In pre-pandemic years, streetwear was already the trending style. But with work from home, hoodies and sweatpants only became even more important. Leaving their suits on the hangers, professionals could wear something comfier around the house. And so, fashion brands started competing to make the best loungewear on the market. 

American luxury house Fear of God made a killing with their more accessible Essentials sub brand, through branded logos, and the first product from Kanye West’s short-lived collaboration with Gap was the Perfect Hoodie, a product which, up until recently, I thought lived up to the name.

Though hoodies are a quick throw-on item, to be comfortable and relaxed without much effort, the key to making a truly great hoodie comes down to the thickness and quality of the material, and the way it sits on the body; and by these grounds, nothing comes close to the signature V2 zipped hoodie from London-based luxury brand Seventh. 

Designed in London and made in Seoul, the hoodie comes with concealed two-way YKK zips — the highest quality zips on the market — and is made from a thick 610 GSM French Terry cotton blend, double lined across both the body of the hoodie and the hood itself.

The hood is wide and slightly triangular, the shoulders are dropped low, it has a cropped fit at the waist — stopping right at the beltline — and the cuffs on the sleeves are tight, holding the oversized arms and body neatly in place. In abstract, this sounds pleasant but unremarkable. In person, it is anything but.

With such a thick, double-layered quality fabric, the hoodie sits on the body more like a tailored coat, and the whole piece has a beautiful, rounded profile along the arms and shoulders. Zipped up, it’s the chicest version of the hoodie style — better than any designer brand — but unzipped is where it’s best. Putting your hands in its kangaroo pockets, that curved profile and cropped bottom lends to an almost classic bar jacket cut; and if you like, the hood is so thick and heavy that you can fold back the fabric like a cardigan, and it will comfortably sit in place, which is how I usually wear it.

And when you put the hood up, it’s almost comically oversized, making it perfect for windy weather, particularly when wearing over-ear headphones. Most important of all; because the fabric is so thick and quality, it feels amazing. Jerry Lorenzo, founder of Fear of God, has made the point that comfort is the ultimate luxury; and no item has ever conveyed that feeling to me more than Seventh’s hoodie.

This is, quite simply, the perfect hoodie. The only downside is that its price reflects that $330, plus delivery and shipping.

That’s a lot of money; but consider the cost of a quality coat, or beautiful suit jacket. You pay for the quality and the cut there, and it doesn’t feel like a rip-off; and Seventh’s hoodie is made with the same approach and care. And unlike those, which you may only wear on occasion, you can throw this on all the time; for a quick walk to the shops, for lounging at home, or for looking good on nights out. 

When Bukki Ojo founded Seventh in 2019, he set out about “perfecting the everyday wardrobe staple.” He certainly succeeded.

If you want one hoodie, which will last you ages and make you feel amazing, this is the only choice in town. Now I just need to try their sweatpants; and try to convince myself not to buy another of these in the coffee brown color.