Winter 2019 - Inside Outdoor Magazine

Inside Outdoor | winter 2019 47 Clearly, workwear’s reputation for being built to withstand time and hard labor plays well here, but it’s not the only performance attribute to consider. Ac- cording to Eric Reed, who handles Eastern U.S. sales for Topo Designs, which recently launched a new workwear collection incorporating CORDURA fabrics, most of today’s consumers have grown up with an understanding of and appreciation for performance fabrications. And with that comes an appreciation for the functional or utilitarian nature of workwear. All the while, whereas the patched and reinforced canvas pants and denim chore jackets of old pro- tected wearers and stood up to rough environments, today’s workwear has added versatility by way of fabric and fiber innovations that add stretch, moisture management, stain resistance, hand and hang, with- out compromising strength and durability. “Workwear is the notion of protection and ver- satility,” says Cindy McNaull, global CORDURA brand and marketing director. “It’s a tool that you happen to wear.” Just as outdoor performance apparel and ath- leisure allow wearers to seamlessly transition from workout to work space, modern work pants and tops, often featuring the same fabrications and components, allow folks to transition from work set- tings to life settings without ever feeling like a bull- dozer in a coffee shop. Dovetail’s latest Eli Chore Coat constructed with CORDURA Naturalle fabric aligns perfectly with its philosophy of designing the ultimate union of technology and tailoring for women who work. “Workwear is for the industrial athlete,” says Sar- ah Deluca, co-founder of women’s workwear brand Dovetail. “It’s for the person who works on a sky- scraper, but it’s also for the person who is landscap- ing or in the natural sciences or doing DIY projects at home and then heading into the mountains.” For the more trend-conscious, workwear, says Reed, speaks to prevailing sensibilities toward vin- tage, craftsmanship and the DIY movement. At the same time, the workwear segment is getting a boost as more women enter previously male-dominated careers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, trade, transportation and utilities is now the second largest employer of women in the U.S. These are the types of custom- ers Dovetail is looking to serve with its collection of functional, durable and smart-fitting workwear for women. Dovetail customers also include women crafters and artists who understand the conve- nience of functional clothing when blowing glass, painting a canvas or sanding a table leg but aren’t seeking to sport heavy-duty canvas or look like they just laid asphalt. “To look at workwear as a category just for con- struction workers is narrow minded,” says Kate Day, who founded Dovetail along with DeLuca and Kyle Begley, in a recent article from Sourcing Journal . Ultimately, the workwear trend should be watched from two directions. At one end, we see elements of traditional work- and industrial wear creeping into street and performance apparel, thanks mostly to the “craft” or “makers” movements; and on the other end, we have apparel that is made for work but offers the comfort, performance and aesthetics to flow into everyday wear, thanks to developments in durable, performance fabrications. m Part of Mountain Khaki’s workwear line, the new Moran Shirt Jac features SeaWool insulation built into a cozy, yet durable, flannel over shirt. Helly Hansen’s Maroi shell jacket takes inspiration from ski patrol and first responder outerwear