As thousands of workers across the UK gradually plan their return to the office. Greatly talented and Iconic British fashion designer Giles Deacon has revealing a new post-pandemic workwear collection developed which reimagines how we will dress for the office as WFH comes to an end, so not trashiest bottoms then.
Giles has teamed up with IWG, the world’s largest flexible space operator with brands including Spaces and Regus to envisage what workwear will look like in the new hybrid working world.
The Giles x IWG capsule collection includes three prototype looks (male, female and non-binary), and is informed both Giles’ creative vision and a nationwide office worker survey of how attitudes towards dressing for work have shifted since the pandemic. The collection plays to workers’ wishes to express individuality at work as 55% of workers surveyed for this campaign said they work better when given the freedom to dress how they like, and 40% said they are more creative.
The capsule collection has been designed to combine office sharpness with lockdown comfort style. They provide insight into how the shift to hybrid work is changing office fashion trends as many businesses embrace flexible working and ‘dress for your day’ policies.
All fabrics are organic with poplins, soft needlecord, compact wool and cotton jerseys at the collection core. This is a move away from more traditional fabrics commonly worn pre-lockdown, with the aim of guiding workers to make more considered choices for their work wardrobes by buying pieces that are sustainable and have longevity.
The colour palettes move from traditional black and white to a broader muted palette of charcoal greys alongside soft-washed navy and brown chosen to invigorate strength and dependability of the wearer. Alongside, colours of khaki and sand chosen for their calming properties, with brighter colours such as light blue to help the wearer feel happy, confident and have authority, with red for leadership and determination.
Part of the inspiration for the collection came from Giles’ visits to IWG locations including several in the Spaces portfolio, such as Spaces Liverpool Street, where the IWG X Giles capsule collection was shot. Spaces provides creative working environments with a unique entrepreneurial spirit in hundreds of locations worldwide – perfect for forward thinkers, innovators and game changers who are confident of success.
