Workwear. Opting out of performance.
Fashionable city people dress as if they are in the wilderness, never more than ten minutes from a flat white.
THE GIST ON WORKWEAR: "Workwear Everywhere"
Why is workwear everywhere?
Over the last decade, workwear and outdoor brands have moved from the margins to the mainstream of city style. Carhartt, Dickies, Salomon, The North Face and Patagonia are now standard urban uniforms for people whose lives involve cafes, offices and public transport, in clothes designed for construction sites, factories and extreme weather. They've barely changed.
Why does that matter?
That's the point. These clothes were designed around use. Fashion culture is built around constant novelty, but workwear doesn't need positioning or explanation, because it's already proven. In cities, style feels like performance, and workwear is a way of opting out.
What does it say about value?
Choosing something utilitarian in a hyper-curated environment silently rejects that posturing. A heritage that's been earned is worth a lot more than an aesthetic that's been engineered. People are ascribing value to authenticity over hype, and it's been a long time coming.
Do you wear workwear brands?
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Quick answers
Which brands does Huw name?
Carhartt, Dickies, Salomon, The North Face and Patagonia.
Why does workwear appeal?
It is designed around use and already proven, so it needs no positioning.
What is it a sign of?
Value shifting to authenticity over hype.
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