I've had a few people ask me where my fascination with designing jumpsuits and pants comes from. And to be honest, I never feel like I have truly explained it well enough.
The advice I've received from sage mentors is that dresses and skirts always sell better than pants. So, design more of what is proven to drive sales. That has always left a bitter taste in my mouth. I don't want design to be about profit; I want to design to be about freedom.
Women have always had a complicated relationship with pants. One could argue that they are the most gendered clothing item in history. For centuries, women were not allowed to wear them. In the western world, wardrobe staples for women in the 1800's included corsets, petticoats, steel hoops or cages, all of which made tasks like sitting down, opening doors, or even breathing very difficult. Women were objects meant to be looked at and admired; their feminine curves accentuated by the armature they put on every day.
So when women started donning pants, it was a sign of rebellion. Women who chose to do so were ridiculed and shamed by society. In fact, a woman wearing pants could be arrested, not for the article of clothing itself, but for what it said about her character. Clearly a woman wearing pants was up to no good and should be arrested before she causes trouble. The act of wearing pants eventually allowed women to own their bodies, own their actions and feel a new sense of independence.
I design pants and jumpsuits because they represent a certain freedom - the freedom to run, to explore, to take risks, to be who you want to be. Now, do I believe that you can find that same freedom wearing a dress? Absolutely. When it comes down to it, it's not about the actual garment, but about how it makes you feel when wearing it. Above all, I want your everyday uniform to be pieces that support you in whatever you take on next in life.
So go ahead, be spontaneous. Don't dress for the occasion; dress for any occasion! And of course, always in style.