5 Brands We Fell in Love With This Year and Bought Something From

We spend a lot of time talking about new brands, brands that are worth the investment and refreshed brands that haven't gone unnoticed by style insiders. But in an attempt to keep you up to date with all the current happenings in the world of fashion, often, we don't get round to shopping these labels ourselves. Doing what we do, we see a lot of product, so it takes something pretty special to warrant our spend. This, however, sparked an idea: Our team of editors could showcase the brands we made first-time purchases from in 2021 and are now faithful shoppers of. 

We're always curious to see what our colleagues have spent their money on, as we know it'll be something they can and will vouch for, so extending our knowledge to you, team Who What Wear has shared the brand they hadn't shopped before 2021 but that they were seriously impressed by when they eventually did. Scroll on to see the brands—from the high-street hotspot that has had a cool overhaul of late to the independent label known for its excellent dresses and all the way to the bags set to dominate 2022—our editors have bought from and loved wearing this year. 

HANNAH ALMASSI, EDITOR IN CHIEF: DRAGON DIFFUSION

Hannah carries a bag from Dragon Diffusion.

"I had been eyeing up Dragon Diffusion's woven leather bags since Jeanne Damas tipped me off back in 2018 when we photographed her for Who What Wear UK. She said it was the brand of choice for all the cool Parisians, but it took a while for the label to launch in the UK. I needed a classic summer tote to chuck everything into, but I wanted something to be more elevated than a canvas shopper, so this tan number fit the bill. It goes with everything—really, everything—and I'm even using it into the winter months."

EMMA SPEDDING, EDITOR: TOTÊME

Emma wears a coat from Totême.

"Okay, so Totême isn't exactly a new brand for 2021, but this is the first year I actually bought something from there, and all I can say is wow—how I wish I could afford to have a wardrobe filled with its designs. I bought the strapless silk top, and it's so beautiful and of incredible quality. I love how the pieces are timeless and simple, but they all have a distinctive edge. One day, I will own a Totême coat!"

REMI AFOLABI, VIDEO CONTENT CREATOR: WAREHOUSE

Remi wears a dress from Warehouse.

"Warehouse has grown to become one of my favourite high-street brands because of its wearable, cutting-edge pieces. I've bought quite a decent amount from the brand over the past couple of months, and it definitely has an eye for making somewhat regular pieces stand out in unique ways. I'm here for it!"

JOY MONTGOMERY, SHOPPING EDITOR: THE FULL ENSEMBLE

Joy wears a vintage top.

"I'm always on the lookout for new vintage stores, and thanks to the massive growth of online vintage sellers over the last 12 months, I've been spoilt for choice. The Full Ensemble is a small platform I stumbled across on Instagram, and I was instantly won over by its mix of retro pieces alongside second-hand contemporary buys. I couldn't resist buying a particular '70s shirt which came with amazing psychedelic stitching and a dagger collar. Oh, and it was only £18. Bargain."

MAXINE EGGENBERGER, ACTING ASSISTANT EDITOR: RIXO

Maxine wears a dress from Rixo.

"I don't know quite how this happened, but this year was the first time I'd ever purchased something from Rixo. The brand has very kindly loaned me pieces to wear throughout the years, but as weddings resumed, I wanted to add a special piece or two to my wardrobe. And Rixo delivered. My latest purchase is its star-emblazoned Zadie dress, which I plan on wearing on Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and a trip to Gleneagles in January and to the christening of my best friend's daughter in February. Next, I have my eye on the pieces below."

Next Up, Spring/Summer 2022 Trends: The Only 17 Looks You Need to Know About

Opening Image: @remiafolabi