The Year Business Wear Beat Streetwear
Shoppers are swapping their streetwear for "corpcore" — tailored, business-friendly attire like blazers, pinstripe pants, and collared shirts — according to a new report by resale shopping platform The RealReal.
The revelation comes courtesy of The RealReal's 2024 Luxury Resale Report, an annual roundup of key shopping trends.
A year ago, we reported that Supreme is dead. The streetwear giant has become so big that, by any trendsetter's standards, its cultural clout has waned. Data seems to support our hypothesis — according to The RealReal, sales of Supreme slumped 25 percent year-over-year.
Sales of Off-White and Nike Jordans experienced a similar decline, waning by 34 and 35 percent, respectively.
On the other hand, sales of brands known for their tailoring surged. Thom Browne enjoyed a whopping 122 percent increase in sales, Giorgio Armani 44 percent, and Zegna 33 percent.
The RealReal also noted that its hottest "sleeper" brands — Bally, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, St. John, and Gianfranco Ferré — all specialize in office-appropriate attire.
Our taste for corpcore seems to be an outgrowth of the "office siren," a sexed-up version of the geek chic aesthetic that peaked in early 2024.
Now, it seems we're gravitating towards the look's more demure trappings: blocky blazers, vests, and pantsuits. Experts have hypothesized that the trend can be attributed to Gen Z's entrance into the workforce, a milestone that for many, necessitates a more dressed-up wardrobe.
And there's another factor at play: an increasing number of companies are shifting from remote to in-person work.
Sweatpants might cut it for an at-home Zoom call, but they don't work in the boardroom.
