Our purpose

Our ambition is to provide our customers with well-fitting, comfortable, and functional work wear, qualities that certainly couldn’t be taken for granted when we started up Operose. Especially not if you were pregnant or needed a size outside the ordinary range. We saw a growing trend where more and more women used work trousers designed for men and men’s straighter bodies, resulting in poor and unpractical fits for curvier body shapes.

We heard stories of female managers being taken for trainees when they entered building sites, after having to borrow their male colleague's work clothes. We also heard retailers of workwear stating, "women will happily make do with men's clothing". We came to the conclusion that was just not good enough.

The purpose of our business is to give everyone, regardless of body shape, the same opportunity to carry out their work. Being pregnant, you should be able to work comfortably for as long as it suits you, without having to unbutton your trousers. We basically want to give everyone the same opportunities and range of choice.

Well, the purpose of Operose is simple. It’s our firm belief that women can do exactly the same type of tasks as a man. So why not make useful work outfits for women, and skip the stereotypical pink or flowery pseudo versions?

Background

"After 20 years in the clothing industry and 6 years of renovating houses, I realized that there were no workwear options for women like us. I founded Operose because I have the expertise, the will, and the ability to create workwear that meets my own and other women's demands for their professional attire. My vision is to change the conditions for women to perform their jobs on equal terms with their male colleagues, thereby ensuring the right to functional and well-designed workwear.

Operose is the most enjoyable venture I've undertaken, and even more rewarding is the opportunity to meet all the fantastic people it has brought into my life. It takes courage and passion to challenge prevailing norms in many industries, and I know that there are many others like me who want to see a change. 

/Johanna Söderström, CEO and founder of Operose