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‘I’m looking for a man in finance … and a gilet’: the rise of banker bro fashion

Return of hit TV series Industry brings sleeveless garment back into the spotlight and may even have boosted sales

Trust fund, 6ft 5, blue eyes.” The lyrics to Man in Finance, the earworm hit song about bankers that took over airwaves earlier this year, could also have added: wearing a gilet. Sometimes padded, sometimes wool, sometimes microfleece – those by the brand Patagonia are particularly popular – they are a singular garment, so it makes sense as a symbol that people can latch on to; more visually grabby than a suit or shirt. With the rise of working from home, gilets became one sartorial answer to the requirement to be smart, at least bellybutton up, for Zoom calls, but at the same time a bit cosier, to reflect that you weren’t in fact within 10 metres of a photocopier.

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