By
Bloomberg
Published
October 18, 2024
The classic men's suit refuses to die. Despite disruptive sartorial movements, such as the rise of streetwear and the increasing casualization of C-suite uniforms (not to mention a global pandemic that turned everyone into athleisure), the final nail in his coffin.
In fact, some experts believe that the fallout from Covid-19 was partially responsible for accelerating the suit's most recent reinvention. “I think everyone got tired of wearing sweatpants and is now excited to get back to dressing up,” says men's fashion writer Jeremy Freed. “And as dress codes have relaxed, dressing for the office doesn't mean the same thing as it did a generation ago.”
In other words, now that suits are no longer an office requirement, they are considered something novel, even fun, to wear.
Designers are reworking them accordingly. Whether it was the gangly excess of Saint Laurent's swaggering suiting or the sweeping ease of The Row's monastic tailoring or even Zegna's boxy, knotted workwear hybrid versions, the fall 2024 collections saw big brands Take a languid approach to the classic two-piece suit.
This new wave of looser, more relaxed suits aren't the completely baggy Giorgio Armani pleats of the 1990s, but they do point toward a look that offers more ease and laid-back appeal: a little Italian sprezzatura, some Italian casualness. West Coast and Yeah, some '80s Wall Street swagger. We call it Armani Light.
A group of smaller, livelier labels have led the charge. British brand Drake's has cornered the “cool teacher” vibe with its emphasis on classic European styles like Fair Isle sweaters and Prince of Wales sport coats. Greenwich Village custom tailor J. Mueser crafts classics with a twist, while Stoffa, also in New York, specializes in soulful, suit-meets-pajama insouciance.
“In recent years, we've seen that most people are choosing a more relaxed silhouette for their suits,” says Jake Mueser, owner of J. Mueser. “Everywhere, from the runway to the office, people are choosing varying degrees of more drapey cuts. I've certainly been cutting our pants and jackets in a more relaxed way. “The old photo shoots of Armani and Ralph Lauren Polo have romantically captured the hearts of the industry.”
Meanwhile, Freed noted the shift coming from tailoring operations like Armory in New York and Anthology in Hong Kong, which are adding more casual cuts to their roster. “In a sense, it's a look back at the '80s and Armani's relaxed, drapey silhouette,” he says. “But it's also about comfort and spending years wearing sportswear and elastic waists. “People don’t want to be put in straitjackets.”
This all coincides with the natural cycle of trends which, after years of fitted suits driven by the likes of Thom Browne and Hedi Slimane, has returned to a more generously cut shape. According to data from Google Trends, searches for double-breasted suits increased 11% year over year; those in pleated pants have increased by 20%. Vogue just put Billie Eilish on its October cover in an oversized pale yellow Gucci suit.
“Just as the slim silhouette emerged as a reaction to the baggyness of the '90s, now we have this looser silhouette,” says Derek Guy, a popular social commentator who goes by @DieWorkwear. “People originally bought the slim silhouette because it indicated that you were in the know, and it's no longer a sign of that.”
Consider it a reaction to the current archetype of the rigid worker, exemplified in hit shows like Industry, where the young people of London's financial world wear staid, drab clothes: plain sweaters and trousers in shades of black, navy blue and grey. It's efficient and coherent, but without a hint of romance or style.
Armani, of course, showed that this was not always the case. His suits, especially in the 1980s and early '90s, were broad-shouldered, heavily pleated, and made in striking shades of gray. Their clothes had a dynamism and swagger that the half-zip sweaters and fleece vests of the company's current brand could never replicate. It's no wonder today's designers look back to take a page from this timeless style.
