Workwear news and archive

Workwear: A sartorial bridge between utility and design

In the bustling district of Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, an intimate exhibition revealed the rich story of workwear and its often overlooked economic and cultural narrative—a textile showcase that transcends fabric and function. Showing pieces from the archives of London-based collectors The Vintage Showroom, the Hong Kong Design Institute-organised...

Fashion |Opinion Featured

Why the Prada space suit matters

The fashion industry, long criticised for its cyclical and often repetitive nature, may have found a truly innovative frontier in the realm of space exploration. This groundbreaking development comes at a time when fashion marketing and design have begun to feel increasingly homogeneous, with brands struggling to differentiate themselves in a...

Fashion

What's behind the latest collection of workwear for children?

Work overalls for children with a GPS tracker in case they get lost? A small waxed shirt that defies pesticides? Trousers with knee pads for undisturbed crawling? What at first glance may sound like a good idea for active children or, somewhat more cynically, safety gear for the impending climate change, has a serious background: child labour....

Fashion

Engelbert Strauss collaborates with Hollywood’s Stuntmen’s Association

German workwear manufacturer Engelbert Strauss has partnered with the US Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures for a collection of co-branded workwear and apparel. The collection includes hoodies, t-shirts and polo shirts, as well as signature workwear attire like cargo work shorts, work pants and work jackets. All pieces carry custom,...

BusinessFeatured

The pitfalls behind gender neutral workwear

The days when a workwear package consisted of a separate set for men and ladies is long gone. From 2023, more and more companies are opting for gender-neutral workwear. Many consumers are applauding the move because this potentially will put to an end the sexist approach to workwear. The starting point is that everyone is treated equally,...

Fashion Featured

Throw formalwear out of the window: ‘Office Punk’ rules the working world

The arrival of Generation Z in the world of work has been the subject of heated debate for years. While most researchers and studies to date have focused on the work ethos of this strong-willed generation, little attention has been paid to their fashionable affinities for the office. And yet it is hard to imagine that the highly expressive...

Fashion

Dickies releases Franky Villani pro collection

Global workwear brand Dickies has announced the launch of an exclusive collection in collaboration with pro skateboarder Franky Villani. The collection includes apparel and accessories. Villani, a Dickies Skateboarding team rider, influenced the collection’s horror aesthetic. Released just in time for Halloween, the collection is decorated with...

Fashion

Carhartt launches Fit For The Next Frontier Campaign

Carhartt has launched its multi-year Fit For The Next Frontier campaign. A rallying cry to inspire Americans to claim jobs in the wake of a skilled labour shortage, the campaign speaks to the workwear brand’s roots. Through a new video, the campaign features over fifty different tradespeople, each defining a new frontier of an industry. This...

Fashion Featured

Workwear expert Aileen Out: "Good and comfortable work clothing are of vital importance"

From criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris' casual looks on the cover of Vogue, to shaming congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for wearing the wrong kind of shoes, it is an all too familiar rhetoric on the workwear of people in power, particularly women. The discussion represents a constant tension in the world of workwear: that between...

Fashion

Suits are out and sweatpants are in: Corona's lasting affect on workwear

Suits and tailored shirts are out, sweatpants and pajamas are in: remote working is changing work clothes habits, and while vaccines may bring back some formality, old-school office attire should emerge from the pandemic far less starched and strict. "For the last year, everybody has just been dressed from the waist up, wearing a nice short for...

Fashion Featured

Why do fashion designers dress themselves in uniforms?

What does Giorgio Armani have in common with Steve Jobs, Karl Lagerfeld with Mark Zuckerberg, Anna Wintour with Mother Teresa? They are associated with wearing an instantly recognizable daily uniform. Jobs and Zuckerberg might be said to dress for the technology industry, Mother Teresa had little time for trends, but fashion designers and...