The Ultimate Guide to a Contemporary Fashion Forward Look

By Robin Blake | 2025

If you're aiming for a look that feels fresh, directional and confidently ahead of the curve—this is your guide. A contemporary fashion-forward wardrobe isn’t about chasing trends, but rather curating modern silhouettes, standout details, and next-gen fabrics that reflect where style is going in 2025 and 2026.

This guide breaks down the building blocks of a modern aesthetic: key shapes, standout brands, emerging details, and how to get your perfect fit with Tellar.co.uk.

What Defines a Fashion-Forward Look in 2025?

• Asymmetry & Oversized Shapes: Dropped shoulders, exaggerated sleeves and flowing proportions

• Unusual Layering: Think gilets over blazers, or cropped outerwear over long knits

• Neutral Monochrome: Taupe, grey, stone, off-white, and technical black dominate

• Fabrics with Structure: Bonded jersey, technical wool, treated cottons, and light neoprene

Key Pieces to Invest In

• Boxy overshirts in heavy cotton or ripstop

• Relaxed pleated trousers with a cropped ankle

• Double-layered tees and oversized poplin shirts

• Minimalist technical jackets in matte finishes

• Chunky-soled trainers or hybrid dress-sneakers

Best Brands for Fashion-Forward Contemporary Style (With Clickable Links)

• Acne Studios – Scandinavian minimalism with an edge

• Our Legacy – Deconstructed tailoring, bold fabric textures

• Arket – Sleek cuts, future-facing outerwear and smart workleisure

• Jil Sander – Sharp, refined and directional Italian minimalism

• Norse Projects – Clean Nordic design and progressive fabric use

• Raeburn – Military-inspired shapes made from upcycled materials

• A-COLD-WALL* – Conceptual street-lux meets industrial wear

• Helmut Lang – A legacy of raw cuts and future-tailored silhouettes

• Cottweiler – High-performance sports-lux with art influences

• Rick Owens – Bold drapes, dropped shoulders and brutalist tailoring

How to Style a Contemporary Look

• Keep silhouettes oversized up top, and more tailored on the bottom

• Use tonal palettes and limit loud prints—texture over colour

• Layer shirts under technical jackets with exaggerated volume

• Mix formal and athletic cues (e.g. tailored trousers + futuristic sneakers)

Make Sure It Fits (Even When It’s Oversized)

Contemporary fashion-forward pieces often use unstructured cuts and intentional draping—but fit still matters. Too big, and it looks sloppy. Too tight, and the silhouette is lost. Use Tellar.co.uk to dial in the size that’s oversized by design—not by accident.

• Tellar Store Size Lookup

• How to Measure Yourself

Explore More on Styling and Modern Menswear

• How to Do Casual Style Well

• Smart, Casual & Comfortable

Final Word

A fashion-forward wardrobe is clean, confident and quietly bold. It's not about trends—it’s about intentional contrast, proportion and detail. Get the fit right, shop the brands doing it best, and let Tellar.co.uk guide you to sizes that match your body, not someone else’s model sheet.