We all have comfy clothes we turn to when we don’t feel well, like an especially soft hoodie or a favorite pair of sweatpants. Mucinex is trying to do more to make sick people feel better by introducing a line of “Sickwear,” stylish designer apparel pieces that help you feel better and look great.
The line of clothing, which will be available on Oct. 20 in a limited release, was designed by Steven Alan and Christina Viviani. It includes gender-neutral products like pajama sets and hoodies, each with little features that people need when they’re under the weather, like tissue pockets and aromatherapy areas on sleeves.
“Mucinex embraces innovation, which is why we’re thrilled to work with a community of visionary producers, directors, designers and culture disrupters to bring our holistic wellness and DTC vision to life,” Cynthia Chen, president, North America Health at Mucinex parent company Reckitt Benckiser, said in a press release. “Connecting with our consumers through alternate social commerce and direct-to-consumer channels allows us to bring the power of the Mucinex brand to people along their entire sickness and wellness journey, building relationships that are meaningful and lasting.”
The designers used colors that had healing and calming capabilities, like a dark blue and bold green. It’s not just comfortable to the touch.
“We looked at colors that made people feel good, and we came up with a palette of six different colors,” Alan said in the video released by Mucinex.
“The base colors are going to be these kind of muted tones, and all of these tones have a psychology behind them,” Viviani said. “Navy blue being a really calming color, this Spruce color being really good for your mental health.”
They also included small, but crucial, details like a zipper to easily use the bathroom without removing the whole piece, silk fabric for its comfort and antimicrobial properties, and a pull-down eyeshade on the inside of the hoodie.
Like other brands are doing with apparel, the Mucinex Sickwear collection will be a limited “capsule” release, and the line will coincide with a YouTube livestream event featuring YouTube and social media personalities that will model the collection.
“Mucinex has always relied on scientific innovation, but we know consumers need more than just symptom relief as they recover from colds and flu, they also want to feel cared for, cozy and comfortable,” said Claudine Patel, general manager for health at Reckitt Benckiser. “A sick day routine is built around emotional wellness as much as physical, and we believe that we are tapping a unique space at the intersection of symptom relief and total mind and body wellness. This is an experience that is both emotional and impulsive and a new occasion for the category.”
The stylish design aspects of this line means that people will want to wear it when they’re not sick, too. Think of the Zoom shirt and the booming popularity of athleisure as people continue to work from home. Comfortable clothes that still look stylish will remain popular. So, while these pieces might be the first thing people grab when they get the sniffles, they’re not just relegated to sick days.
And the high fashion look means that people might wear it out, too. And when they do, people will notice the outline of the Mucinex man, which is a little gross, but could just be the biggest brand logo of flu season.
