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| Balmain fall 2011 |
Debenhams director of menswear buying, Paul Baldwin said: "Somewhere out there is a labourer whose dress sense started the whole thing off. The trend has created a billion pound men's clothing industry - but he probably doesn't know it." Debenhams sales of working man style men's boots have leapt by 106 percent in the last two months alone. Lumberjack style shirts, braces, and jeans with multiple pockets - classic clothing for the building trade - have also rocketed by 270 percent, 114 percent and 139 percent respectively since January.
 Balmain fall 2011 |
The style has even appeared in Spring/Summer 2011 collections from leading designers such as Dolce and Gabbana.Paul Baldwin continued: "When demand began to rise three years ago, we first thought it was caused by genuine working men buying their working clothes from our stores."However, when the trend spread quickly to stores where a high percentage of our customers are young and fashion conscious, we realised that the style was moving from the building sites to the high street, pubs and clubs.
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| Balmain fall 2011 |
"We believe that the sudden popularity of 'working man chic' may say something about the changing role of men in society."For the last two decades, fashion conscious men wanted to look like successful city slickers."Now, when times are hard and banking has lost its appeal, they want to be seen as rugged but very dependable - the sort of man who has a large tool box as well as a warm heart."'Working man chic' has also found favour with leading pop groups such as JLS, the Wanted and teen heart-throb Zac Efron.
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