Nurses Deserve Fashion, Too!

One of the more unexpected side effects of the pandemic was to forever alter our relationships with personal protective equipment; to make medical garments, at least in the mask sense, a new accessory of self-expression and a part of almost every wardrobe. And every designer’s arsenal.

Now that relationship is entering a new phase. Josie Natori, a designer known for her loungewear and lingerie, is joining forces with Care+Wear, the “healthwear” company known for its fashion approach to PICC line covers and clothing with port access, to introduce a line of scrubs modeled on her best-selling pajamas.

Natori is the latest entrant in a growing effort to reposition what may be one of the largest, and most overlooked, professional sectors as the Next Great Fashion Frontier.

Last month, for example, FIGS, the scrubs brand introduced in 2013 and pitched as the Lululemon of medical clothing, went public with shares selling well above the anticipated range and a valuation of approximately $4.5 billion. Jaanuu, founded the same year and known for scrubs that include gold zippers, peplums and names like the “princess top,” is reportedly also considering an IPO.

And those are just the dominant names in a competitive pool that includes Koi, the scrubs “wellness” brand (which also teamed up with Betsy Johnson for some patterned scrubs), WonderWink and Grey’s Anatomy (well, of course).