Thanks to legendary labels like Beams, Camoshita and United Arrows, there are plenty of Ivy League aficionados who hold that, these days, Japan does American prep better than the Americans. In the same vein, Aurélien might just be the start of the Dutch doing sprezzatura better than the Italians.
Founded in 2015 by Dutch brothers, Joris and Philip Hetterschijt, Aurélien was established to manifest high-quality, Mediterranean-inspired style at a more reasonable price point. The brand does this by maintaining control over almost all of the creation process from concept to manufacture to sales – a system the founders like to call “smart luxury”. The result for the customer is superb, European-made attire at a fraction of the cost of your traditional home turf Cuninells or Zegnas.
But what about the clothes themselves? Having started out crafting driving shoes, in more recent years the brand has kicked it up a gear and expanded into a full wardrobe offering, infused with a laid-back Italian sensibility: seductive neutrals, natural fabrics, trim cuts. And while the fine-gauge cashmere-wool sweaters are a must for the currently changeable weather, keep an eye out for the incoming Auréliens summer collection, dominated by pool-vibing teal and sunny yellow, as well as terry cloth polos and tailored joggers that will be perfect poolside. In short, if you’re looking for smart-casual, you’re golden – which is, incidentally, exactly the Latin word the brand name derives from.
