FOCUS: BRAND DRIFT PROBLEMS | AUDIENCE: STEWARDS OF PLATEAUED BRANDS
I helped a women’s workwear brand shed old “power dressing” cliches for a more modern leadership style.
This was a well-regarded British workwear label for women, originally celebrated for its well-tailored office attire. At its peak, it embodied smart, empowering clothing for corporate life. Its target audience was urban, professional women—largely mid-career executives who valued sharp aesthetics and confident silhouettes.
But over time, the brand drifted into predictability. Marketing leaned heavily on worn-out metaphors: “power dressing,” “boardroom presence,” “executive command.” Its collections echoed the same structured jackets, fitted blouses, and uninspiring palettes. Meanwhile, the workplace itself had changed—flexible work, hybrid roles, evolving leadership styles. The brand’s language and look no longer resonated. Sales plateaued. Younger professionals bypassed the label entirely, seeing it as stuck in an outdated mode of corporate self-presentation.
Through deep consumer and cultural analysis, I realised the problem wasn’t rooted in the clothing itself. It was a metaphoric disconnect. The brand was still selling the old narrative of “power through appearance,” when its audience had moved toward power through movement, flow, and identity.
Modern professional women didn’t want to “command the boardroom.” They wanted to lead on their own terms, with clothing that supported fluidity between roles—office, home, creative, entrepreneurial. The brand’s own idea of “power” had become its greatest constraint. It needed to unbutton that idea—literally and metaphorically.
My breakthrough idea came with a simple but radical reframing: “Dress for Work That Moves You.” This idea liberated the brand from the stale visual and verbal tropes of corporate dressing. It reframed workwear not as armour for the office, but as an enabler of modern professional life.
By positioning clothing around movement—both physical and career-wise—we shifted the narrative from power to personal momentum. This opened the door to design, content, and community expressions that were fresh, culturally resonant, and deeply differentiated. The brand would no longer “tell” women how to look powerful; it would support how they already moved through the world.
We crafted a new strategic positioning: “Workwear for Women Who Move the World.” This was supported by a refreshed tone of voice, a redesigned product mix, and a deeply human content ecosystem. The brand’s new story centred on flexibility, authenticity, and modern leadership.
Visually, we shifted away from stocky “boss lady” iconography. Campaigns featured real working women—startup founders, creative directors, NGO leaders—navigating multi-context lives. Product lines evolved toward fluid silhouettes, breathable fabrics, and versatile pieces. Marketing language spoke to momentum, not hierarchy. The brand no longer dressed women to fit a role—it dressed them to flow through roles.
Here are 10 strategic ideas developed (and several executed) to support the new brand direction.
CONFIDENTIALITY CAVEAT: This case study represents a confidential engagement. For privacy, specific brand identifiers, campaign names, and project phases have been withheld. It has been shared with permission while preserving client discretion.
If you’re an investor seeking momentum for your portfolio brands, here is one of my case studies that could interest you: “How A German E-Scooter Brand Was Steered Out of a Timing Trap.“
And if you’re a solo expert looking to sharpen traction, this case study I worked on may resonate: “How One DEI Consultant Bridged Cultures by Changing His Voice.“
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KEY TOPIC CATEGORIES COVERED ON THIS SITE:
BRAND ENGAGEMENT GAPS
BRAND STRATEGY MISFIRES
BRAND DIFFERENTIATION ISSUES
BRAND TIMING MISTAKES
BRAND ALIGNMENT CHALLENGES
BRAND POSITIONING GAPS
BRAND CONTENT INCONSISTENCY
BRAND LEGACY UNDERUSE
BRAND AUDIENCE DISCONNECT
BRAND DIGITAL STAGNATION
BRAND MESSAGING MISFITS
BRAND LEADERSHIP GAPS
BRAND PURPOSE CONFUSION
BRAND METRICS MISREADING
BRAND VISUAL IRRELEVANCE
BRAND POSITIONING OVERLOAD
BRAND FUNNEL FAILURES
BRAND IMITATION PITFALLS
BRAND SCALING RISKS
BRAND FOUNDER MISFIT
BRAND INVESTMENT DRAINING
BRAND VALUATION GAPS
BRAND EXIT BARRIERS
BRAND MESSAGING MISALIGNMENT
BRAND BLINDSPOT WARNINGS
BRAND PORTFOLIO WEAKNESSES
BRAND OVERSIGHT GAPS
BRAND MARKET SHIFTS
BRAND TIMING ERRORS
BRAND FOUNDER DEPENDENCY
BRAND NARRATIVE GAPS
BRAND POSITIONING WEANESSES
BRAND DILIGENCE ISSUES
BRAND MOMENTUM PARALYSIS
BRAND PRODUCT MISALIGNMENT
BRAND SCALING BLOCKS
BRAND STORY WEAKNESSES
BRAND CLARITY ISSUES
BRAND CONTENT DIFFERENTIATION
BRAND OFFER EVOLUTION
BRAND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
BRAND PLATFORM PROBLEMS
BRAND REPUTATION SETBACKS
BRAND SUPPORT DEFICIENCY
BRAND VISION CONFUSION
BRAND IDENTITY CRISIS
BRAND OFFER DILUTION
BRAND AUDIENCE MISMATCH
BRAND ECOSYSTEM INEFFICIENCY
BRAND CONTENT CHAOS
BRAND DIY LIMITATIONS
BRAND JOURNEY BREAKS
BRAND BACKSTORY ISSUES
BRAND PRACTICE STRESSES
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