The cosy and cool sweatshirts to buy now.

If you were around in the UK just over a decade ago, you may remember the so-called “Hug a Hoodie” campaign. Spearheaded by then-leader of the opposition Mr David Cameron, the campaign was a departure from the tired Tory shibboleths of the time and was intended to represent a new, cuddlier era of the Conservative party – one that embraced troubled adolescents instead of berating them, and aimed for rehabilitation over punishment, affection over Asbos. Championing a call to empathise with what the public saw as “the uniform of a rebel army of young gangsters”, the idea was to see them instead for what they were: young people in dangerous environments just trying to keep their heads down.

Indeed, back in 2006 the hooded sweater was so synonymous with youth violence and anti-social behaviour that a shopping centre in Essex even banned them. Since then, however, the hoodie’s image has undergone a sea change, although we’re not sure we can credit Mr Cameron with the rebrand. It’s been a gradual process (and the streetwear boom over the past decade is a huge factor) but the hoodie has shed its tough-teen image, and is now worn by, well, absolutely everyone. Vetements, Calvin Klein 205W39NYC, Off-White, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Moncler and Heron Preston are a few of the biggest-name proponents of hoodies, and have vaulted them to fashion’s loftiest heights. Japanese brand Flagstuff has printed a manga character onto its hoodie, while Moncler decorates its zipper with its signature red and white stripes. Off-White has even printed a portrait of the Italian Baroque artist Mr Gian Lorenzo Bernini onto one of its iterations – who said that hoodies can’t mix the highbrow with the street? So, despite their troubled history, there’s pleasure to be had in the simple comfort of a hoodie, especially when it’s in the hands of the world’s top fashion designers. Plus, they are undeniably huggable.