How to bring that work-from-home feel into the office: workleisure trend uses hi-tech materials to mix a professional look with a looser fit

If you’re wondering what to wear to the office these days, look no further than the label that also makes your workout gear. Innovative fabrics are the basis for the workleisure trend, which merges a professional look with a relaxed fit to provide a work-from-home feel at the office, according to style experts and trend forecasters. Many workers became accustomed to their comfy attire over the past few years and want to bring that with them back to the office. TikTok is overflowing with videos appealing to “corporate girlies” in search of high-quality clothing that means business but wears like pyjamas. A clip posted by @theshoppingbestie as she’s picking through a selection of stretchy office pants garnered four million views. Alisha Galvin, a nurse, got more than 1.8 million views for a video of herself styling a pair of Athleta’s US$119 Salutation Stash flared trousers with a button-down and then a blazer. Commenters were torn whether the trousers belonged in an office or a yoga studio. “Athleta makes work clothes now?” one read. Bella Hadid is not the only one wearing sleepwear as daywear – and we love it A similar shift has occurred at Lululemon: the brand’s US$148 smooth fit high-rise trousers or US$198 new venture blazer for men have potential as work basics. How have retailers such as these, which have historically marketed themselves as athletic apparel brands, so successfully blurred the line between athleisure and office wear? The secret is in the materials they use. Athleta’s Salutation Stash flared trousers, for example, are made with Powervita fabric, a proprietary material that’s breathable and quick-drying. Customers “don’t have to sacrifice comfort when heading into the office”, an Athleta spokesperson said of the fabric in an email. Instead of launching a direct assault on the buttoned-up look of office wear, athletic clothing brands are stealthily crossing over into professional attire. Stiff blouses are being redone in nylon, and shoes are being rolled out in a mushroom-based faux leather. The softer the fabric, the more pyjama-y it looks Karen Lee, co-founder of Lezé the Label Enhanced comfort isn’t the only thing these fabrics have to offer – they can also be weather-repellent, wrinkle-resistant, lightweight and sustainable. “You can get a very high-polish, very sophisticated look, yet there’s now an element of comfort that never existed before,” says Jessica Cadmus, wardrobe stylist at Wardrobe Whisperer and founder of Rogue Paq Accessories. Technical fabrics can also be a way to regain control of the office environment as the decision to work remotely becomes increasingly out of employees’ hands, said Cadmus. A material that corrects for the temperature, such as Uniqlo’s US$39.90 breezy rayon blouse or Patagonia’s US$119 polyester corporate vest, functions in place of adjusting the living room thermostat. “We’re going to start to see more and more fabrics that keep the body cool,” says Sofia Martinelli, senior strategist at trend forecaster WGSN. “It’s definitely one of the fronts of innovation right now.” Beyond comfort and control, some consumers are craving fabrics that stand up for their values even when they’re seated behind a desk. That’s why Karen Lee, co-founder of Lezé the Label, an eco-conscious workwear brand, uses fabrics made from two non-traditional materials: fishing nets and corn. The challenge is that “the softer the fabric, the more pyjama-y it looks”, says Lee, making it hard to land on a blend that is simultaneously soft to the touch yet also structured. Versatility, according to Lee, is also non-negotiable for today’s consumer. “There is almost an expectation or standard that clothes should be multifunctional and serve different occasions if people are going to invest,” she says. The hashtag #capsulewardrobe, which refers to a collection of clothing limited to only interchangeable basics that complement each other, has about 1.4 billion views on TikTok. If you make a dress from an activewear fabric, it still looks like activewear Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali and Associates Companies are also turning to fabrics that are eco-friendly or offer technological benefits. Major fashion brands such as Stella McCartney and Adidas have used an alternative fabric called mylo, which is made out of mycelium, a network of fungal threads that look and feel approximately like animal leather. And wide-leg trousers from Eileen Fisher look like pure cotton but are actually made from hemp, which takes half as much water to cultivate, making it more sustainable. Buy less but Bettter: unsold menswear upcycled into timeless womenswear Jessica Ramirez, senior research analyst at retail and brand investment research firm Jane Hali and Associates, predicts that smart fabrics, and materials with digital capabilities, are the next frontier designers will push into the workplace. For now, she thinks the workleisure movement is still lagging in one category: dresses. “If you make a dress from an activewear fabric, it still looks like activewear,” she says.