THE NEW FORMAL

So, where next for the modern working wardrobe?

The new shapeshifting schedule of client and colleague video calls, family commitments and socially distanced socialising means a need for more malleability. As Milanese brand Eleventy’s Men’s Creative Director, Marco Baldassari, says, “people want their items to be versatile: wear the pants one day with a dressy polo, the blazer the next day with a refined cotton chino.”

Workwear aficionado Oscar Jacobson is embracing what it calls “soft tailoring” – the Swedish heritage brand’s Creative Director, Mats Pettersson, sums this up as “garments that, through their unique fit, construction and fabrication, are suitable for both a work and a home environment”. Think a textured polo shirt beneath a stretch-cotton blazer.

Sunspel is following a similar route. Its Head of Design, David Telfer, explains the shift. “Outside of our core, our design handwriting is continuing to subtly evolve as the industry trend shifts towards more comfort and easier silhouettes. We have found this particularly for trousers: there is a need for a bit of stretch for comfort, and drawstring designs and relaxed fits have become more relevant in recent seasons.” Starch is out; stretch is in.

Of course, this isn’t about binning your blazers and embracing nothing but elasticated waistbands. Fashion LifeStylist Victoria Hitchcock, who advises tech execs and Fortune 500 leaders from Silicon Valley to Shanghai how to curate their personal brands (and wardrobes), says it’s still important to balance versatility with professionalism during those key “visual bites” of online meetings.

“Nonverbal cues are even more important than before,” she says. “I tell my clients to dress from head to toe – both for their own self-respect and because you never know when something unexpected is going to force you to stand up.” Athleisure does not feature in her signature “deconstructed office” and “deconstructed virtual office” looks, for instance. “It looks like you’re in your pyjamas. On the other extreme, don’t overdo it with the perfectly pulled-together look. My mantra is to be perfectly imperfect. And no hats.”

Take London label Prévu – a brand usually known for ultra-comfy co-ord sets – which is embracing the trappings of traditional formalwear. “I think things are definitely getting smarter. Formalwear is redefined, with a more modern finish. We’ve enjoyed making suits in lovely pastel colours or a blazer with cuffed sleeves, which really captures what we’ve built with our luxury/leisure message,” says Founder Jake Hall. “We had the twinset, and now we have the (track)suit, which nods towards modern tailoring while still keeping our core, casual feel.…I used to love the old days where everyone wore suits, so this is another version of that. History and spice.”

The final piece in the new formalwear puzzle? Personality. While Facebook Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg’s anti-fashion formula has become the ultimate tech-bro uniform, Victoria Hitchcock, who has been dressing Silicon Valley’s professionals for decades, advises that “self-expression is key these days,” and encourages clients to “unveil different aspects of themselves…and bring in different experiences, different preferences, different moods, different environments” to their outfits. A closet full of clones may be easy, but it’s not always effective.

Sunspel’s David Telfer agrees – it’s a time to take chances, not hide in a uniform. “It is an exciting time for formal menswear – there is more opportunity to dress in a way that represents your personal style, rather than what you are expected to wear.” With a liberation from office dress codes, the time is ripe to experiment with colours, patterns and textures, such as a mixed-and-matched Prévu twinset or a pair of Sunspel’s towelling shorts with a linen shirt. We’ll take our lead from Oscar Jacobson’s Mats Pettersson: “Try to find your own unique sense of style, mix old and new and dare to stand out in the crowd! Always try to be well dressed rather than dressed up.”