From jeans to jackets, the MR PORTER team pick their go-to hard-wearing pieces for autumn .

The late Mr Yves Saint Laurent said that he wished he had invented blue jeans, because as a garment they were “the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal and simplicity.” At MR PORTER, we couldn’t agree more. 

Denim has come a long way since Levi Strauss & Co began selling it in the American West in 1873. It has variously been the clothes of labourers, cowboys and, latterly, style icons. With help from the likes of Mr James Dean in 1955’s Rebel Without A Cause, denim became a symbol of youthful rebellion and later – possibly more thanks to the Ramones than, say, Bros – a wardrobe essential. And why not? Denim is both durable and comfortable, a rare mix.

Here at MR PORTER, we’re big fans of denim, too. So here we share our key pieces for this season.

I’m often accused of being a grandad. I prefer to read classics and visit exhibitions of artists whose work is at least 50 years old to anything zeitgeisty. I’m stubbornly tied to my weekly routine of no social plans from Sunday until Wednesday (that’s three evenings of me-time back to back). And when it comes to technology, I’m just a bit crap. So I love this Aspesi grandad shirt, in cotton chambray, that loose and lightweight cousin of denim that lends itself so well to shirts. In fact, I love grandad style in general, from shawl-collar cardis to anything canvas, such as a backpack.

If you’re going to be crowned king of the rodeo, you want to be dressed for it. Happily, this season, lassoing a rugged garment that can stand up to the wear and tear that comes with handling bucking livestock is easier than bulldogging a steer. Right now, the Western shirt is big news in stylish circles and, as you would expect, Saint Laurent’s take on the trend runs rings around the rest. Made in Japan with a touch of linen, it is remarkably light and boasts distinctive retro yoke snap fasteners on the front. I’d roll up the sleeves and team it with skinny selvedge black jeans (surely the only acceptable double denim?) and similarly coloured boots to avoid looking like a total Yosemite Sam.

When you commute in London, there are certain rules you have to adhere to: 1) always have your Oyster card ready to swipe at the barrier to avoid the early-morning rage of fellow travellers; 2) stand on the right on the escalators; 3) have an umbrella with you at all times – which is where this London Undercover number comes in.

A denim umbrella sounds a little odd, but Undercover modelled it on early 20th-century French field workers’ brollies, which were made of natural dyed indigo denim. You can match it with any outfit, but I like to wear it with a Mr-Justin-Timberlake-2001-American-Music-Awards-style full denim ensemble made up of an Ami shirt and a pair of stonewashed Acne Studios jeans. Triple denim at its finest.

I have a few pairs of black slim jeans (my usual go-tos are by Saint Laurent or Jean Shop), but I’m particularly taken by this pair from Fabric-Brand. I’ve wanted to try out a pair since we launched the brand on site a few seasons back, and I’m finally due a jeans update. The denim is incredible and is going to wear in beautifully. I’ll team them with a Sacai waffle rollneck and Visvim boots for weekend exploring (read: brunch, coffee shop and a walk in the park).

There is a certain honesty about the clothes that Mr Nigel Cabourn makes. In fact, so honest do they look that just from perusing the MR PORTER selection, I guessed that he was from the north of England (and he is – from Newcastle). This is because Northerners are more honest than folk from down south. It is a patronising cliché, so it is almost definitely factually accurate. This jacket stands out because it feels like true old-fashioned workwear. It is made from Lybro denim (hence the pleasingly retro label you can see), the Japanese-made cotton cloth signature to the Lybro brand founded in 1927.

I’ve always wanted to ride a motorcycle, but the problem is that: 1) I’m terrified of helmet hair; and 2) I’m a wimp. But no one else needs to know that, and it certainly doesn’t mean I can’t fulfil my dream by at least looking like I know how to ride a Harley. Made in Japan from hard-wearing denim, these Balmain slim-fit distressed denim biker jeans have a vintage feel, but are sturdy enough to withstand the toughest of rides. Even if, in my case, that will be on the bus to work. To complete the look, I’d pair them with this Belstaff shearling biker jacket and Givenchy leather sneakers. Just call me the uneasy rider.

Working on Fifth Avenue, I often used to see the late and great grandfather of street-style photography, Mr Bill Cunningham, pootling past on his bicycle or squinting into his camera viewfinder. His trademark look was a faded blue French cotton worker’s jacket. Every time I wear this patch-pocketed denim chore jacket from Chimala – which has become my own go-to whenever I am on a photography set – I am reminded of him. In terms of colour and texture, I like the combination of blue denim and olive green cotton, so these twill Officine Generale chinos work well. And this neutral grey jersey sweatshirt by Thom Browne completes the look.

Shop the jeans collection here