Starting a brand this day in age is a tough task, but starting a successful menswear brand is almost an impossible task when you consider the multitude of longstanding labels of indisputable heritage. Entities such as Gucci, Lanvin and more have dominated the market to the point where they have become synonymous to what consumers think of when “menswear” is mentioned. We see new brands try to make a statement and compete in the oversaturated industry every day but few make it and even fewer can keep up with the well-established powerhouses that arguably pave the way of trends that filter down to the high streets. Therefore, when OAMC launched in 2013, they approached fashion differently, breaking down the uncomfortable, as well as the pretentious feeling many consumers have with luxury menswear. In just three short years, OAMC has been the brand to watch as it steadily solidifies its place alongside brands such as Dries Van Noten and Thom Browne. Most recently, it was even nominated for the prestigious 2016 ANDAM Grand Prix award, which says a lot when you consider the pedigree of the other nominations. We caught up with Luke Meier (who created the brand with Arnaud Faeh) and delved into how a brand can break into the gated menswear community. “I believe that OAMC presents something different, however, and I would go so far as to say that we’re able to do more things in an authentic way than some of the traditional menswear brands, and I’m proud of that,” says Meier.

“Our team is still learning and growing, but I believe we have been able to present the first stage of what I have intended since the inception: authenticity in style and make across many different types of products, from graphic T-shirts to tailoring.”

“I was looking for something that I could relate to that was made at a luxury level. I have always appreciated luxury brands and their level of craftsmanship, but they were always presented in a way that felt foreign to me. In other words, I didn’t feel like their customer. OAMC was my chance to create high-level products that present ideas and references that are more in line with my interests and perspective,” says Meier. It’s undeniable that the retail environment for men has drastically changed over the past few years with the rise of e-commerce and access to information, which wasn’t widely available a decade ago. Even age-old establishments such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci are transitioning into a more youthful aesthetic to appeal to a different audience, yet none have quite managed to remove that stuck-up feeling of unease for their new demographics. Whereas OAMC’s approach to menswear has been predominantly focused on letting the product speak for itself, Meier and Faeh have removed those pretentious barriers that are almost considered a stigma with the luxury labels, and found a balance to satisfy what they were always looking for. In essence, the pair have made things more relevant to them, which inherently plays a large part in their output. Adding to what he talked about with creating something that he could understand himself, Meier describes the journey since OAMC’s inception and weighs up if he thinks he’s successfully produced this, “Our team is still learning and growing, but I believe we have been able to present the first stage of what I have intended since the inception: authenticity in style and make across many different types of products, from graphic T-shirts to tailoring.”