Lee Chambers fronts new Charles Tyrwhitt campaign

Lee Chambers, the founder of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing has fronted a new campaign from the leading smart menswear brand Charles Tyrwhitt. The Preston based entrepreneur featured as both a business leader and expert for the Business of Life collection, a ‘work anywhere wardrobe’ that embraces hybrid working and all that comes with it. The collection contains a range of versatile pieces that can be dressed up or down.

The release of the collection was partnered with a research study on the future of workwear. While the study found that 50% of workers have returned to the office to find a more relaxed dress code compared to before the pandemic, the timeless suit and shirt still lead the way when it comes to making a strong first impression – over 65% of men believe this and almost a third feel more productive when they’re dressed smartly. 

This sentiment is backed up by recent sales figures for the menswear retailer where sales of suits and formal shirts, as well as business casual were accelerating at pace at the end of the August summer holidays and through September.

Joe Irons, chief marketing officer at Charles Tyrwhitt said: “Sales and customer sentiment show what we firmly believe – it isn’t one or the other, when it comes to dressing well at work – a varied, hybrid wardrobe wins every time. Last week, sales of the “Business of Life” smart casual collection soared, with polo’s, jackets and chino sales continuing to grow, up 154%. Tyrwhitt’s suits were also up significantly, proving that men now need a wider selection of product to help them navigate through their new working life.”

Lee Chambers, the psychologist who was at the heart of the research said: “The balance between formality and comfort has certainly become a pressing challenge over the past 18 months, and while there is an increased appetite for casual dress codes, the benefits of what we call enclothed cognition, come when we feel confident in our attire and feel that it represents working environments. 

“Feeling dressed for work puts us in a psychological state where we can attach to our tasks, perform optimally and step forward confidently. It also gives us fewer worries about how we may be perceived, and fewer decisions to make on whether we are smart enough for the hybrid way of working, and these concerns can drain our brainpower, making us less productive.”

More information is available on The Times article about the Business of Life to find out more about the campaign.