For SS25, BOSS beckons how we reevaluate our priorities for a new kind of “officecore.”
BOSS means serious business. But with a looming recession, perhaps it’s time we reevaluate our priorities, where the 9-to-5 grind is no longer seen as the be-all, end-all. When it feels like emails can wait, meetings ought to be rescheduled, and answering calls from a café while working from home symbolises a larger movement in society towards a more laid-back, adaptable workplace culture. And it is exactly the message of sorting out our priorities that BOSS was conveying with its SS25 collection — a life that is more than just working a soul-crushing desk job.
It looks as if creative director Marco Falcioni demands an end to corp-core, the internet’s idealised take on traditional office clothing (cue the Office Siren), in his collection “Out of Office” that introduces something that feels more lively, flowing, and expressive of who we previously were in place of stuffy white dress shirts, silk ties, and polished leather shoes.
The grassy runway of the garden at Palazzo del Senato in Milan was a deliberate metaphor for the collection’s grounded yet dynamic work-life balance, which is reflected in the collection itself: relaxed silhouettes that maintain a sense of elegance and formality while exuding comfort. Standout pieces included a silk robe-style pantsuit and a wrap romper, as well as a blazer worn over a hoodie paired with capri pants, demonstrating the ease and versatility required for the modern professional who may find themselves answering an urgent Zoom call from the comfort of their home office — or a café.
Shift your gaze to the accessories accompanying the models on the runway, and you’ll see they all reinforce the same narrative. Slouchy carry-alls in a range of sizes revealed glimpses of personal hobbies such as yoga mats, tennis rackets, and huge duffel bags, all of which represent life outside of the boardroom. This subtle inclusion questions the traditional distinction between professional and personal life, implying that the two can and should coexist peacefully.
In the end, BOSS’s SS25 collection is quietly subversive, addressing the frequent criticism that corporate life drains individuality, reducing people to faceless office workers locked in the daily routine of commuting, working, eating, sleeping, and alas, repeating it all.
“Out of Office” stands as a reclamation of that lost personality. The #BeYourOwnBoss slogan speaks to a generation that refuses to let their work define their worth and instead seeks balance, freedom, and the ability to bring their whole selves to the table. This season, BOSS champions the idea that workwear should evolve alongside the people who wear it, supporting not just what they do but who they are becoming.
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