From Tomas Maier to OAMC, meet MR PORTER’s new arrivals. Please don’t be shy.

Well, this is awkward. The e-commerce equivalent of the cocktail party where you don’t know anyone. At the epicentre, there’s a group holding court in tuxedos and seersucker suits. At the edges of the room, there’s a bunch of interesting types deep in conversation about their favourite distressing techniques, or obsession with surf wear. You’re hovering by the buffet, an uncomfortably amiable smile on your face. But don’t worry – MR PORTER is here to make the necessary introductions.

In fact, after long consideration of which new brands we were going to invite to join us this spring 2015, MR PORTER is sure you’ll find someone that you get on with in the final guest list. From ahead-of the-curve thinkers such as Christopher Kane and Chalayan, to casual aficionados including Chimala and OAMC, to Huntsman – the Savile Row tailor that dressed Messrs Gregory Peck and Lucian Freud – it’s a real mixer, and all the better for it. Read on to find out more. Oh, and thanks so much for coming. Can we get you a drink?

Huntsman is one of those best-in-class operations that epitomises an ideal, in this case the much-cherished tradition of Savile Row tailoring. Established by Mr Henry Huntsman in 1849, the quintessentially British outfit’s illustrious past customers include Sir Cecil Beaton, Mr Gregory Peck and the incorrigible painter Mr Lucien Freud. But that’s not the only reason you should be interested in its fine tailoring, which in terms of quality is nigh on peerless, and features many details unique to the house, such as exclusive tweeds and the signature one-buttoned sports jacket silhouette that Mr Huntsman pioneered in the 1940s.

“Made local, buy local” is the Freemans Sporting Club motto, and all stock at the New York store has been manufactured within a 10-mile radius. The brainchild of restaurateur, interior designer and one-man cultural catalyst Mr Taavo Somer, Freemans Sporting Club began life in the rooms above Mr Somers’ Freemans restaurant on Rivington Street, New York, where he and a few friends – just for fun, of course – started making bespoke suits for their acquaintances. Today, to make something of an understatement, FSC is a little less specialised, offering a full range of New York-made clothing (they even have a “shacket” category) and, if you’re in the neighbourhood, a top notch barber’s service. On MR PORTER, we’re offering a carefully curated pick of FSC’s handmade shirts and suits, designed and created by American artisan tailors. Cared for properly, these pieces will last a lifetime. Coming soon to MR PORTER.

Street style guru Mr Nick Wooster – he of Instagram and street style fame – has teamed up with Italy’s Lardini to produce a capsule collection that marries the tailor’s sartorial and manufacturing expertise with his own impeccable but off-kilter aesthetic. The collection, which focuses on light and breezy seersucker as a central fabric, offers everything you might need for your summer wardrobe and plenty more, updating classic and vintage-inspired jackets and shorts with the zingy spots, stripes and mix-and-match colour blocking that Mr Wooster makes such a case for in his own personal dress.

Japanese heritage brand Chimala is notoriously hard to get your hands on. But it’s worth the hassle. Handcrafted by skilled artisans in designer Ms Noriko Machida’s workshop, Chimala’s faintly worn-looking pieces, predominantly inspired by vintage clothing from the 1950s to 1970s, are the fruit of a dedication and attention to detail that’s hard to come by in these clickbait-ridden times. In particular, the effort Ms Machida puts into achieving the perfect, lived-in washes on her denim painter’s jackets, jeans and shirts makes each item feel like a tried-and-tested wardrobe favourite from the point of purchase. No need to break these bad boys in – but it’s advisable to get there quick to avoid that “out of stock” moment. Coming soon to MR PORTER.

Mr Steven Alan opened his first retail store in New York in 1994, proving to have a keen eye for a slew of emerging designers to which, at that point, few others paid much attention. In 1996 he established a showroom to build the reputations and businesses of these same brands, which made it an obvious step to take, in 1999, when he launched his own line of heritage inspired clothing. This bears the mark of Mr Alan’s sharp taste and understanding of his customers, providing a range of easy and affordably priced pieces, including his trademark reverse-seam shirt, that will strengthen the core of any wardrobe. Coming soon to MR PORTER.

Scottish-born, Central Saint Martins maverick Mr Christopher Kane has all the makings of the Next Great British Fashion Star (note the capitals – we’re putting ourselves out on a limb here). His menswear line, first launched in 2010 after the success of his wildly creative women’s collections, has been going from strength to strength in recent seasons, developing upon his penchant for eye-catching graphics and pleasingly arcane inspirations (past collections have been splashed with images of MRI scans, iconic movie monsters and repeating molecular structures). If you like bold colours, print, progressive fabrics and a certain amount of insider kudos, then Mr Kane’s designs belong in your wardrobe.

There’s nothing like catching up with an old friend, a fact that explains to a certain extent our feelings at the arrival of Mr Hussein Chalayan’s subtle deconstructed designs on MR PORTER. It’s been eight years since Mr Chalayan, long-celebrated as one of the most innovative British designers of his generation, has put forward a men’s collection, but it’s been very much worth the wait. Describing his new collection as “smart-casual with a minimal feel”, his focus this season is on masterful tailoring, streamlined silhouettes and light, textural fabrics. Perfect for indulging the anarchic minimalist hiding inside all of us.

OAMC was launched in 2013 by Messrs Luke Meier and Arnaud Faeh, formerly of Supreme and Carhartt WIP respectively, which makes it 100% hype-worthy. The brand’s nifty streetwear-infused collections, decidedly grown-up but full of pleasing graphic tweaks, are made in limited batches in Italy, France, Portugal and Japan, ensuring, as with Supreme, that each piece will never become ubiquitous. Get it from MR PORTER and avoid the inevitable queues.

Established in Naples in the 1920s, this classic, family-owned Italian brand began life as a fabric store, before it expanded into tailoring. And thank goodness it did – in the 90 years following, Isaia has shown the world just why the “Made in Naples” tag is one to be looked out for. In the spring 2015 collection, which marks the launch of the brand on MR PORTER, Isaia plays with its knowledge of tailoring tradition, fielding a remarkable range of double-breasted jackets in eye-popping plaids and distinctive, contemporary colours. Packed with meticulous details and executed with a hefty dose of wit, it’s an effortless and confident essay in modern tailoring.

“Easy pieces, easy ways to get dressed. Life is complicated enough the way it is,” says Mr Tomas Maier of his eponymous line of impeccably understated, slightly sporty pieces. Having cut his teeth at Hermès and now serving as Bottega Veneta’s creative director, Mr Maier has an expert eye for luxury, but is most remarkable for his ability to blend it with the cool and casual. The minimal designs from the spring 2015 collection, such as a lightweight poplin blazer or a sleek quilted bomber jacket, drive home this point nicely. But the proof is in the wearing, not the looking – so you should probably give him a shot as soon as possible.