Genderless fashion eliminates masculinity and femininity in dress and allows people the freedom of being able to dress how they want, regardless of how they identify themselves. Genderless fashion has become more and more prominent throughout the high end and high street fashion over the last few years. Brands such as Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Stella Mcartney and Marc Jacobs (to name a few) are taking steps to allow their brands to become more inclusive and promote gender-fluid fashion.
In June 2020, Gucci launched Gucci MX, curated specifically as a genderfluid place to shop, with garments from their menswear and womenswear shows being merchandised together for an inclusive consumer experience.
Towards the end of 2020, British singer Harry Styles was featured on the cover of Vogue US, not only becoming the first man to ever feature on the cover solo but doing so wearing a periwinkle saloon dress from Gucci’s AW20 collection.
In Spring 2021 a larger number of designers began to increase their visibility in the Genderless fashion space, with new genderfluid collections from Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs.
The Marc Jacobs Heaven collection is of notable significance which was not only released as a polyamorous collection but also one at a new lower price tag, to enable younger consumers to be included in the high-end designer space. Further to this, in Summer 2022, high-end designer Balmain intends to launch a Gender-neutral jewellery collection.
As well as how brands merchandise, the range of models being used throughout the high-end fashion space is also becoming more inclusive. A current prominent model to note is Juno Mitchell, who identifies as Agender and has recently walked for brands such as Alexander McQueen, Marni and Marc Jacobs.
Younger designers are paving the way for the gender fluidity space, Harris Reed, a 24-year-old designer, who identifies as gender-fluid told Harper’s bazaar “I’d like to eradicate the categories of menswear and womenswear,” “Fluidity offers an alternate way of being, crossing and merging masculine and feminine.” The younger viewpoint from this designer speaks for both themself and gen-z consumers as a survey by VICE found out that 41 per cent of the Gen Z respondents identified as neutral on the gender spectrum, and half identified as being something other than heterosexual.
Whilst there is still a large step for society as a whole to become more inclusive and allow non-heterosexual identifying individuals to feel safer, it is clear that the Fashion industry is taking positive steps towards an accepting genderfluid future, allowing fashion to become a form of expression and personal journey as opposed to simply being a trend or following the latest looks.
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