The Coolest British Brands

What does Tony Blair have in common with a shop selling sexy underwear? They are both cool, apparently, sharing that indefinable quality that unites Scrabble with VW Beetles and Converse trainers with Wagamama's noodle soup.

A new book, Cool BrandLeaders, attempts to list Britain's coolest brands - and pin down that elusive quality once and for all. As advertising man Robert Campbell puts it in the introduction: "It's instinct, inspiration, fearlessness, not being scared to be different."

This year the panel - which included menswear designer Ozwald Boateng, Mark Rodol of the Ministry of Sound, Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and Dazed & Confused photographer Rankin - decided the top five coolest brands were Alexander McQueen, Bang & Olufsen, Agent Provocateur, the Tate Gallery and Ducati - the same five as last year, even though the judging panel has changed.

The coolest looks, however, are still those of the mod-squad. Mad For Mod resonated throughout the fall shows and those in the know will be wearing their white groovy boots under their A-line mini's. Add an op-art checkerboard pattern and bright colour palette and you could soon be shortlisted as one of the coolest people in Britain next year.