Business casual for millennials
BRYAN MCCLELLAND, founder of Bambike, takes a 20-minute ride on a bamboo bike daily from his house in Makati to his office in Intramuros; frequently, young businessman Brian Poe Llamanzares begins his day with meetings at the office, then braves the rush hour to get to the airport to catch a flight for a business trip; hours before an event, stylist Rainier Dagala runs to three fashion houses to pick up clothes in time for his scheduled events. At the end of a busy day, they all get the job done, not in suits, but in khaki pants.
Twenty-seven years ago, a garment brand made it mainstream to look professional by wearing casual clothing. Now Dockers is relaunching in the Philippines a redesign of its popular khaki pants for men with the Smart 360 Flex line.
Dockers is a division of Levi Strauss & Co which was introduced in San Francisco, California in 1986. The brand became popular thanks to the 1992 marketing campaign involving a “Guide To Casual Business Wear,” an eight-page pamphlet which was sent to approximately 25,000 HR managers across the US. The pamphlet served as a guide for acceptable business casual attire in the workplace — featuring Dockers khaki pants, of course.
Levi Strauss Philippines, Inc. Country Manager Charisse Chua noted that young consumers are a reason for the brand’s comeback.
“The Philippines is one of the fastest-moving markets in Southeast Asia, and we have a very young population. These young consumers are looking for something that would inspire them to be authentic, comfortable, and professional. And that’s exactly what Dockers is all about,” Ms. Chua said at the launch at Phinma Plaza in Makati on April 5.
REINVENTED KHAKIS
The Dockers Smart 360 Flex are made with a Four-Way Flex Technology which allows the fabric to stretch horizontally and vertically to deliver comfort and maximize movement.
Harris Mohamed, AMA Dockers Merchant for Levi & Strauss Co., said that the brand came up with the innovation through understanding the needs of consumers such as comfort and functional features.
“We decided that it’s going to be something that is going to be different from what the other competitors have which is something that’s more somewhat revolutionary,” Mr. Mohamed said.
The khaki pants are also designed with functional details such as the covert security pockets at the front for valuables, a flexible waistband, and stretch internal pocket bags.
“We want to provide confidence not just a pair of pants that you wear, but [also bring] the confidence that you step into in the face of any unexpected event,” said Jasmine Lim, SEA Marketing Manager for Levi & and Strauss Co.
“To be successful, you don’t need a suit,” she said.
The Dockers® Smart 360 Flex is available at the SM Store Menswear Department at SM North EDSA and SM Mall of Asia. Other branches will open at SM Makati on May 3 and SM Megamall on May 10. Prices start at P1,799. For more information, follow Dockers Philippines (@dockers.phi) on Facebook and @dockers.ph on Instagram. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
