Brand X: Pudel

"Unisex" isn't always uniformly sexy. Anyone with a stale, still-full bottle of Ck One from 1999 lurking in the back of the medicine cabinet knows this all too well.

Pudel takes a unique approach to androgyny, and it often works. Swedish designer Lina Osterman's spring collection, her strongest to date, isn't for the timid, but deconstructed knit sweaters and gauzy vests are simultaneously gritty and sensitive. There are separate men's and women's collections, though certain jackets are clearly interchangeable between the sexes.

A graduate of Central Saint Martin's, Osterman lives in London, has worked for Martin Margiela, and made knitwear for Jens Laugesen. "I don't like to follow trends and want my clothes to be timeless and grow together with the person wearing it, year after year," she explains.

Forget short, boy-blazer lengths--Osterman's renditions usually graze mid-thigh. The MC Jacket shorts, black waxed jeans and zip short-sleeve shirts are among her best pieces.

Currently sold in Opening Ceremony (New York and Los Angeles), American Rag (Los Angeles), and Blackbird (Los Angeles), among other specialty boutiques.

Well-constructed, anti-throwaway fashion. "The clothes look better after being worn a season or two," Osterman insists.