27-05-2025
Baggu Bags, Merrell Clogs and The New Attraction To Functional Fashion
A photo from Baggu's Instagram @baggu captioned "Reusable Bags: carry 2-3 plastic grocery bags worth of stuff." (Photo courtesy of Baggu)
As consumer values shift within the apparel industry—typically due to social influences, economic turbulence or technological advancements, among other things—the trends that make up modern style volley between silhouettes that emphasize form and construction designed for function.
With financial instability looming over U.S. shoppers due to shifting tariff policies affecting the price of manufactured goods, some of the biggest brands in fashion are popularizing a new type of style—one that offers consumers a more resourceful way to spend their earnings that puts durability, quality and comfort first. The infiltration of utilitarian design details have begun to saturate the market with newly released garments and accessories that adhere to consumer needs and look stylish while doing so.
A photo from Baggu's Instagram @baggu captioned "Fits about 12 Granny Smith apples." (Photo courtesy of Baggu)
One brand that stands out amongst the rest is travel and accessory giant Baggu. Spawned in 2007 with a limited selection of reusable shopping bags, the brand has grown to include a number of carry-all silhouettes and is quickly becoming a generational staple for young shoppers with an eye for bright colorways and functional design.
The unique value proposition comes not only from Baggu's intentional use of recycled materials, eco-conscious packaging and minimal fabric waste techniques, but from the brand's consistent use of user-centric design that keeps consumers returning. Amongst modern shoppers, Baggu-branded bags have gained a reputation for their comfortable silhouettes and spacious designs—often recommended for amusement parks, sporting events, travel or any occasion that requires durability, longevity and accessibility.
In an interview with Baggu, the brand remarked on its ability to balance quality and structure with fashionable design, saying, 'At Baggu, we believe good design should be both functional and delightful. Our products are high quality thanks to strong relationships with our factories and a focused set of materials we've developed over time to meet our strict sustainability standards.'
In the same interview, the brand highlighted their commitment to the customer's user experience—integrating consumer preferences into its product design. 'We're always listening to our customers—through direct feedback in our stores, social media and sales data—and their preferences play a huge role in our design process. With such a broad customer base, we really try to design each season with a variety of aesthetics and use cases in mind, while still staying true to our brand's core identity,' said Baggu.
A photo from Merrell's Instagram @merrell introducing the brand's new SpeedARC Surge BOA shoe silhouette. (Photo courtesy of Merrell)
In addition to garnering attention for previously slow-growing brands like Baggu, the recent spotlight on functional fashion has also provided more established or heritage brands with a new audience. Merrell, founded in 1981 and known for its outdoorsy selection of hiking shoes, sneakers and boots, has subtly remerged as the newest destination for fashionable footwear. In this new era of style focused heavily on wearability, consumer's are attracted to the brand's use of tactical details such as elasticated laces and chunky outsoles—details initially designed purely for athletic function but are now being incorporated into user's everyday attire.
Despite the slightly different pathways each brands went down to reach the space within the market they are currently, the commitment both Baggu and Merrell has to the wants of their consumers—products that feel functional, look functional and are functional—is parallel.
In addition to individual brands gaining widespread popularity amongst consumers for their ability to seamlessly integrate user experience into their design model, specific style trends have emerged which further clarify the direction the fashion industry is taking towards utilitarian design.
One style detail repeatedly integrated into recent clothing and accessory designs is pockets. Heavily present during the 'fisherman core aesthetic' craze that dominated consumers a few moths previous and strategically integrated into the plethora of maximalist silhouettes shown during fall Fashion Week, the classic adornment has been newly popularized to align with the industry's shift towards functional, user-centric design—with deep cargo-like pockets inspired by traditional military silhouettes appearing on a variety of garments and providing additional functionality to every look they appear on.
This detail in particular was even picked up in a recent report from trend forecasting service WGSN. The platform stated that, 'Utilitarian aesthetics seamlessly blend with streetwear and for summer 2025, pockets take center stage as a key detail.'
In addition to pockets, shoulder pads and shirt collars, several other uniform-inspired details have contributed to the current rise in utilitarian fashion with a number of fan-favorite brands at varying price points adorning them to a variety of unique clothing silhouettes.
As the varying price of goods continues to dictate the ways in which the apparel industry will progress, functionality remains a pivotal factor in garment production—acting as a physical representation of the consumer's desire for more authority over their life, their finances and their wardrobe.
