Simplified Clothing, or SMPLFD, is a north-american collective from Detroit that believes firmly in “less is more” and strives to deliver thoughtful imagery by means of bold, clever and simple designs. Despite that straightforwardness, they aim to be thought-provoking: We feel an enigmatic demeanor is more fashionable than the opposite so our designs merely elude to ideas, rather than state anything definitely. In other words, they are a door to enter, rather than a billboard that talks at you. What I like about SMPLFD is their freshness. The world today is saturated with t-shirt designs that are a dime a dozen, and these just catch the eye in the middle of that busyness. I especially like the quirk of the featured cardigan and the reductionist Marlboro logo tee (which, admittedly, took me a moment to figure out).

Malaysian clothing label ULTRA, who specialise in sustainability in leading fashion have designed ULTRA 10 – the ten piece wardrobe. ULTRA and sustainability leaders LOHAS, Greenovate and The Wellness Works collaborated to produce a core wardrobe of ten pieces for 365 days of the year. The made-to-order women’s collection, which is made of organic and recycled fabrics includes; a vest, a backless top, a cropped top, a white shirt/dress, a skirt, a top/dress, stretch pants, cotton trousers, a 2-in-1 blazer, and a 3-in-1 dress-jacket-skirt. What I really like about the idea behind this collection is that not only is it practical in a space-saving sense, but also in an economical and environmental sense. You may return your pieces at any time for mending, recycling, upcycling or donation.

Amid the enthusiastic drone of the vuvuzelas, the 19th FIFA World Cup began in South Africa yesterday. Of the 32 participating nations, overall the playing kits are as smart and appealing as I can remember. England make their debut today and it’s their jersey that takes the spoils — an understated, clean and classy contradiction to the vibrancy and colour of the rainbow nation. Harking back to pre-war, pre-branded era shirts, perennial kit makers Umbro went back to basics by taking inspiration from Saville Row to produce a more tailored garment. Even the geometric type looks like another English classic: Gill Sans. And whether you happen to be David Beckham, or a World champion gurner, the shirt looks great regardless — objective achieved for a mass-market product. The red away jersey, unveiled by British band Kasabian earlier this year, is constructed in a similar vein, though it’s more a reference to England’s sole World Cup triumph in 1966.

If you like your staples to be basic then look no further than Bassike. Pun intended. Pronounced the same as the word basic, this Australian organic brand by Deborah Sams and Mary LouRyan has a cult following thanks to its effortless tailoring of the simple jersey t-shirt. The brand has since flourished into other areas such as dresses, organic wool jumpers and jeans that have made me look nowhere else for my denim. Beautifully consistent in it’s aesthetic and perfectly branded with the help of the great Jonathan Zawada, Bassike is a must have for the relaxed minimalist.