Tom Tailor launches new smart casual line for women

German clothing company Tom Tailor has announced its new smart casual line "mine to five", which addresses the needs of a workforce comprised increasingly of women. They question the old-fashioned rules of office wear with black costumes and pantsuits more and more, according to the company in a press release on Tuesday. The new line will be available from February 2020 but visitors of the upcoming Panorama fair in Berlin can get a first preview next week.

"The trend towards casualization continues to increase," said Heiko Schäfer, CEO of the Tom Tailor Group, in the press release. "Already 80 percent of the business market is in the business casual wear sector and the annual growth rate is at 1.5 percent. Our advantage with Tom Tailor is that casual is anchored in our DNA and we can fully exploit this strength."

The new collection combines fashion-conscious working women’s style and attitude in her choices for business wear as well with her individuality in the after-work smart casual wear. "Our female customers are passionate about their work and want to underline this with their fashion", said Andrea Homann, vice president brand of Tom Tailor Group. "That's why we developed mine to five in such a way that the styles are the perfect companion not only for 9to5, but also for 5to9."

Expecting further growth from formal to smart casual wear, Tom Tailor’s new smart casual-line designs are suitable for the office as well as after office hours. Key products include blazers, pants, dresses and skirts with colours, accents and deliberate breaks in the collection for "striking visibility and attention, valuable qualities, good fit and at the same time, modern designs". "With mine to five, we help our customers to look both fashionable and style-conscious in their business looks and thereby feel confident, safe and easy", added Homann.

Hamburg-based clothing group Tom Tailor Holding SE has been through a lot lately: After facing a summer lull, then budget cuts, store closures and other cost-cutting measures, the company had a takeover bid from a Chinese investor and went through uncertainty regarding the sale of its label Bonita. In short, Tom Tailor has been in a restless state for a few years now but has recently been able to secure bridge financing that will see the company through the middle of August.

Photos: Tom Tailor