If there was a poster child for ushering in the new age of corporate dressing, it would be New York-based designer Jane Wade. “Growing up in Portland, I was surrounded by diverse expressions of workwear. My mother, a hairdresser, often wore Etro and Comme des Garçons suiting, while my father, a contractor, favoured Dickies and Carhartt,” recounts Jane. The city’s outdoor culture also served as a strong influence in her design approach—sparking her penchant for blending tactile details and performance wear with traditional workwear silhouettes.
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After graduating from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Jane worked for New York designers like Alexander Wang and bridal label Danielle Frankel. As an employee, she wondered if the rules of work-appropriate dressing applied, even in the fashion industry. “I observed how dress codes can be both expressive and repressive. This led me to question: Can I be sexy and show a little skin at work? Or will no one take me seriously because I’m expressing myself, even though I’m equally excellent at my job?” muses Jane.
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Since launching in 2022, Jane’s eponymous label has rapidly gained traction for its club-kid-meets-boss-woman creations. “My designs aim to bridge the gap between functionality and individuality, allowing wearers to express themselves authentically in professional settings,” says Jane. Her creations can be best described as a mash-up of technical elements and utilitarian silhouettes that stand out for their innovative construction and multi-functionality. In the short time since she started her brand, she has showed twice at New York Fashion Week, been shortlisted as one of 10 finalists for the 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and created custom pieces for pop stars like Tate McRae and Camila Cabello.
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Her fall/winter 2025 collection entitled ‘The Merger’—presented in February, with Lisa Rinna closing the show—was a commentary on today’s technology-fuelled surveillance culture, toying with the tension between personal autonomy and corporate environments. Apart from her signature deconstructed tops and sharp-shouldered blazers, Jane also experimented with integrating metal hardware into soft, handcrafted textiles this time—symbolising the dichotomy between the rigid workplace hierarchy and one’s personal identity.
If you love Jane Wade, check out these other labels
LOW CLASSIC
Hailing from South Korea, this contemporary label redefines everyday staples by incorporating functional elements. Its best-selling trench coats are modelled after utilitarian raincoats, and skirts are deconstructed, with asymmetrical shapes. Meanwhile, the brand’s diffusion line Lc adopts a comfort-first approach with simple silhouettes that accommodate all kinds of everyday activities.
HARRIS TAPPER
Founded by design duo Sarah Harris Gould and Lauren Tapper, the New Zealand-based label creates high-quality office wear staples. Adopting a refined yet offbeat design approach, the brand’s collections often blend subversive femininity with sculptural minimalism—delivering multifaceted pieces that include fluid wrap blouses and flared trousers.
GROVER RAD
This Los Angeles-based label creates conversation-starter pieces inspired by art and history. Its signatures include midi dresses and structured vests adorned with ethereal prints and dramatic nature-inspired imagery. The brand also abides by a slow fashion ethos, with garments made from natural fibres and created in small batches.