Leisurewear’s moment: Out of Office’s caftan

Meet Out of Office, better known as OOO. In their words, this new creative line is “your friendly reminder to take time for regular brain breaks as needed… to integrate daily moments of chill, wherever you are.”

The brains behind OOO and Métier Creative is CEO and founder, Erin Kleinberg. As she puts it best, “OOO is our creative baby brainchild! Our IRL moodboard.” If her name sounds familiar, you’re likely remembering her from The Coveteur, which she co-founded in 2010. Erin’s career started at the tender age of twenty, when she launched her namesake brand which was sold at Barneys, Lane Crawford, Harvey Nichols, and Holt Renfrew.

She is now at the helm of Métier Creative, a female-led creative advertising and branding agency, founded five years ago. As she aptly put it in a Toronto Life interview back in 2018, “I’d describe us as cool, unconventional tour guides who help brands reach cult status.” Looking back over the past five years, Erin notes, “as we grow as an agency, as humans, as a team, we are learning more about ourselves and how we can nurture both our creative well-being and our pursuit of leisure, simultaneously.”

The team is made up of A-list professionals with varied backgrounds – some come from the fashion world (Vogue and Hermès), while others have political or design backgrounds. What’s their secret sauce? Gut instinct and good taste, put simple. Together, the team works hard to bring out the best diverse and unique moments for their clients, which include memorable projects like strategizing Lauryn Hill’s social media debut from backstage at her revival tour, to working with the Miami Design District to put them on the map for Art Basel.

No shock to anyone, the leisurewear retail industry is having a moment. For the first time in potentially forever, spring and summer fashion isn’t dominated by cropped pant lengths, a take on the classic trench, or even, the season’s top sneaker. OOO could not have chosen a better time to debut their signature piece, the caftan. A simplified uniform, you can wear. Everywhere. Boardroom (as we begin to return), poolside (please, don’t cancel summer, COVID-19!), dinner reservations (eventually) and for the moment, from your dining room to your living room to your bed. “It’s all about looking good in less time — which means you can spend more time creating & dreaming. We never want to compromise comfort. I have worn these caftans all the way from birthing to a black tie affair!”

It’s versatile, stylish, comfortable, and of course, comes in an array of prints and colours that make it near impossible to choose just one. Currently, the caftan comes in a selection of prints and fabrics including Smoke on the Water (a deep blue tie dye), Sage on the Beach (a beech-wood stripe), Apres Ski (cheetah), Palo Santo (smokey grey tie dye), Sloane Peterson (a monochromatic stripe affectionately names after the Ferris Bueller), The Oasis (Californian-inspired stripes) and Blank Slate (a most chic gauzy white cotton). The OOO team knows what the fashion community wants: “our tie dyes and leopards are considered neutrals by the community, which we love.”

The cut of the caftan is designed to be worn anywhere, versatile enough to be dressed up or dressed down, and has thoughtful features like a deep V for lounging around in a sports bra, or showing off on a date. The caftan is meant to hit mid-calf for a maxi feel, but can also be paired with heels for an evening out. The silhouette packs well, doesn’t crease and are made with a comfortable rayon-spandex blend, as well as cotton and linen for summer. Erin sums it up perfectly, “we obsess over the idea of the most utilitarian, universal dress: this silhouette packs well, doesn’t crease, [and] is our teams’ photoshoot uniform.”

What’s more – they’re made in Canada and reasonably priced at $115-135 USD. The Métier Creative team is also donating a portion of sales to Feeding America during this time of uncertainty. Your body, wallet and soul will all feel great. Check out some photos from in augural lookbook shot by Leeor Wild.

So what’s next for the OOO team? “We see the opportunity to simplify women’s lives with streamlined items that work for them. Whether that’s clothing, accessories, wellness, beauty, [or] home goods.” Stay tuned, Erin and her team plan to collaborate with some of their noteworthy partners on whatever inspires them next.