Return to office: 'There's no going back’ to traditional workwear, Mizzen + Main founder says

Americans are reluctantly returning to the office — albeit with a slightly different wardrobe.

Kastle Systems data showed that 44% of workers in 10 major U.S. cities clocked in during the most recent week, the highest that number has been since the start of the pandemic.

Menswear trends, however, have changed in the last two years of working at home, and men are continuing to opt for performance fabrics, according to Mizzen + Main Founder Kevin LaVelle.

“There’s no going back to the clothes that require ironing and dry cleaning all the time, that don’t stretch, that just make you feel stiff and uncomfortable,” LaVelle told Yahoo Finance Live (video above). “People have just changed their expectations.”

Mizzen + Main’s own research shows that searches for dress shirts on its site are up by several hundred percent in the last year. The retailer has also seen a spike in searches for polo shirts, which LaVelle attributes to another COVID-related spike: the golf craze.

“The biggest explosion over the last two years has been golf,” LaVelle said. “The interest seems to be at an all-time high. And while we always had kind of a toehold in the golf world — and that increased with our partnership with Phil Mickelson — we ultimately have seen just an enormous expansion of interest in clothes that can blend from the workplace into golf.”

While LaVelle never saw the pandemic coming, he was ahead of the curve on the athleisure and comfort trends of the past two years.

“It's the kind of perfect blend of business casual, but not totally casual,” he added. “Guys are doing that, play a few holes in between meetings. And ultimately, the expectation is, I want to be as comfortable as I was over the last few years, sitting at home on my couch, even if I have to be dressed up on Zoom or going back into the office.”

Advertising with 'fun content and escape'

Mizzen + Main has leaned into the crossover between workplace attire and golf attire in recent years, including with its most viral social media ad to date, a TikTok video viewed more than 3.7 million times that shows a golfer zooming around the course with an office backdrop on his golf cart.

According to LaVelle, creating engaging content on social media platforms like TikTok has helped the company connect with consumers in a cluttered digital advertising landscape.

“People aren’t just looking for a product, they’re looking for a brand that is an extension of who they are,” he said. “When you put something on, it says a lot about who you are as a person. And so we just work to stay connected to our customers, give them that fun content and escape and respite.”

The company’s first viral ad, which aired four years ago, featured a dancing Phil Mickelson, the beloved golfer turned pariah over his decision to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour.

Even though Mickelson no longer represents the brand, LaVelle was steadfast in his defense,

“I know Phil to be a great guy, he's a family guy, he loves his wife, he’s been a great ambassador for the game of golf,” LaVelle said. “He’s been a great business partner and a friend to us as well. I do think there’s been an overreaction and ultimately some people end up being lightning rods for an issue that gets a lot of attention.”

As Mizzen + Main continues its outreach to new customers through social media campaigns and its signature clothing lines, the brand is also walking the line between passing off cost increases and trimming margins.

“The question that a lot of customers are asking is, how far will my dollar get me?” LaVelle said. “And we’re trying to make sure that we can hold the line as best as possible to deliver value for our customers.”

Like many other retailers, the company has seen significant pressure from its supply chain due to higher freight costs. Still, LaVelle noted that demand hasn't slowed amid widespread inflation.

“This is why I created Mizzen + Main a decade ago, to bring the best of stretch performance fabrics to traditional menswear,” he said. “So our offering is saying, if you like those stretchy athleisure clothes when you were working at home but you need to go back to the office or perhaps look nicer on Zoom, we’re here for you.”

Dave Briggs is an anchor for Yahoo Finance.

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