If you deeply care about style but are often forced to choose between looking stylish and feeling comfortable, we have some great news for you: haute-comfort is on the rise. Luxury hoodies, in particular, seem to be one of the hottest trends in 2024, and we, for one, couldn’t be happier.
This year’s fashion trends are less about “dressing to impress” and more about comfort and individuality. And we think we know why that is – today’s consumer is a confident one, demanding not just fashion that looks good on them but fashion that also feels good to them.
The Evolution of Fashion
Fashion trends come and go, this has always been so. Forgive the rhyme, but it’s true – while some styles could be called evergreen (e.g. a classic trench coat and a nice pair of sunglasses will always be in vogue), fashion, in general, tends to change often as it’s influenced by societal shifts and changing lifestyles.
Case in point: as remote work becomes more prevalent, ‘office’ wear changes. A couple of decades ago, one was expected to look prim and proper at work, but today, when anywhere between 27% to 50% of the U.S. workforce works remotely? There are no hard rules about office wear; you could literally wear whatever you wanted (even nothing at all), and it’s likely no one would care, as long as your camera is off.
Still, the vast majority of people, we’d wager, don’t want to look like slobs, regardless of where they work. Sure, dress codes are more flexible today, but if you want to look like a functioning member of society, it is expected that you put some effort into your appearance.
The Rise of Luxury Comfort
The reorientation of cozy apparel into the everyday wardrobe is a simple consequence of the more relaxed lifestyle we all seem to want or already lead nowadays. Most people want clothing that can seamlessly transition from a virtual meeting to a casual brunch – without sacrificing style.
This shift towards comfort hasn’t escaped the all-seeing eye of luxury fashion; on the contrary. Traditionally associated with high-end formal wear and glamorous evening attire, luxury brands are now embracing the demand for everyday elegance. Hence the luxury hoodies everyone seems to be obsessed with at the moment.
We say “at the moment,” but judging by our lifestyles, which are all about comfort and practicality thanks to the rise of remote work, this trend is here to stay. And fashion houses and other online retailers are taking notice. From hand-stitched embroidery to custom hardware, modern hoodies are designed to look interesting and add some individuality to the wearer without sacrificing comfort.
In addition to luxury brands (take a peep at Balmain or Alexander McQueen’s latest hoodies), various online platforms now sell pieces with super-unique designs that add character to the garment.
Heck, many allow you to create a custom hoodie design of your choice for ultimate personalization. You can literally customize anything from fabric to color to motifs to prints. You can even put your own initials on the hoodie if you want to!
Elevating the Everyday Wear
When all is said and done, some of you might be wondering what even is the appeal of luxury hoodies, sweatpants, and workout clothes? Coco Chanel said it best: “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” In other words, to be truly stylish, one has to feel comfortable in the clothes they wear, and really, what is more comfy than a nice, oversized hoodie with meticulous stitching or a long knitted dress that doesn’t restrict but compliments one’s body?
True, this trend might not be for everyone. But for a generation that values authenticity and comfort as much as they do style? It’s a trend that’s here to stay.
