Top of the Shops – Ideology

Clean-cut style and an eye for quality defines the collection of menswear on offer at Ideology. Catering to the fashion conscious of Sheffield, the boutique offers a carefully selected and perfectly matched blend of higher priced, desirable labels (A.P.C., Acne) with more affordable options like Cheap Monday.

The online version of the store is a refreshing example of a fashion forward site dealing exclusively in menswear. Still relatively unusual when considering the abundance of equivalent sites for women, the well thought out collection (which has been gracing the store since its opening in 2008) is at the forefront of an increasing focus on menswear in the fashion world  – augmented by the success of Men’s Day at LFW in recent years, and the launch of sites like, mrporter.com.

Owner Max Wadsworth cites an aversion to ‘tribes and trends’ as part of the philosophy behind the store, instead drawn to labels that, for him, represent timeless style. However, the clothing has a distinctly modern edge helped out by the accessories on offer. Max highlights Mark Mcnairy brogues as the epitome of this contrast – the shoes are made from classic shoe uppers like a derby or brogue then given a modern twist with a red brick sole, and handmade in Northampton.

The trait that sticks out most about Ideology, and no doubt the reason for its success, is the impression that every label stocked has been selected with the genuine desire to source something that is special in one way or another. As such, brands such as Our Legacy – another of Max’s current picks – are stalwarts of the store combining quality of product with consistently strong collections seasonally.

-Carys Kirkpatrick