Designer Denim Worth Buying

Start here. This is the core jeans line-up, from Acne Studios' straight-leg indigo to Amiri's distressed slim and the cleaner Sandro and Maje cuts that sit well under a blazer. Acne is the safe first buy if you want one pair that lasts, with a rigid denim that softens to your shape. Amiri reads more directional, so size for the leg you actually wear. Look for raw or mid-wash dark indigo around the £200 to £350 mark, which dresses up and down without fuss.

The deepest section, and the one to browse slowly. A denim jacket is a year-round layer, so the trucker shape from Acne Studios and Sandro is the one we would buy first. Amiri and Alexander McQueen push washed-out and patched finishes if you want a statement over a plain tee. Mulberry and Burberry bring a heavier, more structured British cut that holds its line. Buy true to size for a clean trucker, or one up if you plan to layer a knit underneath. Mid-blue is the workhorse.

Denim that does the dressing for you. Maje and Sandro carry the shirt-dress and pinafore shapes that work straight off the rail with boots or trainers. Miu Miu adds the playful, shorter cut if you want something with more attitude, and Mulberry leans into a longer, sturdier midi. A column denim skirt is the quiet hero here, easy with a fine knit. Check the rise on skirts and the back length on dresses before you commit, as denim has little give. Mid to dark washes flatter most.

The overflow rail, and worth a scroll for the less obvious pieces. Think waistcoats, wide-leg and barrel cuts, denim shirts and the odd co-ord from Acne Studios, Maje, Sandro and Alexander Wang. This is where you find the second piece once the staples are sorted, so buy on shape rather than label. A denim waistcoat or a relaxed wide-leg refreshes a wardrobe you already like. Stick to one wash family across two pieces if you want them to work as a set.