We are in a time of revolution. Not merely in terms of fashion per se, but fashion as a driver of today’s change of attitude towards gender and sexuality. The norms are being challenged and we are, slowly but surely, starting to accept that even though we are different, there is no such thing as a binary form of gender.
Two people are walking in front of you on the street, both with long, flowy hair, vintage mum-jeans, sneakers and calf-length, baggy jackets – are they two mates hanging out? Two girlfriends going for lunch? Girl and boy enjoying each other’s company? To judge the sex of millennials according to their style or clothes is not an option in our 21st century way of living. Generation Y are happily breaking gender norms at every opportunity, and this is being reflected in fashion.
Major names such as Acne, Telfar and Louis Vuitton are leaders in the progressive change towards gender fluidity, exploring how garments can fit the universal characteristics of humans without the limits of the labels ‘male’ or ‘female’. By dressing male models in feminine clothes (and vice versa for female models) in their campaigns, designing clothes with no ‘gender label’ and using transgender models (like Hari Nef and Andreja Pejić) they have sparked a conversation – and it is an ongoing one. It has received an immense amount of attention in recent years, but this is no new phenomenon.
Coco Chanel is said to have created the first feminist wardrobe by introducing pants, blazers and pockets to women’s fashion. Jean Paul Gaultier similarly caused a spectacle in the 1980s introducing his ‘Men in Skirts’ line – a trend we have recently seen on celebrities like Kanye West and Jared Leto.
It’s not about genders anymore (even though it is). It’s about removing that label and not having to conform to societal norms – being able to dress in whatever your heart might desire. May it be baggy, oversized clothes, or a skin tight dress.
But before we give a big hurrah to a world without gender boundaries it is important to note the difference between marketing and the actual progression towards change. When fast fashion brands, like Zara – who recently released their ‘un-gendered’ collection, use personal politics paired with their focus on commerce – the message comes across as blurry and watered down and more of a shallow trend instead of a social evolution towards equality. And even though they do have a big voice reaching out to a vast crowd, the social movement is merely exploited for its aesthetics as a way to turn profit.
The issue of gender-neutrality and personal politics should not be treated as a casual trend, though it has previously been linked to normcore – what was supposed to be anti-fashion. As Pejic said in an interview with Vogue, “It represents a social layer of people who feel that they don’t want to conform to traditional forms of gender”. It is eschewing trends, which is also a big step for women and feminism towards equality – not being defined by your gender.
There is not only just male and female. The world is not only black and white. There are a lot of grey areas, and we need to accept that we are part of a movement. And with this gender-neutral movement, we are definitely heading in the right direction. Last year, my literature tutor admitted he got his flared pants from the women’s department of Topshop. The gender labels are now blurred and it’s all about what you feel good in. Don’t let norms or taboos stop you. You do you!
Written by Nilo Danai