Good morning, Broadsheet readers! SafeSport faces two congressional hearings this week to explain why it is struggling to handle sexual misconduct cases in U.S. sports, the Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments in the mifepristone case, and hybrid work leads to new trends in workwear. Have a thoughtful Thursday.
– Back to work. Sali Christeson loves working women. And, to her, it never made sense that brands didn’t go after the professional female customer more directly, instead targeting women through their overlapping identities as household decision-makers and moms. “No brand owns the working woman,” she says. “And that’s such a miss.”
Christeson is the founder and CEO of Argent, a nine-year-old workwear brand sold online, at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, and in three New York stores. The brand specializes in suiting—in both typical muted colors and flashy hues like hot pink and red. With most blazers priced in the $400 range and trousers in the $200s, Argent appeals to a high-earning, repeat customer and women who splurge on a professional outfit for a career milestone or major event, from an onstage conference appearance to a lawyer’s high-profile trial.
Sali Christeson, CEO of workwear brand Argent.Courtesy of Argent After a COVID-era dip, the brand’s sales have rebounded over the past few years with three-fold growth between 2022 and 2023. Argent has leaned into the opportunity to build community and connection for working women through apparel. The brand outfits leading women it calls its “work friends,” including Foot Locker CEO Mary Dillon, Tubi CEO Anjali Sud, and journalist Katie Couric. “There’s a reason to come back every season,” Christeson says of the advantage workwear presents in building community.
Bringing a “work-first” lens to other categories has helped Argent expand. For instance, a recent collaboration with denim brand Agolde ensured that jeans in the collection didn’t feature any distressing or rips. Christeson founded Argent after working in tech at Cisco and wanted to provide options for women dressing for both formal and casual business environments.
These days, she says, hybrid work is leading more women to make their appearances in the office worthwhile and dress up for the days they’re heading in. “They really want to show up,” she says, and they see their clothing as “an extension of their personal brand.”
While Argent naturally wants to be the brand to own the working woman, Christeson still thinks the customer is a valuable one for other brands, too. “It’s such a cool woman,” she says. “And I see such excitement from that woman in a way I’ve never seen before.”
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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