How Patagonia became a symbol of the modern Fin-Tech Bro
After the financial crisis in the late 2000s, Wall Street firms tried to appear more casual and many ditched dress codes centered around suits. In a world built upon strict internal hierarchies and elitist demarcation, it did not take long before another identifiable style was established. The new “Midtown Uniform” became a "power vest" worn over a button-up shirt paired with chinos and leather dress shoes.
Specifically, Patagonia vests with co-branded embroidery of corporate logos of finance or tech firms were uber-popular – the light-grey Better Sweater Fleece Vest, puffer vests, or the classic Synchilla Fleeces. The look was so omnipresent in fintech circles that it was quickly memed all over the place, found its way into the product user reviews for the vest on the Patagonia site, and into TV shows like Silicon Valley or Billions.
Silicon Valley (HBO)
There seems to be a disconnect. Patagonia aims to be an “activist company”. They advocated to “vote the assholes out”, refrain from using the term “sustainability” because of the high standard standards they associate with it and shine a light on the environmental impact of fashion industry practices.
Dollar Bill/Axe Capital Vest: Billions (Showtime)
In contrast, many people wearing those vests spend their days trying to squeeze maximum profit out of environmentally problematic industries like fossil fuels or mining. Does Patagonia’s mountain logo remind them of the index curves? Did they feel challenged by the iconic “Don’t Buy This Jacket”-ad reverse-psychology style?
User Reviews: Screenshots / Patagonia Online shop
User Reviews: Screenshots / Patagonia Online shop
The bigger-picture contradiction did not get lost on Patagonia. Starting in 2019, they stopped accepting new corporate not in line with their “shared values” to “increase the number of Certified B Corporations, 1% For The Planet members and other mission-driven companies that prioritize the planet.”
Presumably, most finance firms didn't fit that description. In 2021, the midtown uniform got declared dead when Patagonia announced to no longer put corporate logos on their garments altogether because "adding an additional non-removable logo reduces the life span of a garment, often by a lot, for trivial reasons."
Photo: Wall Street Journal
About the author:
Moritz Lux has an enthusiastic curiosity for anything that carries substantial creativity or cultural significance. What started with skateboarding, cinema, and music, has expanded to the clothing industry, contemporary arts, and Japanese culture.
