Pivotte Studio Reimagines What “Office Wear” Can Be
“We work anywhere—our clothes need to mirror that lifestyle,” says co-founder Evelyn Frison
Like many innovative companies, Pivotte Studio—founded by Evelyn Frison and Yehua Yang—was created to solve a problem. “The simple answer,” Frison says of the impetus behind the brand, “is that I hate women’s pants. I hate jeans and they are also so eco-unfriendly. I hate dress trousers, and I can’t wear activewear or leggings to non-fitness activities.” So Frison and Yang embarked on a mission to make the type of pants they wanted, eschewing all the problems they came across—restrictive silhouettes and fabrics, a lack of decent pockets and more—and including the elements they loved about performance-wear and garments intended for men.
Their first product, the 24/7 Pants (available in bordeaux, black or navy) can go anywhere and do anything thanks in part to their custom, LuxeFit Stretch fabric (which requires less frequent washing) but also sophisticated, technical tailoring. They are water-, stain-, dirt- and wrinkle-resistant, include a four-way stretch, boast excellent recovery (so they don’t become saggy) and feature generously-sized hidden pockets. “Teams of scientists—materials experts, chemists and engineers—are involved in the creation and production of the textiles we use,” Frison tells us.
Despite all their technical elements, they look like classic tailored pants, not something to wear mountain climbing; but, they can be worn to climb mountains. “I wore these to the office, took a flight and landed in the Amazon and wore them throughout an entire trip,” Frison says. “I also hiked in Patagonia in them.” Designed to go from boardroom (or bedroom, as an increasing number of us work from home) to basecamp and beyond, these are true performance pants in that they are simply so versatile.
The brand was built on the 24/7 Pants, but Frison and Yang wanted to expand their mission through a collection of tailored but utilitarian apparel. “The main concept of the line was built around pants, but we did include other pieces too, to help women build capsule wardrobes where the pieces would be easy to mix and match,” she says. “We created this line to help women cut through the routine of dressing to focus on meeting goals that matter.”
Like the pants, all the brand’s garments (from the Touring Tank to the cozy Good-To-Go Cardigan) look simple, sophisticated and tailored but are crafted from custom, tech fabrics made at world-renowned mills. The priorities for fabric are three-fold: performance, hand-feel and sustainability. While the founders are acutely aware of greenwashing and inaccurately calling clothing “sustainable,” they are dedicated to working with manufacturers and mills that are as eco-friendly as possible. Their Bravi Pants (which are fantastic for travel) and 24/7 Pants are both made with fabric from Swiss textile manufacturer Schoeller, which is bluesign certified—the highest standard in sustainable production. Other fabrics come from “Germany, Japan and Australia and all meet the highest possible standards in sustainable and ethical textile production,” Frison adds.
While they started under the pillar of work or office-wear, the brand suits all kinds of situations. “Pivotte is great for work-from-home because it’s comfortable. But you still feel dressed to do the day,” Frison says, “And we work anywhere—our clothes need to mirror that lifestyle.”
This mix of sophisticated style, sleek silhouettes, high-quality fabrics and tech-forward features does not often exist in women’s clothing. Pivotte’s development of these garments, which are easy to care for and built to last, shows a commitment to practicality, performance and a polished look. Frison sums up the mission succinctly: “Beyond functional attributes, the materials we choose have a luxurious, designer look and hand-feel. This is what sets us apart. We mix the comfort, durability and protection of technical fabrics, with finishing and style more appropriate for daily life.”
Pivotte is currently offering COOL HUNTING readers a 30% discount on all purchases, simply use the code CH30 at checkout.
Images courtesy of Pivotte Studio
