© Bikramjit Bose
Fashion
We asked industry experts if the erstwhile corporate dress code will survive the transition into the new normal, and here’s what we learned
The onset of the pandemic changed our lives, in ways big and small. While 2020 will be remembered for many reasons, but it will also be known as the year that the conventional office dress code found itself in the throes of an existential crisis. As the world made the paradigm shift to working indoors, the decades-old office dress code was deconstructed overnight. And having tasted the freedom of non-confining silhouettes, will we ever want to button ourselves into rigid blazers again? It is a question that we put to the experts at Farfetch, Myntra and Le Mill, and here’s what we found out.
As the entirety of the workforce made an overnight shift to working from home, what we looked for from our wardrobes changed as well, believes Celenie Seidel, senior womenswear editor at Farfetch. “Suddenly, workwear became whatever made it easiest for us to work most comfortably during the time of a seismic shift. In the midst of a pandemic, nothing seemed more appropriate or comforting than softer fabrics, knitwear, looser silhouettes, hybrid looks combining activewear and ready-to-wear as well as flat shoes—especially anything slipper- or clog-adjacent,” she elaborates.
For the majority of the country’s workforce, conventional workwear got redefined overnight, asserts Ayyappan Rajagopal, head of business for Myntra. He says, “An increased focus was placed on above-the-waist looks, with the duet of workwear tops and comfortable bottoms becoming the go-to outfit for people working from home across India.” The notion is seconded by Cecilia Morelli, co-founder of Le Mill, who believes that the sudden change expressed itself in our wardrobes with further blurring of the lines between occasions and styles. “One of my friends sent me a meme about how her heels probably think she died, and I think that’s true for everyone. In the beginning, we were selling a lot of loungewear for obvious reasons, but now we’re seeing huge demand for classic pieces that serve as an investment,” she says.
As we made the transition from the cubicle to the couch, the 1920x1080 aspect ratio of a video call became the new birthing ground for trends. Needless to say, workwear fashion in the Zoom era places greater emphasis on attire that can be seen on the screen. “With waist-up dressing assuming the spotlight, statement to wear, such as puffy sleeves and padded shoulders, played a huge role in redefining workwear and empowering people while working from home,” adds Rajagopal. Seidel agrees, and adds, “The way people approach dressing in the Zoom era has become very fit-for-purpose. Greater emphasis is placed on dressing from the waist up, and Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2021 collections illustrated this shift perfectly, such as the high-shine silver GloMesh camisole top paired with laid-back navy parachute tracksuit bottoms.”
So, how did India dress up in these unprecedented times? Calming colours, such as pastels and sorbet tones, generated greater than usual demand, he believes. “Whites are expected to grab a larger portion of customers’ wardrobes, while cottons and sheer fabrics will grow in popularity as we near the hot Indian summer,” he says. However, Morelli believes that waist-up dressing didn’t monopolise the spotlight entirely. She says, “Everyone has spoken about the heightened focus on tops, but I think accessories are having an even bigger moment. A good hair accessory or the minimalist earrings can be just as impactful. We have a reduced frame to communicate who we are and thus, details in outfits are more important than ever.”
For what feels like the first time in forever, workwear fashion finds itself at a crossroads of sorts: having tasted the fuss-free comfort of work-from-home dressing, will we ever want to go back to the starched stiffness of formalwear? For Morelli, the answer lies somewhere between the two ends of the spectrum. “We likely aren’t going back to pinstripe suits, but I also don’t think tracksuits have won just yet. For the foreseeable future, we will continue to work partly at home and partly from an office. And since we won’t get a lot of chances to leave the house, we’ll want to make it count when we do, without the old dress codes or obligations,” she predicts.
Seidel echoes the sentiment, “After riding the wave of multiple lockdowns and having invested in more tracksuits and loungewear than ever before, people will be excited to have a reason to get dressed properly again—because getting dressed in something other than easy knitwear will be a symbol of change, of things having progressed. Going ahead, wardrobes previously equipped for five days a week in the office will morph into a more hybrid collection of pieces which can adapt to the shift between professional and private environments,” she says. So, what’s on the roster for workwear in 2021? Her forecast is headlined by ’90s-inspired tailoring, high-volume trousers and classics updated with confident colour.
In a world that has changed by leaps and spades, individualism will ultimately play the trump card for all sartorial decisions. Morelli chimes in, “Personally, I’m so excited to find my old clothes that I’m binging on my own wardrobe and wearing everything I’ve missed this past year. I expect I’ll continue to value good design and well-made clothes, while perhaps thinking more long-term than ever before.”
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