YMC
YMC clothing, short for You Must Create, was established in London in 1995 by Fraser Moss and Jimmy Collins. The name comes from a quote by industrial designer Raymond Loewy, who once said, “You must create your own design style.” That sentiment remains at the core of the YMC brand, which has always prioritised function over fleeting trends.
Launched during a time when fashion was becoming increasingly fast-paced and logo-driven, YMC set out to build something slower and more considered. Drawing from military wear, mid-century sportswear, and British workwear, the brand developed a signature that felt stripped-back but not minimal, practical but not plain. The early collections favoured boxy cuts, muted palettes, and unfussy details - an aesthetic still central to YMC clothes today.
Originally focused on menswear, YMC quickly expanded to include womenswear and unisex staples. Across categories, the approach remained the same: thoughtful construction, natural materials, and a strong sense of purpose. Whether you’re browsing YMC womenswear or YMC menswear, the designs are never overly adorned or trend-led. They’re built for repeat wear, and to evolve with the person wearing them.
Now in its third decade, YMC continues to create from its East London base while resonating far beyond it. Stocked internationally and worn by those who value substance over show, the brand remains distinctly British in outlook yet shaped by influences ranging from skate and punk to post-war Americana and Japanese utilitywear. It has always been a label for people with a clear sense of their own style, who want clothing that reflects it.
As YMC enters this new chapter, designer Sage Toda-Nation - also the founder of his own label, Sage Nation - steps in as creative director. His direction reaches back to the spirit of YMC’s beginnings, drawing from the energy of its first collections in 1996 and reworking details uncovered in the brand’s extensive archive. The result promises a continuity with YMC’s past while opening the door to fresh interpretations.
Key Design Features
At its core, YMC clothing favours a quiet approach to design. Silhouettes are relaxed, details are functional, and fabrics do much of the talking. Pieces are designed to be easy to layer and live in - each one intended to slot into a modular wardrobe.
YMC jackets, for instance, often reference classic workwear shapes: chore coats, overshirts, or lightly padded field jackets. Repeat styles like the YMC Loft Jacket or Scuttlers Jacket speak to this direction, combining utility and proportion with quiet character. You’ll find looped collars, patch pockets, and garment-dyed finishes, but never anything overly stylised.
YMC trousers tend to favour a looser leg, often cropped or tapered, with adjustable waists or internal drawcords. Key styles such as the Deadbeat Trouser and Keaton Trouser work across YMC mens and YMC womens collections, offering a relaxed silhouette in cotton twill, corduroy, or linen.
Texture is a constant focus. Loopback jersey, brushed wool, garment-dyed cotton, and linen blends are regular features, often sourced from long-standing European mills. These materials give even the simplest YMC clothes their depth. Colour palettes lean understated - rust, navy, olive, ochre, washed neutrals - selected to feel grounded and versatile.
Within YMC knitwear, you’ll find both core layering styles and seasonal statement pieces. Graphic jacquards, playful intarsia, and textured wool cardigans often appear in cooler months, balancing the brand’s minimalist base with its roots in music and counterculture. Recurring styles include the Atomic Cardigan, the Baker Cardigan, and classic ribbed designs in brushed wool.
There’s a subtle sense of rebellion woven through each collection. Never attention-seeking, but present in a curved seam, a contrast stitch, or a choice of cloth. That blend of utility, ease, and quiet individuality defines YMC clothing today.
Key Products and Seasonal Focus
Our selection of YMC clothing at Couverture & The Garbstore focuses on pieces that represent the brand’s approach - wearable, well-made, and quietly distinctive. From core trousers and jackets to seasonal knits and shirting, each item reflects the label’s long-standing design language.
In menswear, styles like the YMC Deadbeat Trousers and Minor Trousers remain go-to shapes: loose-fitting, cropped, and garment-dyed, often in cotton twill or corduroy. YMC jeans also feature in select collections, including the Replacement Jeans and Bez Jeans in washed denim.
YMC jackets such as the Loft Jacket, Scuttlers Jacket, and Tyrell Trench Coat return season after season, offering functional silhouettes that sit neatly over tees or knits. Lightweight overshirts and padded chore coats like the Construction Jacket round out the range, offering transitional layering options across the year.
YMC shirts, such as the Malick Shirt in brushed cotton, balance soft structure with an everyday feel. Core long sleeve silhouettes are accompanied by casual shirting and t-shirts, including the YMC Skate T Shirt and pigment-dyed basics.
YMC knitwear is a seasonal highlight. Textured cardigans like the Foxtail, or patterned jumpers in wool blends, are designed to sit easily alongside neutral pieces, offering tonal variation without overpowering the rest of the outfit.
In womenswear, styles like the YMC Draped Skirt or Wednesday Dress offer the same clean feel, cut with just the right amount of structure. You’ll also find the Peggy Trouser in soft wool blends, cropped outerwear, and year-round layering pieces.
Throughout the year, we stock a rotating selection of styles from the YMC sale, offering discounted archive garments and seasonal past releases. If you're looking for YMC on sale, it's worth checking our listings regularly, as stock and sizing shift quickly.
All styles are available to shop online with UK-wide and international shipping, or in-store at our Notting Hill location.
Styling and Similar Brands
The appeal of YMC clothing lies in its ease, pieces can be styled up or down, layered, or worn simply. The relaxed silhouettes and muted colours make it a natural fit alongside other workwear-inspired or design-forward labels.
Pair a cropped YMC jacket with wide-leg trousers from Still By Hand, or layer a textured YMC knit under a structured coat from nanamica. For a softer look, match a longline YMC shirt with drawstring trousers and Salomon trainers. Across both YMC menswear and YMC womenswear, the brand fits into wardrobes built around texture, proportion, and neutrality.
If you're drawn to YMC's clean casualwear with cultural depth, you may also want to browse brands like Howlin', Beams Plus, BEAMS BOY, Service Works, and Paratodo. For detail-led design, consider labels like TDR, Folk, Our Legacy, and Arpenteur. Each offers its own take on casualwear with substance - pieces that echo YMC’s emphasis on form, material, and restraint.
Cultural Impact and Enduring Influence
Over the years, YMC has earned quiet cult status. It’s a brand often seen on creatives, designers, and musicians who appreciate thoughtful construction and understated design. While it doesn’t court headlines, YMC clothing has helped define a modern British aesthetic grounded in utility and longevity.
It remains one of the few independent fashion brands to build a loyal global following without losing its values. Its success lies in its refusal to compromise on materials, silhouette, or ethos. In a fast-moving industry, YMC continues at its own pace, and that’s what keeps it relevant.
Shop YMC clothing online at Couverture & The Garbstore. Our edit includes YMC jackets, trousers, knitwear, shirts, and accessories across YMC menswear and YMC womenswear. Whether you're exploring the core range or browsing the YMC sale, you’ll find a collection grounded in form and fabric. All orders ship from the UK. Discover the full YMC clothing UK selection online or visit our Notting Hill store.
