Hakan Baykam Reveals New Fashion Trends Since the Pandemic

Working from home has redefined fashion for 2022. Hakan Baykam, president of Istituto Maragoni Miami, sees new trends forming in Miami Beach, FL, Milan, and Paris. With recent technological advancements, global fashion is inspiring innovative designers. 

At-Home Style

Working from home provides a different kind of lifestyle. Those who previously worked in an office no longer have the same dress code. Even if dressing-up is mandated over a video call, who’s to say if they’re wearing pajama bottoms?

Working from home has obvious benefits during the pandemic, but many employees prefer to stay at home even after it’s over. There is more autonomy without a boss physically looking over the shoulder of their employees. Independent workers can run their schedules to meet their priorities. 

With a growing number of stay-at-home workers, society is beginning to shift. Socializing outside the home, for instance, is less frequent and seen as an occasion. The drastic change from at-home attire to luncheon attire has never seemed extreme. 

A Cozy Approach

In a recent Prada show, designers featured clothing based on “wellness.” Tight dresses, snaps, and excessive buttons were no longer highlighted on the runway. Instead, Prada featured shawl-like jackets and hoodies. 

Hoodies are now casually chic. They seem to depict the pandemic in a way that still looks glamorous. Similar to yoga attire, these sweatshirts seem to stretch between loungewear and luxury. The “little hooded dress” is suggestive in its bathrobe-wrap and heavy with weighted fleece. Dress hoodies are now commonly worn both at home and outdoors.

Flared leggings are a current 2022 trend that capitalizes on the new ‘90s comeback and at-home cozy fashion. Because of the flare, these leggings appear less like loungewear and more like street clothes. Typically these pants are worn high on the waist and drape longer over the foot. The result is a cozy feel with the ‘90s style. 

At-Home Work Fashion

More businesses have moved online. Tech companies and freelance writers are not the only ones to have moved into the virtual arena. It is less expensive to have employees work from home than pay for office furniture and rent. Now accountants, assistants, marketing departments, call centers, retail stores, and even pet shops use video calling systems.

Working from home can be complicated in terms of fashion. Without mandatory video calls, employees can wear anything they want. Sweat pants, gym clothes, loungewear are all acceptable work attire if there are no virtual meetings.

Work fashion is coordinated but not necessarily expensive for those who see other employees or clients. Fabric that has to be dry-cleaned is more often replaced by alternative hybrid material. Styles tend to be more relaxed but still classic. 

Many at-home employees prefer separates. This gives men and women more choices to coordinate a set. Using matching colors instead of materials is one way to dress an outfit up or down, depending on the circumstance.

Going Out While Working From Home

On the occasions where employees must meet clients outside of their homes, style is increasingly bold. Since dining in restaurants or meeting in an office is still rare in many places, fashion has become more important than ever. Hakan Baykam has noticed an abundance of bright colors for 2022.

Meeting clients is a chance to show off. Presenting the company as a forward-thinking business can be done with the right wardrobe—currently, trends like “disco utility” highlight strong colors with a flash of sparkle. For more subdued industries, stripes are a way to present bold fashion without necessarily the color.

Global Trends From Virtual Working Habits

Working at home has influenced the way men and women dress around the world. Hakan Baykam notes that Italy has been increasingly interested in cashmere wool knitwear. This luxurious comfort combines both the cozy feeling of home with exquisite material.

Italian fashion is concerned with quality fabric. Although companies tend to transition from business wear to comfort, the new fashion is not lazy. The high tiered fabric allows women to move freely while still maintaining an elegant look.

In Brazil, flip-flops are trending for both men and women. This is a comfortable way to travel, but it also shows something else: socks. Toe socks with biodiversity logos are in style and glittery, bright fabric. Both children and adults frequently use mixed textures.

India has recently embraced athleisure. With more professionals working from home, formal shirts are only worn for video calls. India had one of the strictest lock-downs in the world, and clothing sales dropped almost 30%. 

In France, video calls have been more stressful since the pandemic. The French have adopted new styles to represent elegance to match their at-home work sphere. Instead of suits, cashmere sweaters are worn with chinos. Dresses and ponchos are frequently worn. Lipstick and jewelry are still relevant for today’s French trends.

Final Thoughts

According to Hakan Baykam, working from home does not mean fashion has disappeared. Instead, styles from around the world are progressing. New outfits send signals about the most prominent lifestyles by combining comfort and luxury. With so much change happening all at once, the future interpretation of beauty has yet to be seen.