Explainer: Korea’s new workplace look for men doesn't involve a suit

A men's formal wear fashion show is held at Hyundai Department Store's flagship Apgujeong branch in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Oct. 10, 1999. The suit, once considered an office staplewear, has long been in decline in Korea. [YONHAP] Korea’s economic and business scenes unfold in such an intricate way that the headline numbers and official statements fall short of explaining what is really happening and why it matters. The Korea JoongAng Daily’s Explainer series aims to address the largely-unmet yet crucial need with an angle relevant to our readers across the globe. — ED Dry cleaner owner Kim Seon-mi used to work through the night ironing dress shirts, loading dozens of freshly starched garments along with pressed suits onto a trolley to hand-deliver them to office workers living near her shop. That was in the early 2010s when more than 80 dress shirts and 20 suits would arrive daily for cleaning. Today, she considers it a good day if more than three suit jackets come in. “Men nowadays only wear suits for weddings or funerals,” said Kim, a 30-year veteran in the industry. She reminisced about the time when men owned several suits, wearing and washing them daily. Clothes are hung on a rack at Kim Seon-mi's dry cleaner in Suwon, Gyeonggi. [KIM JU-YEON] Kim’s hand laundry business is just one of many tied to the clothing industry that has been affected as suits lost their status as essential office attire. Finding men in suits at Korean workplaces has become increasingly rare — a stark contrast to the late 1990s, when as many as 85.2 percent of men wore formal attire, according to the Samsung Fashion Institute. The shift began with companies relaxing dress codes to improve workplace efficiency and creativity, a change further accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which firmly established casual wear as the office norm. While the decline of the suit has drastically impacted the tailored suit market, it has ushered in a new era of men’s fashion — one characterized by mixing high-end items, such as 500,000 won ($340) Moncler shirts with budget-friendly Uniqlo slacks, or any other way that shows subdued personality. Long padded jackets over blazers and smart casual sneakers are now commonplace. From blending luxury and budget brands to finding semi-casual yet comfortable clothing, the fall of the suit has sparked a transformation in the fashion retail industry, catering to consumers seeking individuality, convenience and just enough conformity to not stand out. An office worker in 1993 [YONHAP] Q. What sparked the decline of the suit? A. Companies began to phase out mandatory suits. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, major corporations and government agencies initiated changes to their dress codes. CJ Group relaxed parts of its dress policy in 1999. LG Electronics introduced a “no-tie” rule in 2000 to boost productivity. Samsung formalized a “business casual” policy and rolled it out across its affiliates in 2008. Government agencies also relaxed dress codes, initially during summer to combat Korea’s sweltering heat, then extended the policy to casual Fridays, eventually dropping the suit rule altogether. The finance industry was a late adopter but followed suit. Hana Bank introduced a yearlong “no-tie” rule in 2018, with major banks like Woori, IBK and KB Kookmin soon adopting similar policies. This shift reduced demand for formal clothing. The men’s formalwear market peaked at 6.87 trillion won in 2011 but steadily declined to 4.31 trillion won in 2014 and has remained in the 4 trillion won range since, according to the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (Kofoti). Even the 4.8 trillion won recorded in 2023 was a generous estimate as it extended the category of what is considered "formal," according to fashion expert Lee Dong-hyun. The estimates for 2023 are based on a different calculating method from the other years and considered semiformal garments that would not have been considered formal years ago, he said. Lee is the CEO of lifestyle consulting firm FLC Korea, has worked in fashion retail and design for almost 30 years, and has often collaborated with Kofoti. “There’s a new standard of what counts as formal now,” Lee said. “The suit used to define formality, but now it’s about achieving a polished look for formal occasions.” A sign at a restaurant in Ulsan asks customers to wear a mask before and after eating on Oct. 18, 2021, when Covid-19 regulations such as shortened store operating hours and rules restricting gatherings to less than 10 people took place. [YONHAP] Q. How did Covid-19 change office wear? Covid-19 significantly impacted formal clothing. During lockdown, people didn’t need new clothes, and even after restrictions were lifted, consumers’ shopping habits and attitudes toward office wear had changed. The market for men’s suits and office clothing was hit hard as people worked from home and adopted flexible working patterns. Retail firm Samsung C&T, operator of the Samsung Fashion Institute, said this in its year-end wrap-up for 2020. According to Kofoti, the suit market dropped to 3.8 trillion won in 2020 but rebounded to the 4 trillion won range the following year. The lockdown also shifted how people approached clothing purchases. With fewer occasions to dress up, traditional drivers for buying clothes, such as seasonal changes or special events, lost their influence. Additionally, the rise of casual wear, now ubiquitous for any time, place and occasion, led consumers to prioritize high-utility, seasonless wardrobe essentials that could be worn in various situations, Samsung C&T said. Actor Ahn Hyo-seop poses for a marketing campaign for casual wear brand Edition Sensibility. [EDITION SENSIBILITY] Q. What do Korean men wear to the office now? There are still some minor rules on workplace attire, but employees have much more freedom to wear what they want. At many firms, like a major advanced materials company where human resources officer Roh Hee-jae works, anything goes — even hoodies, shorts and sneakers. Apart from teams where suits are “culturally required,” employees can wear almost anything, as long as it's not “severely ripped jeans, overly revealing clothes or slippers,” Roh said. He added that the company doesn’t discipline employees for wearing the “wrong” attire, though older workers — who tend to dress more formally than younger counterparts — may occasionally comment if they think someone’s outfit is inappropriate. “The one and only time I wore a suit at work was on my first day. It was my boss who actually suggested I change my dress shoes for sneakers — he said I looked uncomfortable,” Roh said. Since then, he has swapped the suit for a mix of cardigans, knitwear, jeans and slacks, which he repeats according to the day of the week. He believes wearing a suit makes you stand out and signals out new employees who don’t know the corporate culture. Some companies and teams, especially in the finance industry and sales, still require a “business casual” look, but not necessarily a full suit. One worker at an accounting firm, who requested to be identified only by his surname, Lee, said the initial confusion over the dress code was eventually resolved, leading to more efficient work. "Many people continued to wear suits even after regulations were lifted because no one knew what 'smart casual' meant. It was introduced gradually, as executives took the lead by dressing casually and setting an example," the accountant said. Dry cleaner owner Kim Seon-mi has been in the hand laundry business for more than 30 years. She opened her current shop in Suwon, Gyeonggi, where she is pictured in the photo ironing suit pants, with her husband in 2002. [KIM JU-YEON] Q. How has the dressed-down approach changed the fashion retail industry? Fashion trend analyst Lee Dong-hyun said the absence of the suit has encouraged men to experiment with their office outfits, mixing and matching different styles and price ranges to fit their personal brand. The desire for more personalized style has led men to gravitate toward brands with distinct designs, often in the higher-end luxury range, while opting for more generic, “bland” garments at lower prices. E-commerce platforms have also exposed consumers to a wider variety of brands, making it easier for them to discover niche preferences. This trend has polarized the retail market, Lee said. Consumers are no longer buying midrange clothing that balances affordability and quality. Instead, they are drastically cutting costs on basic essentials at specialty retailers and private-label brands (SPA) like Uniqlo, Muji or Topten, while splurging on items they feel express their individuality. “Time, place and occasion have become more important. Men want to dress up when they go golfing or on a trip, and they buy clothes specific for those occasions,” Lee said. “Men wear SPA brands to the office because the clothing is now widely accepted in the workplace. But it’s not the Giordano pants that make them feel like themselves — it’s the stylish watch on their wrist or the Prada or Moncler shirt they wear on top. That’s what they splurge on,” he added. A customer looks at clothes at Topten, a specialty retailers and private-label (SPA) brand, store in Seoul on Dec. 2. [YONHAP] SPA brands are thriving. Japanese brand Uniqlo reached over 1 trillion won in sales in Korea for its fiscal year 2024, which ended Aug. 31, a 15 percent revenue increase and a 5.4 percent operating profit jump compared to the previous year. Domestic brands like Topten and Spao have also recorded significant sales increases, a rarity amid the broader slump in Korea's clothing market. Meanwhile, brands specializing in suits and dress shoes have started closing stores in department stores. Menswear used to fill entire floors in these spaces, but now even high-end menswear brands like Kiton, Brioni and Cesare Attolini have been shutting branches in Korean department stores since early 2023. As of October, only about 20 percent of dress shoe brands from last year remain in major department stores, according to data from Apparel News. Brands are also diversifying their portfolios to include smart casual garments that are comfortable and easy to care for, targeting younger generations. Marketplaces like Musinsa and W Concept have seen increases in semiformal wear sales from contemporary and casual brands listed on their platforms earlier this year. Fashion accessories like neckties and dress shoes have become relics of the past. As casual wear seeps into men’s office wardrobes, sneakers and padded jackets are more popular than ever. This shift is one that dry cleaner owner Kim, also part of the fashion cycle, has had to adapt to. “I had to learn how to clean shoes professionally since all my customers seem to bring in are casual loafers and smart casual sneakers,” she said wistfully. “Six to seven years ago, I would’ve recommended them to take their business elsewhere.” Related ArticleExplainer: Korea's superstores are slowly becoming grocery storesExplainer: Why Korea's teens are abandoning KakaoTalk for InstagramExplainer: How orchards wither, oceans boil, and price tags soarBY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]