From European powerhouses to cult Aussie labels with a flair for leisurely living, these are the names we’re turning to for smartly conceived warm weather kit in 2026.
There’s a wilful misconception, among men whose interest in coats and ties extends only so far as the office, that dressing well in the summer is a paradoxical notion. In their defence: the final two months of the year are best enjoyed along the beach and in sun-dappled backyards — neither being a domain crying out for sportcoats or great pair of trousers.
That’s a shame really, as the fabrics traditionally associated with warm weather tailoring are as worthy of appreciation as their wintry cousins. Cashmere is hardly the only premium fibre. In Australia come silly season, a blazer cut from linen or a fine cotton-silk blend is equally indulgent — and infinitely more practical.
Of course, there’s also the matter of event dressing. November and December offer a surfeit of invitations to long al fresco lunches, company Christmas parties, destination weddings, and various other end-of-year festivities. Getting into some quality suiting come summer isn’t merely a sartorial aspiration — it’s a practical concern.
Beyond a few obvious non-negotiables — comfort, breathability, a certain visual lightness — Forbes Life has narrowed the field down to six brands we’re liking in 2026, each with its own noteworthy take on sartorial kit to keep you looking cool amid the rising mercury.
Zegna
In A Nutshell: Heritage suiting with an authentic Northern Italian flavour — distinguished by quiet sophistication and industry-leading textiles.
Who’s This For? Silver-maned CEOs, the family office manager jetting between Marbella and Miami, your favourite actor’s favourite actor.
Signature Pieces: ‘Il Conte’ jackets in Oasi linen,’Trofeo’ high-twist wool suiting (starting at $7,595)
Up until 10 years ago, many of the discussions around Zegna centered on the brand’s expertise in sumptuous, sustainably made fabrics — inspired by an ethos of “responsible luxury” shoppers can see at work, most acutely, in the Oasi Zegna initiative.
At the same time, Alessandro Sartori, the brand’s stalwart Artistic Director, has expanded the aperture through which Zegna expresses its mastery over wool, linen, and other noble fibres. Now, the house is a torchbearer for the kind of un-shouty, tactile clothing laypeople have taken to describing as ‘quiet luxury’.
Sartori’s ready-to-wear tailoring embodies a kind of fluid, easy-going proportion; with lines that gently brush the body and a livewire dynamism. Such a vision of leisure dressing lends itself to summertime — in the Zegna universe, meaning loosely cinched safari jackets and stripey pastels evocative of an Amalfi beach club lettino.
Of course, for those yet required to make a few token appearances at the office, the house continues to offer a considered (and concise) edit of blazers and suiting. Signature styles like the ‘Lago’ are inspired by the Zegna clan’s ancestral connection to Piedmont, bridging the gap between off-hours style and formality with details like an unlined construction, bellied lapels, and elegant natural shoulder.
Suitsupply
In A Nutshell: The ‘Apple Store of suiting’. Think trend-adjacent gear of a disproportionately high quality, made available to a wide global audience.
Who’s This For? Tailoring enthusiasts who enjoy a strong value proposition, your terribly straightedge friend (in some sort of law/banking grad program) who “likes fashion”.
Signature Pieces: Relaxed fit ‘Roma’ suiting (starting at $999),’Havana’ blazer (starting at $679)
Founded by Dutch entrepreneur Fokke de Jong in 2000, Suitsupply has variously been compared to Apple and IKEA for its innovative, democratising approach to the business of selling men’s suiting. With a retail footprint of over 150 stores worldwide (including an Australian flagship in Sydney), the brand has been able to achieve robust economies of scale — enabling, even more than two decades after its founding, some of the most well-made tailoring under $1,100.
The label’s core spring/summer collection is available year-round, encompassing a range of sportcoats and suits in wool, linen, and lightweight blends milled with partners across Europe. At minimum, expect jackets crafted with a half-canvassed construction and fabric from highly Italian mills like E. Thomas and Piacenza.
In contrast with venerable heritage brands like Zegna, Suitsupply is well-known for its willingness to embrace trends (even if the pace at which classic menswear changes tends to be, at best, elegiac). Lately, the brand has belatedly recognised what has been happening on European fashion week runways over the past several years with roomier fits like the ‘Roma’.
Casualwear is also plentiful, with a full complement of shorts, mesh crewnecks, and casual shirting in oversized dimensions available to shoppers who need to assemble a complete holiday wardrobe at record speed.
Christian Kimber
In A Nutshell: Leisurewear and tailored separates that play well together — and indeed, with whatever’s already in your wardrobe.
Who’s This For? Professionals working in (well-compensated) creative, the most stylish bloke at your local small plates eatery.
Signature Pieces: ‘Naples’ blazer (starting at $2,850), Made-to-measure suiting (starting at $1,800)
Renowned through most of his career for a Goldilocks approach to both tailoring and sportswear, Christian Kimber is one of three homegrown labels to make our shortlist for summer suiting. The brand has fielded a credible made-to-measure program for several years now — which could easily serve as the launchpad for your next linen sportcoat or coastal wedding fit.
The brand’s recent Spring lookbook, however, is where one gets a sense of what’s caught Kimber’s eye this season: infusing the “modern Australian” aesthetic with “vibrant colour, texture and pattern”, details given allegorical significance in the setting of the new collection at Flowers Vasette, Port Melbourne.
Workwear-inflected bestsellers like the ‘Fitzroy’ chore jacket are embellished with woven accessories and transeasonal denim, but for something that is of a more explicit sartorial bent, look no further than the ‘Naples’ blazer. In keeping with the traditions of the Campanian capital, this jacket — made in both double- and single-breasted configurations — utilises extensive handwork, notably around the collar and lapel, wearing with the comfort of a particularly sophisticated cardigan.
Hugo Boss
In A Nutshell: Polished warm weather suiting with a strong sideline in occasionwear, backed by international name-brand recognition.
Who’s This For? Sartorialists who enjoy modern cuts with an athletic inflection, the GT3 collector in need of marque-matched merch.
Signature Pieces: Two-piece slim-fit suiting (starting at $999), Porsche x Boss shirt jacket ($1,799)
Hugo Boss occupies a distinctive place in our shortlist: possessing luxe, internationally recognised cachet along with prices that remain viable for shoppers on the high street. Chances are, if you’ve previously handled labels like Suitsupply or M.J. Bale, you’ll find a good deal that’s similarly likable about this renowned German clothier.
Despite a full womenswear line and various diffusions, menswear remains at the core of Boss’s offering. Today, these include the Gen Z-centric ‘Hugo’ collection; a best-selling collaboration with David Beckham; and the eponymous BOSS range, dedicated to clean-cut contemporary tailoring.
Machine-washable fabrics and a wide array of ‘Mix & Match’ styles make Boss an invaluable choice for business travellers: allowing wearers to get two or three fits out of a single garment, such as the brand’s signature slim-fit suit in ‘Tech Linen’.
Since the arrival of Marco Falcioni in 2022, Boss’s Creative Director, occasionwear has also taken on a more expansive role. For the summer holidays, or your next beachside wedding reception, consider one of the label’s ‘Tuxedo’ suits in wool-linen: a natty alternative to the classic black tie set-up.
The Cloakroom
In A Nutshell: Brisbane’s sharpest export — when it comes to menswear, at any rate — marrying superlative Japanese manufacturing with an elegant, louche aesthetic.
Who’s This For? Self-declared Japanophiles with a Monocle subscription, men as passionate about Criterion boxsets as they are classic tailoring.
Signature Pieces: Kyoto-made custom suiting (starting at $3,395), made-to-order outerwear (starting at $4,500)
For nearly two decades, Brisbane-based The Cloakroom has been outfitting Queensland’s most rakish architects, restaurateurs, and other creative industry professionals. In the late 2010s, that operation was joined by outposts in Montreal and Tokyo — the latter being a particularly important opening that has drawn the homegrown brand closer to its manufacturing base in Japan.
At The Cloakroom, suiting is a year-round, highly individualised affair. The firm offers both made-to-measure services and a full bespoke program, working exclusively with its own workshop in suburban Kyoto, on a style of suiting that’s light, full of ease, and masculinely proportioned.
These qualities, especially the lightweight construction, make it a compelling inclusion in our guide to hot weather tailoring. More than a third of The Cloakroom’s clientele are locally based, adding to the expertise that founder Andrew Byrne has had to hone in providing garments that look good (and wear well) in Brisbane’s famously sticky subtropical heat.
For summer, Byrne’s team are particularly passionate about lightweight cashmere blends from Loro Piana and Piacenza; along with premium linens from the likes of Solbiati. The only question that remains is whether to order up these fabrics as a full suit or sportcoat? Why choose, when you can have both?
Commas
In A Nutshell: A Sydney resortwear label with a global following — and the only name on our shortlist that has been included on the strength of a single design.
Who’s This For? ‘Dressy’ articles for the Bondi-to-Bronte set.
Signature Pieces: ‘The Host’ tux ($500)
Enthusiasts of Australian fashion might find our inclusion of Commas, on a list ostensibly dedicated to warm weather suiting, a touch curious. By way of backstory: the Sydneyside label began life in 2016 as a resort & leisurewear label and in the interim has gone onto widespread acclaim — including a seal of approval from GQ last year.
Traditionally, the brand has been most celebrated for its seasonal knits and linen shirting. This August, they expanded that off-duty remit with a burgeoning range of soft tailoring: the fulcrum of which is a deconstructed dinner jacket, nicknamed ‘The Host’. Cut in sandy linen, it melds seamlessly into the Commas universe of easy, coastal silhouettes.
Designed in partnership with renowned American whiskey brand Woodford Reserve (yes, we’re as surprised as you are) it is among a very small number of fashion and lifestyle crossovers we’d actually be happy to wear. Sitting somewhere between a coat and dressing gown, conspicuous branding is kept to a minimum — save for the Woodford Reserve logo, embroidered discretely above The Host’s hip pocket.
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