price) of high fashion brands. Their focus on creating limited, high quality, and unique pieces that are made to last makes them worth investing in.

1. Amomento

Based in Seoul, South Korea, Amomento was founded in 2016 with the ambition of creating classic and timeless designs that reinterpret silhouettes. The founder, MK Lee, wanted to create a brand that reflected fleeting moments, as they are the most memorable in a person’s life. MK Lee hopes for people to make good memories and express themselves in the brand’s clothing, which is made with textiles and details that are developed in-house. 

Amomento doesn’t follow trends. Instead, they create their own. What started as an unsustainable business move became what the brand is known for; and the brand’s aesthetic cannot be found anywhere else. In an interview with Natalia from Advance Copy, the founder mentions the brand’s sustainable efforts to improve the environment. This includes making aesthetically beautiful garments with materials that are environmentally conscious.

2. Le 17 Septembre

Le 17 Septembre, also known as Le917, is another brand that’s based in Seoul, South Korea. The brand was launched in 2013 and contains curated collections of timeless and effortless pieces. Their works are carefully designed and crafted in Korea. The founder is Eunhye Shin, a designer who prides herself in using natural materials and colours to construct the pieces. In Growing Independent Fashion Brands, Eunhye tells Natalia she believes that natural materials are more comfortable on the skin, and the way light shines on nature varies — it’s also a colour that can’t be artificially replicated. 

Eunhye Shin also places emphasis on creating well-designed and high quality pieces at reasonable prices, so more people will be able to access Le917’s clothes. By creating purposeful garments, less waste is produced, as well.

3. RUS

RUS is a Spanish knitwear brand that was created by two sisters who wanted to create high quality and long-lasting clothes. They aim to create pieces that can be layered and reworn in different seasons. Their brand is inspired by nature and its colours, shapes, artistry, and beauty. 

RUS’ sustainability efforts include using local family-owned factories to reduce their carbon footprint and support small businesses. They also carefully select their yarns from Italian spinners. The brand uses only high quality yarns made from responsibly sourced fibres like alpacas, merino wools, cashmere, and cottons. The knitting methods RUS use also allow them to create whole garments by sewing together well-fitted knit panels, without wasting any yarn. This is comparatively way better than the cutting and sewing method, which can lead to a lot of scrap waste. 

Unlike fast fashion brands, these independent brands’ products are made to last and are unique despite their minimalistic styles. Unlike high fashion brands, independent brands are considerably more accessible and reasonable with their costs, based on their process of creating high quality garments. Because they are smaller scale, these brands can easily control different parts of their production cycle and make sure their impact on the environment is contained.

So with that, I hope you choose (these) independent brands, if you can.

- Rebecca