The modern man has largely moved on from tailoring and the world’s billionaires have swapped their ties and peak lapels for Brunello Cucinelli hoodies, but there’s an undeniable wave of smartness washing over menswear again. Tailoring is slowly coming back into fashion. While smart, however, this isn’t stuff from the Gordon Gekko school of suiting. Instead, silhouettes are softer, more relaxed and stealthily luxurious. Jackets are as comfortable to slip on as cardigans.

Take Gabriela Hearst’s powder blue Damien jacket, which is crafted from a brilliantly soft, superfine velvet corduroy. The shoulders are structured, but only slightly, so it will smarten up a casual weekend look and go as well with box-fresh white sneakers as it will with a pair of polished Derby shoes. Gabriela Hearst has created a niche for easy-to-wear smart clothes of impossibly good quality. For a casual suit in a fabric that will wear well, you’d be hard pushed to do better.

For something with a Parisian feel, look to AMI. The French brand’s wool trousers are expertly tailored and, while they will look at home with a suit, they’ll work just as well with one of the label’s cotton-blend sweaters.

The Italians are at it, too. Both Prada and Valentino have a bevy of sharp yet simple tailoring on offer. The latter’s silk shantung tuxedo is just the ticket for a spring wedding. Oh, and then there’s Gucci, whose silk-twill ties are rather Gordon Gekko, but they will jazz up any outfit, if jazzing up is your thing.