It's cyclical. You want to look for a brand that's early in the cycle: a new brand positioning itself in the high end before it becomes known (i.e. before any reps exist, this is a good sign,) before their first investors bring in accountants who invariably force cuts in quality to maximize profits. New brands trying to establish themselves are always the best value, I'd say the only value. Unfortunately, the reputation for quality can outlast the actual quality by many, many years and the companies have figured this out. That's why so many invest in marketing and accounting and so few invest in design and quality materials. Quality and value hasn't mattered since the late 1800's.

Ultimately, you can't say that about any brand. Even some of the brands already mentioned have Emporio Armani or J. Crew Factory-type tiers that capitalize on the built up brand image but don't offer the same quality. At the absolute butt-end of this cycle you just slap a photo of Michael Jackson on a t-shirt and ship the bitch on your way to the marina.