Leather jackets have become such a mainstay of the fashion industry over the past few years that not even the banking sector was immune to the trend. But nothing was to the liking of Susan Cho, who built a career handling public relations among bankers. “I was trying to find something that is business appropriate but also fun and feminine,” she said. One solution was a perforated leather bomber jacket with a charcoal zipper, all made in the U.S.
Minden Chan’s MCT Editions maintains a subdued style with gray cotton sweatpants that are cut baggy and short to evoke sporty culottes and a black ribbed turtleneck sweater in cashmere and wool that is slit to expose the throat. Rather than being a design flaw, the sliced neck was deliberate, Chan said, “to make the shape a little more mysterious.”
A petite dancer who always has made clothes for her workouts, Shab Sadeghi didn’t see much of a stretch to designing athleisure for other women. Shabbella includes a tan ultrasuede sports bra and matching Capris that are comfortable enough for an outdoor hike. She appeals to women who like the comfort of activewear but prefer a look that “is very chic and very classic,” she said.