The British designer Margaret Howell has always appreciated a well-made shirt. In 1970 — the year of the blouse — she built a workroom in her London flat and filled it with skilled machinists who could apply Savile Row tailoring to relaxed button-down shirts for women. This androgynous look — immortalized in the film Annie Hall, in which Diane Keaton wore several Howell-inspired creations — clearly hit the mark, and allowed Howell to expand her business to include, well, actual menswear for men. Nearly four decades later, Howell's designs range from suits to shoes and still maintain that fine balance: simple yet sharp, structured yet comfortable, crafted from natural fabrics like Irish linen, Scottish cashmere, British tweed and cotton. "I think people are becoming aware that this over-consumerism and throwaway sort of attitude is no good," Howell explains. The only catch for American admirers is having to cross an ocean to peruse her full line — boutiques are currently limited to English and Japanese soil. Not a problem for actor Bill Nighy, who, like director Joe Wright and David Geffen, is an ardent follower of the brand. "I love Margaret's clothes," Nighy says. "They are not craven in terms of trend, and steer you clear of any fashion crimes."

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