SUITABLE BEHAVIOUR
The power suit is back and it’s come a long way since the days of exaggerated shoulder pads and boxy silhouettes
“I have subconsciously always thought of a tailored women’s pantsuit to be a silent protest against society and its slant towards misogyny”
THEBE MAGUGU DESIGNER
From Alexander McQueen’s tuxedo jackets with lace inserts and coat-tails to Tom Ford’s bold red, full-look, leopard printed suits and Balmain’s shimmeringpink slouchy tailored ensemble, it’s clear that the power suit is back — but it is no longer intrinsically masculine. The women’s power suit of today is at ease and stylish, with sharp shoulders and an accentuated waist, making a powerful yet feminine statement. Jackets have become so perfectly tailored for the contours of the female body that they can’t be mistaken for stuffing a woman into a man’s clothes, like they used to be. The aesthetic is no longer a “borrowed from the boys” look that tries to emulate male power with broad shoulders and boxy shapes.
There is a certain power in clothing. What we wear from head to toe is more than just material; it’s a cultural signifier, imbued with social meaning. Throughout history, the evolution of the power suit has mirrored the status of female emancipation and empowerment. Traditionally, it featured boxy, straight-cut jackets with large shoulder pads and exaggerated angles, in an attempt to project power and credibility and symbolise women’s seriousness and competence in a man’s world.
“In the 1900s, women were considered second-class citizens — they were not even able to vote, and were punished for wearing pants,” says local designer Thebe Magugu. “It was in the ’20s that women — for various reasons, whether it was working in labour-intensive jobs or just having a rebellious spirit — began wearing pants. Because of this, I have subconsciously always thought of a tailored woman’s pantsuit to be a silent protest against society and its slant towards misogyny.”
In 1920, after decades of corsets and restrictive clothing, Coco Chanel liberated women’s fashion with her game-changing suit — a wool jersey cardigan-style jacket with bold black trim, gold buttons and pockets, worn with a straight knee-length skirt. This evolved into the signature tweed ensemble for which Chanel is known today. Chanel gave women’s wear a muchneeded change of direction, in which clothes became a source of empowerment instead of restriction.
In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent created the iconic Le Smoking suit, the first tuxedo suit for women. With this, Saint Laurent not only made it fashionable for women to wear trousers but transformed traditionally male attire into something women could wear to exude not only power but sex appeal — a major milestone in the journey towards today’s incarnation of the power suit.
In the ’80s Giorgio Armani gave the power suit a serious yet stylish and modern twist. As the popularity of wide shoulders and dramatic angles waned, Armani redefined it with sharp yet feminine shoulders, slimmer sleeves, more flattering lines and luxuriously refined fabric, making the power suit not only more feminine but also more practical and comfortable for daily wear.
Fashion has always had a way of communicating the zeitgeist. In recent seasons, the return and redefinition of the power suit has been one of the myriad ways that fashion designers have tapped into the cultural tone of the times that have come to be defined by blurring gender lines and movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp.
Today’s power suit no longer seeks to emulate men’s tailoring like it did in the ’80s, it seeks to embolden women in their own right. With increasingly blurred gender lines in the “rules” of clothing and the diversified presentation of runway shows, the sartorial playing field has been levelled. The suit today is less about men and more about mutual style. The perpetual floral trend comes through in decadent brocade fabrication, while bold colours of the season make a statement on everything from jackets to trousers and what’s worn underneath. Additionally, trending silhouettes are echoed with a shift in proportions and shapes as seen with changing jacket lengths and trouser styles.
Today’s power suit is also codified with messages of feminism, gender and the economy. Following the recent wave of feminism that has rippled through the industry, designers are creating the clothes to empower and embolden women to step up and speak up. With the rebounding economy and retail industry, women are buying into this message and investing in something with stature and longevity.
Social commentary aside, what makes the suit so alluring to the modern woman? “The pantsuit is a very flattering outfit, and incredibly versatile as well. Whether you own one in a drastically oversized proportion a-la-Fenty or a tiny tiny YSL cigarette pant version, one will always look smart, fashionable and ready to take on that glass ceiling,” says Magugu