Could it be a nostalgia for The Wolf of Wall Street vanity and insanity? A yearning for the stability of a corporate ‘uniform’ in uncertain times? Or a desire for a dress code that signals ‘winner’ when success can be so fleeting? The trio of impulses is enough to launch a new ‘corpcore’ mode into the style consciousness. Pinstripe suits, collared shirts, pencil skirts, blazer dresses, polished Oxfords and even attaché cases (courtesy of Balenciaga) are lining up like dutiful executives at a leadership conference.
The pronounced shoulders, sleek lines and sense of polish are a rebuttal to years of work-from-home casual attire that dominated post-Covid. Stylistic cues are being taken from Savile Row tailoring, from 90s dress-for-success manuals, from corporate thriller films and dramas: cue up Meghan Markle in Suits, Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface and Cate Blanchett in Tár. But the twist in 2023 is towards an approachable kind of power.
‘In the past, power was communicated through sharpness, shoulder pads and a kind of armour. The sexualised version – the secretary look – was more about how men wanted to see women. Personally, I admire women who dress for themselves: sensual and intelligent, using their femininity as a tool in clever, unexpected ways. Intelligence is the new power,’ says Vienna-based designer Petar Petrov, whose leagues of C-suite clients are drawn to his distinct suiting cut in fine, light wools. ‘A friend joked she was still searching for her “boss-lady look”. All her employees are younger, and she wanted to feel fresh while also representing authority – but with comfort. She was frustrated because she couldn’t find much out there that balanced those needs,’ continues Petrov. Standouts this season (complete with punchy names) include The Strategist, a single-breasted jacket with a slim, patched pocket, and The Foundation Jacket, cut in Italian flannel with a hidden drawstring at the back to subtly adjust the silhouette.
The demand for assertiveness and efficiency is being answered across the board, from Prada’s slate-grey wool suiting, to Stella McCartney’s double-breasted pinstripe blazer mini dress and lace-trimmed pencil skirt (Rachel Zane to a tee), to Saint Laurent’s Prince of Wales checked jackets and matching culottes. Sets and suits alleviate the morning drama. ‘When we launched the brand, we kept coming back to the idea that a man could throw on a blazer and instantly look put-together. Why didn’t women have that same one-and-done piece? Executives still want to look powerful, but also gorgeous and confident,’ says Veronica Miele Beard, the American designer who co-founded the Veronica Beard brand with her sister-in-law, Veronica Swanson Beard. Their solution is interchangeable sets – crop jackets, midi skirts, button-down shirts, waistcoats and the bestselling Dickey jacket included.
The shared mission is to ease the dull anonymity associated with tailoring via details, proportions and styling. ‘Women in executive roles are prioritising comfort, levelling up and using fashion as a way to connect, rather than to create distance,’ says James Servini, head of personal shopping at Selfridges. ‘Well-made, well-cut tailored pieces can lift an outfit by the way they make the wearer feel and carry themselves. It’s that sense of confidence which makes them a valuable, long-term wardrobe asset,’ he says, noting how tailored trousers worn with sneakers, or jackets with capri pants all amplify individuality.
One of the most charming interpretations of corpcore came from 26-year-old Belgian designer Julie Kegels in a collection entitled Dress Code that debuted after finding a 1980s book Executive Style: Achieving Success Through Good Taste and Design by Judith Price. The glossy tome suggested how a whole office deco/wardrobe ‘look’ might guarantee professional success. Kegels wanted to capture that in clothes. Cue poplin shirts with giant shoulder pads, pencil skirts peeled down at the waist to reveal pale blue silk linings and boss-lady briefcases with their own waterproof ‘capes’. If only the route to the C-suite could be so simple.
