This might sound like questionable advice until you consider that many healthcare providers walk the equivalent of a marathon a week, and have to do so in footwear that's fluid-repellant, slip-resistant and up to uniform standards.
Scrubs, like nursing shoes, haven’t historically been renowned for their glamour: They're functional and sturdy, but also often shapeless and standard-issue. Today, though, companies are treating them as legitimate fashion products, with marketing campaigns to match.
As these stakeholders indicate, fashion and e-commerce executives are seeing the potential in medical apparel — a market that's reportedly worth $60 billion globally and $10 billion in the U.S. Despite the growing buzz around brands like Jaanuu and Figs, they're still competing against an array of established companies — many of which are likewise doubling down on their design and social media efforts. They also, unsurprisingly, contest the idea that the industry wasn't doing anything innovative until DTC startups came along.
The story these newer brands have sold — of innovation and of serving those who serve others — is also Barco's story, according to Murphy. Its "Grey's Anatomy" brand, a real-life line inspired by a fictional TV show, was indeed a novelty when it launched in 2006. It has since become the top-selling line of premium medical scrubs in the country, the company says.