The Revival of the Androgynous Model

Before I even begin to talk about androgynous fashion, it’s important to point out what I actually mean when using the term. An androgynous person is someone whose physical appearance is ambiguous in terms of masculine and feminine features. It’s often difficult to tell whether this individual identifies as a man or a woman. Indeed, many androgynous people do not conform to the labels of gender. However, before we begin, I’d like to clarify that since my focus is on androgynous models, I’m not impying that all androgynous models are non-binary or transgender. In recent years, androgynous fashion has catapulted into the mainstream, modelled by celebrities such as Jaden Smith and Tilda Swinton. You could even say that the new trend of men painting their nails has come from the eruption of androgynous culture. But where did it come from?

It has long been argued where androgyny was originally derived from. On the one hand, it could have stemmed from the rise of feminism, whether this be in its first or second wave. Indeed, Elizabeth Smith Miller, a suffragette, is reported as the first modern woman to wear trousers. After this, the 1960s brought about the so called sexual freedom of women. With this came Yves Saint Laurent in 1966, pioneering the first tuxedo for women. YSL’s purpose was to “give possession of masculine attire to the woman”, giving women the option to take on male prescribed clothing as their own. Afterwards, the 1980’s saw the rise of the “strong working woman”, with bold trouser suits for female workers, which often had built in shoulder panels. These panels were to make the women look broader and powerful, much like their male counterparts in the workplace.

Men have also had their own part to play in this style revolution. The most notable instance of this was expressed in the music industry. Hendrix and Bowie in the 1960s gave us skinny jeans and the ‘peacocking’ trend of paisley and poets’ blouses galore. Where would we even be without David Bowie and his alter ego Ziggy Stardust who was painted in theatrical makeup, dressed in go-go boots. Male androgyny had its own social role to play too. Homosexuality had begun to be decriminalised during this area, and a sexual revolution for all genders was coming into fruition. Male artists were also challenging the hyper-masculinity that rockers before them had endorsed.

Indeed, androgyny has always been a movement which has included clothes and people’s self expression through style. However, in the past twenty years, it’s been welcomed into the world of couture fashion. Two years ago, the organisers of New York Fashion Week added

‘unisex/non-binary’ as an option for runways at the event. Paris fashion Week welcomed shows by designers such as Haider Ackermann, whose entire catwalk was based off of the male silhouette, despite creating clothes for a female audience. In 2017, Calvin Klein, with the help of creative director Raf Simons, created a runway that was minimalist and androgynous, with female models in ‘male’ work shirt and tailored trousers. Jeremy Scott has recently dressed his male models in fishnets and bows.

Unisex everything is back with a vengeance, pioneered in the 1900’s and now becoming, arguably, the new norm for fashion everywhere. The runway has always played with the concept of androgyny, but it seems like it’s only now that we are really understanding what it truly is. Instead of shocking the audience with androgyny and using it as a gimmick, high-end brands are catching up with how modern society now presents and discusses gender norms. Due to this, there is now a huge demand androgynous models globally. Tamy Glauser, a Swiss model famous in their country for being an outspoken activist for LGBTQ+ rights, has modelled for big names such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. Jay Espinosa, modelled for Louis Vuitton’s groundbreaking S/S 2019 collection, where the majority of the models were androgynous and transgender. Rain Dove models for male and female collections; recently breaking the internet by posting a collection of photographs, where she posed for the same picture as a male, then as a woman. These faces have changed the way that runways are now working for the social market. So, fashion, much like society, is no longer opting for hard and fast rules. Fashion is now on an anything-goes zone, where anyone can wear skirts, trousers, makeup and beyond.

A 70’s REVIVALA 70’s REVIVAL

words by: CYNTHIA VERA illustration & design by: ORLAGH TURNER top right image by: RACHEL CHAPDELAINE VIA FLICKR: https://bit.ly/2yDVFgZ

From flares to frilly bell sleeves, sequin-embellishments, oversized earrings, and patterns, the 1970’s gave birth to a new era of electric styles, colours and experimentation within fashion. Whilst it’s reminiscent of the 60’s hallucinogenic dance with peace, love and women’s rights, the 70’s slipped out of the babydoll dress and flower crowns of acid-loving-hippies to create a new subculture of bohemian sensibility that favoured the dazzling disco ball. Everything was provocative, daring and empowering; think Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, Diana Ross, Abba, and perhaps the most sophisticated item to come out of the 70’s, Diane von Furstenberg’s iconic silk jersey wrap dress.

With the 90’s having becoming fashion’ s go-to gag, it almost feels as though the 70’s got lost in a rose-tinted memory, forgotten and crushed under the weight of platform chunky trainers and smothered by slip dresses. But, the 70’s rebirth has been happening on the catwalk and high streets alike for a while now, with some of the most influential designers using this decade as the mood board for their collections. Most notably, Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christian Dior’s politically charged Fall 2020 Tuileries show for Paris Fashion Week at the beginning of the year. Inspired by powerful and feisty women of the 1970’s, Chuiri told The Guardian the 70’s were “a time when women wanted to represent and be true to themselves, more than to fashion” , which is undoubtedly very integral to her identity as a female designer in a male dominated industry.

Elegance and soft femininity homegrown in a forest of lilies have always been prominent themes in Dior’s work, however the Fall 2020 show opted for a modern industrial feel that prioritised value and empowerment. The show was filled with headscarves, shaggy hair, pixies cuts, ponchos, flares and fringing. Oh, the fringing! Though bright colours and vibrant kaleidoscopic prints were key aspect of the 70’s style and culture, Dior went for the warm earthy green tones that are timeless.

The day after Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction, Dior opened the show with flashing neon signs that read “CONSENT”, “PATRIARCHY = CLIMATE EMERGENCY”, “Women Raise the Uprising”, and my personal favourite “WE ARE ALL CLITORIDIAN WOMEN”; a reference to Italian feminist and art critic Carla Lonzi who came up with the concept after she had freed herself from the shame of being a clitoridian woman – one who is unable to orgasm through penetration, as opposed to a vaginal woman. According to Bridget Read, a writer from The Cut, Lonzi’s concept showcases the dichotomies between sexual and political power, demonstrating that clitoridian women can find their own pleasures without the presence of a man. Embarking on a vivacious revolt that echoed the 70’s own spirit, Chiuri unabashedly presented this feminist message for the world to see, alongside a message that equates the climate emergency with the patriarchy. Going for a French bourgeoisie inspired 70’s feel, Celine designer Heidi Slimane created the world of envy in the Celine Fall 2020 Paris Fashion Week show. Models walked down the catwalk drizzled in pleated silk dresses, velvet blazers, bootcut jeans, trench coats, ruffled blouses and silk scarves; and wearing their hair in 70’sinfluenced natural looking curls, waves and mullets. A big shaggy, a bit rock n’ roll, a bit unkempt too. Though the show was lacking in colours and vibrancy, it paid homage to the late 70’s bourgeoisie new bohemian sensibility of what ladylike looks like, with a flare of drama with embroidery, embellishments and a statement piece of jewellery.

Fashion is about reinvention, expression and experimentation and whilst the runaway looks are hard to pull off, there are still ways to get the era of bell-bottom trousers and bourgeoisie hippies, of women’s rights and Saturday Night Fever into your wardrobe. While in principle, fashion is an endless chain of recycling styles and ideas, in practice, fashion is destroying the planet with water pollution; toxic chemicals and increasing levels of textile waste that see landfills upon landfills packed with unwanted garments. Swapping fast fashion retailers for local charity and vintage shops to purchase a few items reminiscing of the 70’s will go a long way. Look for bootcut / wide legged jeans, maxi dresses (preferably white, with ruffles for a bohemian touch) and silk scarves for Slimane’s French bourgeoise inspired style. For a dramatic and glamorous disco dazed look, opt for something with sparkles, fringes, patterns and oversized lightly tinted sunglasses with big frames (look at Cher if you need inspiration).

The revival of seventies fashion came back when it was needed the most; in a modern era of empowerment, the disco decade represents a certain type of rebellion: outspoken and unashamed like Chiuri’s work.

U N I T Y

Due to the recent circumstances, we couldn’t do the traditional shoots “ we usually curate for Quench. So instead, I setup a makeshift studio in my kitchen and asked my friends what they miss most during this difficult time. This was the result, a collaborative project that meets the social distancing rules. photography by: CHARLIE TROULIN ” design by: ORLAGH TURNER

photography by: ELLA CUSS design by: ORLAGH TURNER