InStitchu co-founders Robin McGowan and James Wakefield discuss their latest campaign, 'The Coastal Collection' and how the suiting business has adapted its offering to the work from home environment.
Robin: No matter what you do for a living or where you’re based, it’s been a challenging year.
With this campaign we wanted to try and capture the essence of the stunning Australian coastline and the beauty it represents.
Whether that means jumping in the car (if you’re allowed) and visiting some of the spots in the literal sense, or simply soaking up some of the poetry and majesty these beaches represent, we’re big believers that a connection to nature is a great way to inject some positivity back into our lives.
Given the changes we’re all dealing with, our customers have told us they’re opting for lightweight and casual garments that are still tailored and thoughtful.
At first, there was a period of everybody wearing their pajamas on their laptop each day.
But as people have grown accustomed to a new way of living and working, and as workplaces and social destinations have begun to open up in some parts of the country, people want to dress in a way that gives them confidence and energy, without feeling stuffy or restricted.
Lightweight fabrics like linen and cotton are more popular than ever, and casual details like our new drawstring trousers are proving very popular.
We’re very proud to have shot both menswear and womenswear together for the first time, a natural evolution that has been a long time in the making.
James: The idea of a coastal destination represents a lot that’s outside of our grasp at the moment - the freedom of the open road, and the possibility and adventure of unrestricted travel.
By embracing natural elements like the sand, ocean and wind, we wanted to try to celebrate some of that raw hope that’s missing from the public conversation at the moment, showing everybody that there’s still a lot of beauty out there, and a lot of confidence and joy to take from dressing well.
As well as the new collection of menswear garments, from lightweight woollen suits to deconstructed linen blazers, cotton chinos and more relaxed casual shirting, we’re particularly excited to evolve our womenswear collection, showcasing some exciting new fabrics, cuts and looks for the growing fanbase of women adopting tailored garments in their everyday lives.