Over the past decade, men’s workwear has gotten increasingly casual. Gone are the days of the structured suits or even khakis. Across industries, many males now wear jeans and hoodies—or even joggers—to the office. But for Michiel Steur, the incoming CEO of i-D magazine, dressing for work has always been a slightly more formal affair. “It’s definitely not what anyone would describe as casual or streetwear,” he says with a laugh.

Steur discovered his personal style early. He grew up in a little town in the north of the Netherlands with fewer than 4,000 residents and only one clothing store. But his family was very design oriented. His mother was a buyer in a clothing store a few towns over, while his aunt was a big fan of interior design. At a time when his friends were wearing hoodies and sweatpants, he preferred tailored trousers and crisp shirts, all in neutral colors. He didn’t care much whether he fit in. “I always dressed quite smart for a child,” he says.

Today, that clean, tailored approach is the ideal aesthetic for a global media executive who is constantly bouncing between boardrooms, planes, and late-night parties. Steur starts with a simple foundation—a well-fitted shirt and trousers—then dresses up or down depending on the situation. He takes the look down a notch by replacing loafers with sneakers; he throws on a double-breasted jacket when he’s in a country where formality is still the expectation.

Steur rarely spends time thinking about what he’s going to wear, allowing him to focus on the day ahead.

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