THIS is a personal choice of indie and proud menswear, for young dapper Mancunians.
The list does not include the high street powerhouses that everybody knows and loves/hates – so don’t expect to find any Topshop, Primark, or H&M here. The list also excludes ultra-premium stores where a shirt costs more than the monthly rent.
If Thomas Street Post Office ever opens up again, it will rejoin its peers on the list.
The top three is the top three. The rest are in no particular order.
If you think something's been missed enter it into the rant box below.
You can follow David on Twitter here @DavidPMcCourt
Oi Polloi
Mon – Sat: 10am – 6pm (opens 10:30am on Wednesdays), Sun: Closed
The best menswear shop in the city – simple as that. Oi Polloi started life on Manchester’s menswear scene in the summer of 2002, and has since become the place for a splashy purchase. It’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for, and what you pay for here is quality that will still be in fashion in 12months time. For contemporary classics at the top end of the quality spectrum, you can’t do better in this city, or any other I’ve come across outside of London.
63 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1LQ Website
Oi-Polloi, Thomas Street
Bags of Flavor
Mon – Sat: 11am – 6pm, Sun: Closed
Bags of Flavor has been in Manchester since 2000, but it’s been moving around to keep you on your toes. Originally in Affleck’s Palace, and after stints on Church Street and Oldham Street, this hidden gem has been tucked away on Tib Street since the end of 2009. Bags are what they do best. They’re all made from recycled materials, vintage sports goods, fine tweed and leather. Aside from a genuine one of a kind bag, they do vintage bespoke clobber, and this remains one of the best places in the city to buy classic casuals. You’ll hardly ever see the same item twice, but go in on the right day and, with a bit of luck, you could find they’ve got the retro item of your dreams in stock.
33 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LX Website
Bags Of Flavor, Tib Street
Ran
Mon – Sat: 9am – 6pm, Sun: 10am – 4pm
Originally a shoe shop, Ran started to branch out and sell trendy outwear and cutting edge sports garments long before Oi Polloi and Selfridges got in on the act. Nowadays you can get a lot of what Ran stock at other places, but this is still the place to go looking if you want it first. Be sure to check out both sides of the store, as it’s split across two separate sites on either side of St Ann’s Arcade’s passage.
7&8 St Ann’s Arcade, Manchester, M2 7HQ Website
Ran, St Ann's Arcade
The best of the rest…
Aspecto
Mon – Wed: 10am – 6pm, Thurs: 10am – 7pm, Fri – Sat: 9am – 6pm, Sun: 11am – 5pm
Aspecto may not be as consistently brilliant across it’s range as Oi Palloi or Ran, but it’s easily worthy of it’s place as on the list for it’s collection of footwear and outwear. Aside from the Barbour store in St Ann’s Arcade, where you’ll seldom get any discount, this is probably the best place to get one of the infamous wax coats. Aspecto is also one of the largest stockists of the Tokyo’s Edwin Jeans in the city.
Unit 22, Corn Exchange, Manchester, M4 3TR Webiste
Aspecto, Corn Exchange
Fred Perry Laurel Wreath
Mon - Weds: 10am - 6pm, Thurs - Sat: 10am - 7pm, Sun: 11am - 5pm
Don’t be mislead into thinking this is just another Fred Perry shop. The ‘Authentic’ stores are all over the country, but this is one of only three Laurel Wreath’ stores in the UK (the other two are in London). What that means is, Police Street is the only place in the north where you can see Fred Perry’s premium label clothing in the flesh, and this heritage inspired range is always rife with collaborations and blank canvas projects.
11 Police Street, Manchester, M2 7LQ. Website
Jigsaw
Mon – Wed: 10am – 6pm, Thurs – Sat: 10am – 7pm, Sun: 11am – 5pm
British brand Jigsaw has been involved in the design, manufacturing and retail of clothes since the early 70s, but has only recently just gotten re-involved with menswear. There’s over 40 stores in the UK, so it’s not that exclusive, but I’ve never seen this place too busy, so you won’t be bumping into folk on the street dressed identically to you if you’ve been shoping here. Whilst the menswear collection is fairly small, it’s all quality stuff. Head here for contemporary classics that you won’t see swamping the high street.
37 Hanging Ditch, Manchester, M4 3TR Website
Jigsaw, Hanging Ditch
Artisan
Mon – Sat: 10am – 6pm, Sun: Closed
This little independent menswear store is known for stocking a wide range of exclusive, cutting edge brands you won’t find anywhere else. Stuff such as Humor, Bolongaro Trevor, Religion, Scotch & Soda, Long, Goliath, Swear, The Cuckoo's Nest, Ignite, Rough Justice, Villain and Sons of Heroes. If low-cut print t-shirts are your bag, you’ll struggle to find a better range in the city centre. It’s only small, but Artisan wastes no space on banal clothing.
7-9 Old Bank Street, Manchester, M2 7PE Website
Artisan, Old Bank Street
