Mx report by Grace Jorden

By Grace Jorden

N0432752 Module Leader: Sarah Lewington FASH30002: Negotiated Project stage 2 Word count: 6062 3

Contents:

006

008

014

018

An introduction: to Mx.

Sex and Gender: they aren't the same thing.

Gender Bluring: a timeline.

It's Never Been So Relevant: to the masses.

020

024

026

030

Political: who's on board, what's going on?

Luxury Fahion: it's a pretty common concept.

It's Not All The Same: message/aesthetic.

Hall책: the scandi brands/aesthetic.

032

034

036

039

Accessible: Beauty

Primary: what, why?

Primary: who says?

The Big Idea: > accessibility.

040

044

046

048

The Brand: folk vs cos.

Visual Inspiration: moodboard.

Creative Concept: > monochrome

Mx X Cos: what?

052

058

064

068

Mx X Cos: Stockless Store

Mx X Cos: Online

Mx X Cos: route to consumer.

Mx X Cos: conclusion.

070

074

078

082

List Of Illustrations:

References:

Bibliography:

Appendix:

An Introduction: to Mx.

gender stereotypes for a long time (Fox, 2015). Therefore, and rightly so - 'Fashion is moving beyond the straightforward notion of borrowing from the boys towards a freewheeling fabulously grey area where clothes are gender-neutral' (Weir, 2014), but is it moving fast enough? With 20.4% of all UK political party MP's pledging to support non-binary rights within the 2015 general election (Titman, 2015) and despite countless designer's and Scandinavian brands embracing the ideals of gender non-conformity, the need for a UK accessible genderneutral fashion brand, to justify this recent social progression is not currently being met (See Appendix E). This report therefore aims to analyse and prove exactly what is needed and why.

The Mx report follows on from a previous project titled 'Beyond The Binary'. Beyond The Binary focused on the increase in the prevalence of nonbinary genders within the UK, and concluded in the creation of a nonprofit organisation that featured a UK based awareness campaign and promotional animated video content. The topic of gender is more relevant within the UK now than ever before, with more and more people recognising that gender and sex are two completely different things (Prince, Ekins and King, 2005), and that identifying as a gender type outside of 'the binary' male and female is as normal as anything else. Creative industries such as fashion and music have been notorious leaders in terms of blurring the lines between

Figure 1: Gender Neutral Progression, (Sadli, 2014)

'Fashion is moving beyond the straightforward notion of borrowing from the boys towards a freewheeling fabulously grey area where clothes are gender-neutral' (Weir, 2014)

Sex and Gender: they aren't the same thing.

(Dreger, 2011)

Figure 2: Gender Vs Sex Infographic, (Own Image, 2014)

'We now know that sex is complicated enough that we have to admit nature doesn't draw the line for us between male and female, or between male and intersex and female and intersex; we actually draw that line on nature. So what we have is a sort of situation where the farther our science goes, the more we have to admit to ourselves that these categories that we thought of as stable anatomical categories that mapped very simply to stable identity categories are a lot more fuzzy than we thought.'

Sex and Gender: they aren't the same thing.

UK identify as a non-binary gender (Titman, 2014), most people identify their gender and sex in alignment with one another; this term is referred to as Cisgender. In the 2009 journal 'Gender Ideology Construction: A Life Course and Intersectional Approach', Jonathan Vespa examines how a person's intersectional perspective on gender ideology is determined by their individual exposure to social changes and life events including their occupation, class, marriage and parenthood within their own life. In simple terms, this journal supports that the term gender is used in reference to social and cultural terms (Gender, 2015); relating a person's misinterpretation of 'gender' to their own life exposures.

The term 'Sex' refers to the biological reproductive system we're assigned at birth and exists within three categories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; male, female and intersex. Unsurprisingly, being born either male or female is the most common, with the term intersex referring to a person born with a combination of the five male and female reproductive characteristics (Knox and Schacht, 2013, P. 64) The term 'Gender' is defined by Oxford Dictionaries as 'typically used with reference to social and cultural differences' (Gender, 2015), as opposed to those characterised as biological, meaning that a person's identifiable gender can differ entirely to their biological sex. Statistically 1 in 250 people within the

Figure 3: The Genderbread Person, (Killerman, 2015)

The Non-Binary Dictionary The following pages show some of the non-binary gender terminology used within this report and their definitions. All genders that exist outside of male or female are classed as non-binary (Erickson-Schroth, 2014, P. 13), and a person's sexuality is not defined by their gender; you can identify with any gender and be heterosexual, or LGBTQ (Apelqvist, 2013, P. 10). ANDROGYNOUS/ANDROGYNE - Having both male and female characteristics or qualities - Neither specifically feminine nor masculine e.g. the androgynous pronoun is 'them' - Suitable to or for either sex e.g. androgynous clothing - To identify as neither man nor woman

AGENDER - A person who identifies as having no gender - Without gender identity and/or gender expression. BIGENDER - Feel they have 2 genders within one body; not limited to male and female (could be male and androgynous, female and gender neutral etc). - Change between these 2 gender sets, but it's their body's decision as to which gender they identify with on that specific hour/day/week/month/year. CISGENDER/CIS - A person whose gender matches their biologically assigned sex. - Male, Female or Intersex GENDER FLUID - Switch between multiple different genders, not necessarily including binary gender identities - Their gender choices can exist anywhere between male and female, and can incorporate as many genders as are necessary to them. GENDER NEUTRAL - Does not refer to one gender only, e.g. unisex clothing could be classed as gender neutral - Does not identify as any gender in particular GENDER NONCONFORMING / GENDER VARIENT / GENDER ATYPICAL - Not conforming to the gender stereotypes set by society 12

Figure 4: The Non-Binary Gender Dictionary, (Own Image, 2015)

ASEXUAL - A person who experiences no sexual attraction to another. - They generally don't have sexual relationships due to the above, but it doesn't mean that they don't have non-sexual relationships - Different to celibacy as they experience no desire for sexual relationships; they're not choosing to suppress sexual feelings for another person. - They may/may not still masturbate; the key is that they are not sexually attracted to any other person

The Non-Binary Dictionary GENDER QUESTIONING - Someone who is not sure which gender they identify themselves with.

HERMAPHRODITE - A person with both XX and XY chromosomes, resulting in XXY. - Having both ovarian and testicular tissue. - Having ambiguous looking external genitalia INTERSEX The modern day term for hermaphrodite NON-BINARY Anyone and everyone whose gender is not identified as male or female. NEUTROIS - 'Neutral', 'Null', 'Genderless', 'Neither male nor female'.

Figure 5: The Non-Binary Gender Dictionary, (Own Image, 2015)

GENDERQUEER - Denoting or relating to a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions - Non-binary

PANGENDER - A person who feels they are a combination of all genders. - Not widely accepted as different cultures include different genders, which that person could not be aware of and subsequently identify with. See Polygender. POLYGENDER - A person who feels they have a mixture of multiple genders. TRANSGENDER - A person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person's sex at birth - Does not have to undergo 'transition surgery', but could if they choose to TRANSEXUAL - a person who tries to look, dress, and act like a member of the opposite sex; especially : someone who medically changes himself or herself into a member of the opposite sex - Does not have to undergo 'transition surgery', but is a more commonly accepted and accurate term for someone who desires to/ has previously undergone gender affirmative surgery than transgender. TWO-SPIRITED - A person who simultaneously houses a masculine spirit and a feminine spirit. - Can be more abstract; i.e. not just human spirits. - First identified within Native American tribes and culture. 13

1972 Glam Rock Figure 6: The New York Dolls on the Old Grey Whistle Test, (Messer, 1973)

1976 Punk Figure 7: Malcolm McLaren & Vivienne Westwood, (1976)

1979 New Romantics Figure 8: Boy George and Steve Strange at ' Hell ' club London UK 1980's, (Polhemus, 1980)

1990 Bikini Kill

Figure 11: Gender Vs Sex Infographic, (Own Image, 2014)

Figure 9: Bikini (Roberts, 1994)

Kill,

2005 UK Gender Recognition Act Figure 10: UK Gender Recognition Act, (National Archives, 2004)

2015 Where are We Now?

Gender Blurring: a timeline.

Blurring the lines between the gender stereotypes within a person's physical expression is not a new concept; the timeline on the opposite page shows the most relevant movements in terms of gender expression and this project in recent history within the UK. Unsurprisingly, sub-culture movements involving the collaboration of music and fashion feature most commonly (Fox, 2015). In 1972, David Bowie's alter ego Ziggy Stardust appeared on stage for the first time. His flamboyant aesthetic defied the traditional gender constraints and established the Glam Rock era (Campbell, 2013, p. 249). This style was then adopted by up and coming bands

internationally including the likes of The New York Dolls in 1973 (See Figure 3). Just a few years after the glam rock period, Punk arrived in the UK in 1976. In terms of aesthetic, an antifashion approach allowed people to disrupt social norms; encouraging 'acceptance of the self and in all shapes and sizes' (Thilbert, 2015), yet led to 'the point where anti-fashion became high-fashion. More often than not, what punk delivered was a fusion of opposing ideas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; holding the tension of contradictions' (Robb and Craske, 2006, p. XII). Advocates for the movement included Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood

(See Figure 4), who opened their boutique 'Sex' at 430 King's Road in 1974. Similarly to Punk and Glam Rock, New Romanticism embraced this concept of confronting the social norms. This movement was more about the aesthetic than the message â&#x20AC;&#x201C; think androgyny, flamboyancy and rebellion via clothing (Miista, n.d.). More recently, the 90's saw feminist icons like Kathleen Hanna (See Figure 9) creating controversy in terms of gender. She translated that fashion and feminism could live alongside one another and act as a 'powerful political tool' (Ongley, 2015), wearing garments such as a T-shirt with a hairy chest during a gig as front woman for Bikini Kill; in an interview with Alison Davis of 'The Cut', Hanna says that specific shirt was her way of 'trying to discuss through fashion the idea that people's identities change every second of every day, and masculinity and femininity are really constructs.' (Hanna, 2013) Moving away from subculture movements and fashion in particular, one of the most recent political endeavours allowing people to tarnish the gender stereotypes is the UK Gender Recognition Act (2004) was passed on 4th April 2005. Requiring a person to transition, but not necessarily have gender realignment surgery, the act allows trans person's to acquire a new birth certificate in order to be legally recognised as their 'destination' sex and gender. Whilst this is of course a positive step, the main issue with the act is that it is not representative of all trans people, as discussed by Surya Monroe in her book 'Gender Politics' â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 'whilst the majority of trans people and cross-dressers exist within a gender binary system, identifying as either male or female, there are a range of other people who are gender diverse' (Monroe, 2005, P. 91).

Figure 12: What Being Non-Binary Means to Me in September 2014, (Anon, 2014)

So where does that leave us now? The next few sections of the report focus on the current 'gender climate' within the UK in terms of awareness, political activism and the analysis of fashion and gender-neutral brands.

It's Never Been So Relevant: to the masses..

In terms of direct relevance to the masses, one of the brands at the forefront of embracing the fact gender refers to social and cultural characteristics as opposed to biological ones (Gender, 2015), was Facebook. The multi-billion dollar social media company (Rosoff, 2011) launched over 70 gender options in addition to a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;customâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; option to UK users on 27th June 2014 (Vincent, 2014).

Figure 13: Crowd, (Fuertez-Knight, 2012)

'Student activism was once a force to be reckoned with. It changed the world, visibly and profoundly. It was the catalysts that lead to the end of the Vietnam War, it pressured governments to finally stop supporting apartheid and it forced the world to start addressing institutionalized racism. But today, in the face of genuine and widely felt grievances, students are impotent and apathetic. Universities are businesses, education is job training and a degree is a holiday.' (Deacon, 2014)

Figure 14: The Death of Student Activism? (Anon, 2014)

Political:

who's on board, what's going on?

Figure 15: Nonbinary campaign pledges by political party, (Titman, 2015)

such as Skype, to include a non-binary gender categorisation option within their platform (Tufrey, 2015). The 'Non-Binary Gender Inclusion Project' also works closely with the writer of the Practical Androgyny Tumblr, Nat Titman, recently helping to promote a campaign from 'UK Trans Info' to support non-binary rights within the UK General Election 2015. The campaign gained 809 pledges from MP's, representing a proportion of 20.4% of all candidates (Titman, 2015) with the Green party coming out top with 324 pledges (including the Scottish and Northern Ireland Green Parties).

Maybe now is the time for change. The decision made by Facebook has made way for the prediction of a huge increase in social political activism by 2020 (IFLA, n.d.), with campaign groups such as the 'Non-Binary Gender Inclusion Project' a 'UK-based group campaigning for non-binary gender inclusion on the forms and literature of every organisation which interacts with the public in the UK' (Nonbinary Inclusion Project, 2014) launching in late 2014, leading the way. The group post up to date information on petitions and campaigns in support of non-binary rights, including those to encourage other social media tools

Figure 16: Single-Again Scrapbook, (Kite, 1977)

'On second thought, maybe both sexes should be called Mx. That would solve the gender problem entirely.' (Kite, 1977)

The most recent political progression is in terms of Mx - the gender-neutral alternative to Mr, Mrs, Ms or Miss. Mx is currently under consideration to be added to the Oxford English Dictionary this year (EleftheriouSmith, 2015); despite its existing inclusion within official documents such as bank accounts and driver's licenses within the last 2 years, the first major brand to add the title was The Post Office, way back in 2009 (Lodge, 2015). The title Mx, pronounced similarly to 'Mix' or 'Mux' represents a genderless status, with the 'x' representing the removal of gender (Lodge, 2015). Despite this seemingly recent influx in popularity, the first recorded use of the title occurred in 1977, featuring in

an article within volume 20 of 'The Single Parent Magazine', and the term is noted to have been used by an individual as their title since as early as 1998 (Titman, 2015).

Luxury Fashion:

it's a pretty common concept.

'Fashion is an industry that prides itself on being ahead of the curve, so naturally it's important that it keeps pace with the progress we are seeing in society as a whole. The blurring of gender distinctions also gives designers greater freedom, with a much broader range of forms and silhouettes to explore' (Toogood, 2015).

Figure 17: Ready To Wear Collection, (Hourani, 2015)

It's Not All The Same: message / aesthetic.

Although blurring the lines of gender stereotypes within high fashion is pretty common; it's important to recognise that it's not all the same thing - there are different levels in terms of adoption. For example, where some brands focus on gender blurring in terms of 'message' – this could be a political statement such as merging the male and female catwalk – as seen in Milan as 'Prada mixed her men's offering with her pre-AW15 women's collection' (Doig, 2015). Other brands focus on gender blurring with regards to literal 'aesthetic' – this could be as simple as using a stereotypically feminine colour, fabric (such as lace), or detail; such as a pussy bow on a man's shirt – as seen at Gucci's A/W '15 menswear show (Cochrane, 2015)

A prime example of a brand recently pioneering a gender-blurring message is Barneys New York. The luxury department store chain launched their 'Transgender Campaign' on 10th February 2014, which comprised a film titled 'The Window – Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters' featuring 17 transgender participants, their transition stories and interviews with their family support unit's. The film was created by world renowned photographer Bruce Weber' to represent both the struggles and triumphs a trans person may face in relation to their gender identity' (Davidson, 2014) and emphasise just how important support and awareness is to gender minority groups. The spring 2014 campaign was created in

partnership with 'The National Centre for Transgender Equality' and the 'LGBT Community Centre' in New York â&#x20AC;&#x201C; aiming to 'break stereotypes and build social acceptance of the transgender community' (Davidson, 2014). The project; despite some initial concern's (Edwards, 2014), gained mass praise from industry experts around the globe. When looking more closely in terms of the UK market, it seems only appropriate to analyse Selfridges Agender Project. Similarly to that of Barneys Transgender Campaign, Agender focuses on portraying the message that the Selfridges brand is ahead of the game, aiming to 'explore and examine shifting gender boundaries through groundbreaking fashion, music and design collaborations' (Selfridges, 2015). After going all out and the launching gender-neutral pop up environments in all 4 of the luxury department store's locations (London, Birmingham, Manchester Trafford and Manchester Exchange Square), the brands creative director Linda Hewson stated 'is not about harnessing a trend, but rather tapping into a mind-set and acknowledging and responding to a cultural shift that is happening now' (Hewson and Jones, 2015) Whilst the brand is taking gender-neutral clothing both in-store and online, increasing the awareness that gender expression is a choice (Steinberg, 2009) to thousands of well off consumers and tourists alike - they are also failing on some of the basics. For example, when using the website to navigate through each product, only singular gender specific size guide's are available, representing that the garments featured are gender-neutral by name, but not by nature. Although in-store the concept space allows consumers to find there 'most desired item by colour, fit and style' (Toogood, 2015). This appears quite impractical and contradictory to overarching 'the message' the brand are trying to portray.

Figure 18: Barneys Transgender Campaign, (Weber, 2014)

Figure 19: Selfridges Agender, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 20: Rad Hourani Anatomy, (Hourani, 2015)

Figure 21: Gucci Shirt with Box, (Zunino, 2015)

In terms of brands that employ gender in terms of the physical aesthetics of their garments, again, there are different levels of adoption. To discuss the extremity, at one end of the scale, for A/W '15, Gucci featured feminine detailing within their menswear garments. This included red lace, pussy bow blouses and frilled shirts (Cochrane, 2015). One of the main positives of this, rarely seen within literal gender-neutral or unisex fashion is the use of colour. At the alternate end of the scale is designer, Rad Hourani â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who translates a literal blur between genders by designing 'unisex' clothing. The Canadian born designer is based in Paris and only works on unisex collections. Collating similar ideals to

those represented within the Punk era, 'the Rad Hourani unisex process advocates nonconformity as the essence of individualism' (Hourani, 2015). Although some of Hourani's designs are featured within the Selfridges Agender Project, his garments differ in terms of their sizing. All of Hourani's products are sized gender neutrally, with size guides in order to convert existing male or female identifiable sizes into the brands own sizing guide. Unsurprisingly, Rad studied the human anatomy for a whole year prior to the launch of his first collection in 2007, ensuring his garments remain as gender-neutral as anatomically possible by forming a timeless 'Unisex Canvas' (Hourani, 2015).

Hall책:

the scandi brands.

Ranked 4th in the world in terms of gender equality (Surjaya, 2014), it's no surprise that Sweden is a pioneer in terms of gender-neutral fashion. With literal gender-neutral brands throughout multiple markets and industries including fashion, childrenswear, children's toys and schools - Sweden is already embracing the ideals of gender non-conformity throughout all generations. Within the accessible adult fashion side of things, Stockholm based brand Odeur integrate non-conformist ideals throughout the entire brand. Even the 'logo' isn't a 'logo'; but a scent infused into each garment (Odeur, 2015). In a similar way to that of Rad Hourani, the brand reference the un-avoidable

anatomical difference between people, featuring both masculine and feminine models wearing each product available. Another similarity is the brand's consistent monochrome colour scheme; however, this is seemingly a characteristic of most literal genderneutral fashion brands With the synonymous 'androgynous cuts' (Wilkinson, 2015), visible everywhere from designer level with brands such as Acne, right down to high street brand's such as Cos; the Scandinavian clothing aesthetic is now commonly perceived as gender-neutral, even when in literal terms, it isn't (See Appendix E). Even UK based brands such as Folk are perceived as Scandinavian, purely down to aesthetic.

Figure 22: Acne Pre Fall First Arrivals, (Acne Studios, 2015)

Accessible: beauty.

Figure 23: Aesop Range, (Aesop, 2011)

Within the UK, the most accessible gender-neutral products feature within the beauty industry. Accessible in terms of price tag, availability and popularity; brands such as Aesop and Kiehl's portray a distinct focus on quality. Established in Melbourne in 1987, Aesop is stocked within 28 UK stores (Aesop, 2015), the brand categorise products by skin care need and ingredients as opposed to gender. Although 'literally' gender-neutral, (even the monochrome packaging mimics the colour swatches of gender neutral designer clothing brands) the brand chooses not to market themselves in this way - that was until they were included within the Selfridges Agender Project.

Primary: what, why?

In terms of primary research, it became apparent there was a definite need to justify a consumer base for a more accessible gender-neutral brand. This began by posting a Typeform survey titled 'Gender Neutral Fashion' via social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as on to the comments sections of articles that referenced non-binary gender's and more specifically genderneutral fashion. The survey included 11 question's that were responsive to the user's answers to each previous question, allowing the results of the survey to filter out any unnecessary responses. Therefore some respondents need only answer 5 questions before being directed to a 'Thank you for completing this survey' page. The first 3 questions asked the participant about their basic personal characteristics; such as their age, gender, and whether or not they live in the UK. After this, each subsequent question was tailored directly to concentrate on gender-neutral fashion. This incorporated question's such as 'are you aware of any gender neutral brands?', at which point, the responsive elements of the survey directed the user to 'Please list them below' if they answered 'yes' as opposed to the next question: 'Are you yourself interested in purchasing gender neutral fashion?' In total, the survey received 45 responses; 71% of which lived in the UK, yet only 27% were aware of any existing gender-neutral brands (this question included a description detailing that the gender neutral brand could be for any industry, and not just a fashion brand). However, 46% of people said they would be interested in purchasing genderneutral garments, with 28% of those stating that they had never previously purchased anything gender-neutral,

but would like to. When asked why it was that they'd never purchased anything from gender neutral brands the most common responses (from a list of 8 multiple choice options) were that they didn't 'know of any with an in-store presence', that they felt gender-neutral brands were 'inaccessible', and that they 'only recently became aware/interested in gender-neutral brands'. These 3 points represent key insights from the survey, proving a need for a more accessible gender-neutral brand with an in-store presence and reiterating the timeliness of the subject matter. This 'general consumer' was then asked on average how much they would be willing to pay for a gender-neutral garment, 33% said £30 to £45 whilst another 14% said £45 to £60 – leading to the conclusion in terms of pricing that the gender-neutral brand must be within an affordable price range and could potentially be some sort of highstreet brand. The next question focused on the elements the potential consumer felt were most important to incorporate within the genderneutral brand identity as part of a multiple choice style question. 95% said the design was one of the most important features, followed by 62% that felt accessibility and price point were also important. 48% said they considered trend influences to be important, and some of the least common choices included 'customer service' and 'being part of an independent brand'. This therefore led to the decision that the gender-neutral brand should be formed as an extension of an existing high-street brand that is both accessible within the UK and reputable in terms of design, and also featuring trend influences as opposed to low-end budget and major mass-market brands. To view the full range of survey results, see appendix E.

Primary: who says?

'Whilst a potential consumer was identified via the survey, it was also important to establish the need for this kind of brand with industry experts and people currently working within the fashion industry (See Appendix G). These included creative director of Colchester based boutique 'White Dirt', Lois Mills; Anthone Geldart, a final year Fashion Design student who created a gender-neutral collection; and a member of Selfridges head office staff, who requested to remain anonymous in order to participate.

When asked if they thought there was a need for an accessible, in-store gender-neutral clothing brand within the UK, they said:

Anthone: 'It's definitely relevant, things are changing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a few years ago I'd have said no, but with everything going on politically, and with more and more designers embracing gender neutral ideals, surely it's a state of natural progression? The only brands I'm aware of that are accessible in terms of price are gender neutral beauty brands like Aesop, and I personally know loads of people who'd be interested.'

Lois: 'I think your idea sounds great, and something I'm definitely very interested in myself.'

Fig

ur e2

ee tT

pe rts

, (A

no n

.d.

)

Selfridges Contact: 'Well as you know, that's kind of what the Agender project is about; without the accessible price tag â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but I can't comment on the opinion of the brand. In my personal experience we're nearly there, the big brands have started first and are kind of testing the waters.'

The Big Idea: > accessibility

Based on the insights identified above, and within the context section of the report, the big idea is: 'To make gender neutral fashion with an aesthetic outside of street and sportswear more accessible to the UK market.'

Creative Concept: folk vs cos.

'Once upon a time people were born into communities and had to find their individuality. Today people are born individuals and have to find their communitiesâ&#x20AC;Ś the real feat is harnessing the potential for connection to spring up. It's about adaptability, not exclusivity.' (K-Hole & Box 1824, 2014) The next step was to try and identify the right brand for the project. As design, trend, affordability, accessibility and in-store presence were all essential elements identified within primary research, it was important to ensure those elements form part of the ethos behind the existing brand. As identified within the context stage of the report, 'scandi brands' or brands with a 'scandi aesthetic' can often be portrayed as gender neutral in terms of design. This insight became the basis of research, and led to the initial evaluation of London based brand Folk. London origin clothing brand Folk is an example of a middle-market brand that could, to some consumer's be perceived as a boutique. Although the ethos and aesthetic of the brand worked well with the genderneutral brand concept, Folk currently only have 5 stores, 4 of which are London based, and 1 in Amsterdam. This element didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t justify the need for accessibility, and the average price point of each garment is too high when compared to the results of primary research (See Appendix E).

41 Figure 25: AW15 Lookbook Image, (Folk, 2015)

Figure 26: SS14 Lookbook Image, (Cos, 2014)

Creative Concept: folk vs cos.

This insight led to the development that the brand for this project needed to be less niche, to justify a lower price point, and available in more location''s within the UK. When analysing British high-street brands, including those belonging to the Arcadia group such as Topshop, it became apparent that these brands were 'too mass market' for the gender-neutral concept, this led to the inevitable analysis of UK loved 'timeless' (Honda, 2014) H&M owned 'Scandi' brand Cos. Although Scandinavian by heritage, Cos (standing for Collection of Style) has 17 stores within the UK. The brand pride themselves on 'favouring style over fashion' (Cos, n.d.), and are even sometimes perceived as an existing gender-neutral brand (See Appendix E) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which fits perfectly with this concept. It's not about creating a shock tactic; it's about filling the identified gap in the market. The main consumer identified for the gender-neutral brand are likely to be existing consumer's of the Cos brand (See Appendix E) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when asked to list their favorite brand's Cos came top (ahead of the likes of Topshop and sister brand H&M) without any need for prompting. The Cos brand is positioned as a middle-market or 'Masstige (prestige for the masses or mass luxury' (Posner, 2011) high-street brand, ensuring it appeals to the 'early adopters' and consumer's looking to purchase more luxury items with a more affordable price tag.

Visual Inspiration:

Beetle shells

Claud Egan Exhibition

Colour

Figure 27, Visual Inspiration Moodboard, (Own Image, 2015)

Organic Forms:

Graphite

Creative Concept: > monochrome

Based on the insights identified within the report, the Creative Concept is: 'To create a gender-neutral brand extension for Cos with an aesthetic outside of monochrome'.

Mx X Cos what?

Figure 28: Mx X Cos, (Own Image, 2015)

Presenting, Mx X Cos - a gender-neutral range launching 1st September 2015.

Figure 29, Mx Logo, (Own Image, 2015)

Mx X Cos what?

Unlike many other gender-neutral brands, Mx features a completely unique sizing guide. Featuring 6 gender-neutral sizes - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6. The size guide for the brand features rough conversions for both women's and men's Cos sizes, as well as body measurements for those new to the brand or unfamiliar with their sizing. Consumers are encouraged to refer to the body measurements specified, as although all products are gender-neutral, anatomically everyone is a different shape. Reiterating the anatomical difference Â and fit preference of each individual, Cos

encourage Mx consumers to order more and fit preference of each individual, Cos encourage Mx consumers to order more than one size when purchasing their first garment online, or to visit one of their stockless stores to find the perfect size and fit for them. Although the size guide features conversions for women's XS through to L and men's S through to XL, Cos reiterate the fact the sizing of the garments is a rough guide only, and consumers may wish to size up or down to create their desired fit or look. The size guide is as much about individual preference as it is technical fit.

Figure 31: Find My Mx Size, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 30: Mx Size Guide, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 32: Stockless Store Homepage, (Own Image, 2015)

Stockless Store The Mx product range includes various garments for both clothing and accessories categories; all of which are gender-neutral. As discussed within previous stages of this report, this brand breaks the mould in terms of most existing gender-neutral brand's aesthetics, by embracing colour. Focusing on 3 specific colours per season, along side black, white, grey and beige ensures this brand has something unique to offer to its consumer and will cater to a greater variety of tastes. Just because the consumer is purchasing gender neutral, doesn't mean they want monochrome.

Mx utilises a revolutionary concept of stockless stores. Featured within the existing Cos store, this creates a unique experience for the consumer of Mx. Within the store, every product has 3 of each variation of size. Consumers are encouraged to follow the stockless store guide, which is as follows.

Find your size (use our size guide to convers your women's or men's Cos size into an Mx size, we encourage you to use this size and either one size up or one size down, depending on how you prefer the fit of garments)

Browse the garments (find which styles you like the most)

Take the garments to the designated Mx changing rooms. (Obviously they're gender-neutral)

Find your perfect fit

Take your garment to POS iPad till, a member of staff is on hand at all times to assist you in your purchase.

Scan the barcode featured on the swing tag of the garment you wish to purchase, pass the garment to the member of staff behind the POS, and follow the instructions on the iPad to complete your purchase.

Select your delivery preference; standard delivery is included in the price of each garment, however express and next day delivery options are available for a surplus charge.

Take your receipt and bag, and look forward to your order arriving to your home.

Figure 33: Stockless Store Checkout Page, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 34: Stockless Store Receipt, (Own Image, 2015)

The swing tags featured on each garment are utilised with an individual size and product style barcode number. Each barcode differs, depending on size, colour and style, ensuring the consumer will receive an item identical to the item they have just tried on, reducing the effects of human error when having to enter a size manually. Customers are given a small gift bag for their receipt, this acts as further promotion for the brand, and differs to the existing Cos bags, featuring the Mx X Cos logo and the multi-coloured brand logo sticker for closure. The multi-coloured theme, as discussed within the creative concept section of the report, both reflects that although Mx is a gender-neutral brand, it features more than just monochrome items, and supports all gender's and sexualities as equal to one another.

Figure 35: Stockless Store Gift Bag, (Own Image, 2015)

Online

Figure 36: Cos Homepage Mockup with Mx, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 37: Cos Homepage Mx Rollover, (Own Image, 2015)

Mx is also available to consumers via the Cos webpage. Just like the Women's and Men's sections of the site, mx is accessible via the main navigation bar from all pages. Once a consumer clicks on the Mx tab, they are directed to the 'About Mx' page, which features information on the concept (see above) as well as links to 'Shop Now', 'Size Guide' and the 'Stockless Store Concept'. The Shop Now page takes the user directly to the product pages, where, as with the rest of the Cos website, they can refine and sort the content viewed by price, colour, size and product type. Once the user clicks on a specific product, the interface is almost identical to that used for the rest of the site; however, each Mx product page features the message 'this product qualifies for free standard delivery*' (to U.K, Europe), as well as featuring a 'size guide' tab, the page also features a 'find my Mx size' tab which is much more prominent. A smaller window opens over the product page (similar to that of the standard sizing guide) featuring more detailed information on how to find the perfect Mx Size (the same page as shown when clicking the 'Size Guide' tab from the main Mx page). The user is then able to 'cross off' this page, to navigate back to the product page to select their

desired size(s) and add them to the bag, in the same way as any other Cos garment, however they are once again encouraged to purchase by the message 'this product qualifies for free standard delivery*'. The 'Size Guide' page features more detailed sizing information for the Mx concept, and has a direct link to the 'Shop now' page. Unlike Selfridges Agender project, the Mx size guide collates the measurements for both male and female sizes into a revolutionary gender-neutral sizing system for all products. This ensures no mixed messages are established between the brand and the consumer and reduces potential criticism on the matter. The 'Stockless Store Concept' explains to online users, how the stockless store works, creating an intrigue and giving the user the option to find there nearest Mx stockless store. All products are received via postal order in Mx X Cos branded packaging as opposed to standard Cos branded packaging. Included within the packaging, along with the standard order summary information, is a promotional flyer thanking the customer for their order on one side, and on the other an encouragement to share their purchase/ outfit via Instagram with the #MyMx.

Figure 38, Mx Product Page Mockup, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 39: Mx 'About Mx' Page, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 40: Mx Mailing Bag Back, (Own Image, 2015)

Figure 41: Mx Mailing Bag and Flyer, (Own Image, 2015)

Mx X Cos

route to consumer.

As an over-arching rule, it's essential that all brands utilise the most relevant social media platforms and strategies for their target consumer. 'Through social media, consumers are sharing their own stories and experiences: In technical terms, they are creating content to inform other consumers' (Brennan and Schafer, 2010), and in order to attract the correct consumer demographic, it is essential that the brand focus on both 'what' the content is, and 'how' said content is projected. Based on the Mx primary consumer archetypes identified (see consumer profiles), it's clear that their main social media use includes Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When analysing the brand's social media engagement levels (See Appendix F), it became apparent that they are not utilising some channels to their full potential. For example; Cos currently have 197,000 likes on Facebook, and post on average every 2.15 days. However, the brand receives on average 297.5 likes, 3.2 comments and 9.9 shares per post. This provides the brand an engagement rating of 0.17%. According to marketing consultant Michael Leander, a Facebook engagement rate of above 1% is good, whilst 0.5% - 0.99% is average and below 0.5% is poor, and usually means that the brand should alter their posts and post content to

Figure 42: Mx Cos Instagram Mockup, (Own Image, 2015)

reiterate the 'audience's expectations and in the process attract more compelling and engaging messages from the community members' (2011). The brand has an active twitter page, but has never posted from it. Subsequently, the page has a mere 152 followers and an engagement rating of 0%. The fact the page is active and easily accessible via both twitter search, by clicking the share button on a product page via the brands website - yet having no posts creates negative connotations for the brand. In a complete contrast to the engagement rates above â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Cos Instagram page has 177, 000 followers and shares new posts on average every

4.85 days. Receiving an average 'Love' per post of 4258.05 and 71.4 comments gives the brand an engagement rate of 2.45% for this platform. The above figures are irrelevant without taking into account the primary consumer's social engagement habits. As a general rule, they engage more with brands via Instagram and Twitter, favouring posts incorporating art and lifestyle references, as well as fashionbased content. They use Facebook as a way of socialising and connecting with friends as opposed to brands. The fact that the main consumers of Mx are either aware of, or are existing Cos consumers suggests that the content of the posts is already aligned well with

Figure 43: My Mx Flyer, (Own Image, 2015)

the consumer, and in order to increase engagement, the brand need to justify the frequency of use of each platform. For example, as mentioned above, Cos currently post on Facebook every 2.15 days, yet post on Instagram every 4.85 days, and don't post on twitter at all. They must therefore increase the frequency of posts on Instagram, reduce those on Facebook, and begin posting on Twitter. Both Instagram and Twitter allow for consumer-toconsumer based engagement via hashtags. The way in which the Mx X Cos consumer engagement will differ from that within the rest of the brand, is that all purchases and post's are accompanied with encouragement for

the consumer to share their purchase with the #MyMx. This ensures the gender-neutral brand extension is more community based, and fits with the needs of the consumer's in terms of their similarities to some subculture movements. As mentioned in the context stage, they pursue dissimilarities from the masses; yet want to feel like they're a part of something.

Figure 44: Mx Casting Call Instagram, (Own Image, 2015)

The Mx brand will also utilise Instagram as a social 'casting call' for models to potentially feature in lookbook's and other promotional material. The fact the brand story focuses on a combination of unity and individual expression lends itself to incorporate multiple gender identities, races, body shapes and ages. Unlike other brands, Mx is as much about the concept as it is the clothing. In terms of physical advertising, Mx will be promoted both within niche lifestyle publications, such as Cereal and Kinfolk, and also publications directly based around gender, such as Candy magazine. These publications are representative of the consumer

archetypes identified, and whilst the idea behind the brand is to increase the accessibility of gender-neutral clothing, it is not in any way a massmarket concept at this stage. Although the consumers of Mx do not necessarily identify as any nonbinary gender, they do support and recognise them as equal to binary gender identifiers. Therefore, Mx will become involved in supporting events such as Pride, which although is known more commonly for supporting the liberation of LGBTQ rights, also does not discriminate in terms of a person's gender whilst at the event.

Mx X Cos conclusion.

List of Illustrations:

Figure 1: Sadli, K. (2014). Gender Neutral Progression. [image] Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/trends/2014-15-autumn-winter/equal-opportunity/gallery/1302008 [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015]. Figure 2: Own Image, (2014). Gender Vs Sex Infographic. [Infographic] Figure 3: Killerman, S. (2015). The Genderbread Person. [image] Available at: http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/wp-content/ uploads/2012/01/1600-Genderbread-Person.jpg [Accessed 8 May 2015]. Figure 4: Own Image, (2014). The Non-Binary Gender Dictionary. [Infographic] Figure 5: Own Image, (2014). The Non-Binary Gender Dictionary. [Infographic] Figure 6: Messer, A. (1973). The New York Dolls on the Old Grey Whistle Test. [image] Available at: http://www.rexfeatures.com/searc h/?order=oldest&viah=Y&kw=new%2520york%2520dolls&pg_size=42&stk=N&search_action_desktop=&lkw=new%2520york%2520dol ls&sft=&iso=GBR&pg=1 [Accessed 8 May 2015]. Figure 7: Malcolm McLaren & Vivienne Westwood. (1976). [image] Available at: http://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/3216/ malcolm-mclaren-the-definitive-punk-visionary [Accessed 8 Jun. 2015]. Figure 8: Polhemus, T. (1980). Boy George and Steve Strange at ' Hell ' club London UK 1980's. [image] Available at: http://www. rexfeatures.com/search/?order=oldest&viah=Y&kw=BOY%2520GEORGE%2520STEVE%2520STRANGE&pg_size=42&stk=N&search_ action_desktop=&lkw=new%2520romantics&sft=&iso=GBR&pg=1 [Accessed 8 May 2015]. Figure 9: Roberts, E. (1994). Bikini Kill. [image] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/14/riot-grrrl-get-noticed [Accessed 8 May 2015]. Figure 10: National Archives, (2004). UK Gender Recognition Act. [image] Available at: http://www. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/7/introduction [Accessed 8 May 2015]. Figure 11: Own Image, (2014). Gender Vs Sex Infographic. [Infographic] Figure 12: Anon, (2014). What Being Non-Binary Means to Me in September 2014. [image] Available at: http://beyondthebinary. co.uk/2014/09/22/what-being-non-binary-means-to-me-in-september-2014/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Figure 13: Fuertes-Knight, J. (2012). Crowd. [image] Available at: http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/blog/celebrate-livin-proofs-5th-birthday-with-a-mixtape [Accessed 9 Jun. 2015]. Figure 14: Anon, (2014). The Death of Student Activism?. [image] Available at: http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-03-05-ruskdemonstration10311967b.jpg [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Figure 15: Titman, N. (2015). Nonbinary Campaign Pledges by Political Party. [image] Available at: http://practicalandrogyny. com/2015/05/09/uk-general-election-nonbinary-campaign-final-analysis/ [Accessed 1 Jun 2015] Figure 16: Kite, P. (1977). Single-Again Scrapbook [image] Available at: http://practicalandrogyny.tumblr.com/post/118241527942/ the-first-recorded-use-of-the-gender-inclusive Figure 17: Hourani, R. (2015). Ready To Wear Collection. [image] Available at: http://www.xojane.com/fashion/is-gender-nuetral-fashion-butch-appropriation [Accessed 10 May 2015]. Figure 18: Webber, B. (2014). Barneys Transgender Campaign. [image] Available at: http://www.annexmagazine.com/wp-content/ uploads/2014/01/Barneys.jpg [Accessed 10 May] Figure 19: Own Image, (2015). Selfridges Agender [image] Figure 20: Hourani, R. (2015). Rad Hourani Anatomy. [image] Available at: http://ftape.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Pg82-89-Rad-Hourani-1.jpg [Accessed 11 May 2015]. Figure 21: Zunino Celotto, V. (2015). Shirt with Bow, Gucci Menswear A/W 15 Show, Milan Fashion Week. [image] Available at: http:// www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/mar/09/unisex-trend-menswear-gender [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Figure 22: Acne Studios, (2015). Pre-fall First Arrivals. [image] Available at: http://www.acnestudios.com/shop-women/ [Accessed 7 Jun. 2015]. Figure 23: Aesop, (2011). Aesop Range. [image] Available at: http://crashingred.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/AESOP-SKINPARSLEY-GROUP-SHOT.jpg [Accessed 10 Jun. 2015]. Figure 24: Anon, (n.d.). Meet The Experts. [image] Available at: http://www.rvda.nl/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/047-AIFW10-07-OpeningSoiree-Spijkers-en-Spijkers-by-RVDA-5245a.jpg [Accessed 7 Jun. 2015].

Figure 25: Folk, (2015). AW15 Lookbook Image. [image] Available at: http://www.folkclothing.com/women/lookbook [Accessed 7 Jun. 2015]. Figure 26: Cos, (2014). SS14 Lookbook Image. [image] Available at: http://ftape.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CosSS14_Ben-Allen_05.jpg [Accessed 7 Jun. 2015]. Figure 27, Own Image, (2015). Visual Inspiration Moodboard, [image] Figure 28: Own Image, (2015). Mx X Cos, [graphic] Figure 29, Own Image, (2015). Mx Logo, [graphic] Figure 30: Own Image, (2015). Mx Size Guide. [infographic] Figure 31: Own Image, (2015). Find My Mx Size. [infographic] Figure 32: Own Image, (2015). Stockless Store Homepage. [graphic] Figure 33: Own Image, (2015). Stockless Store Checkout Page. Figure 34: Own Image, (2015). Stockless Store Receipt. [image] Figure 35: Own Image, (2015). Stockless Store Gift Bag. [image] Figure 36: Own Image, (2015). Cos Homepage Mockup with Mx. [graphic] Figure 37: Own Image, (2015). Cos Homepage Mx Rollover. [graphic] Figure 38, Own Image, (2015). Mx Product Page Mockup. [graphic] Figure 39: Own Image, (2015). Mx 'About Mx' Page. [graphic] Figure 40: Own Image, (2015). Mx Mailing Bag Back. [image] Figure 41: Own Image, (2015). Mx Mailing Bag and Flyer. [image] Figure 42: Own Image, (2015). Mx Cos Instagram Mockup. [graphic] Figure 43: Own Image, (2015). My Mx Flyer. [image] Figure 44: Own Image, (2015). Mx Casting Call Instagram. [graphic]

References:

Aesop, (2015). Find your nearest store. [online] Available at: http://www.aesop.com/uk/ustorelocator/location/map/ [Accessed 5 May 2015]. Apelqvist, E. (2013). LGBTQ families. p.10. Brennan, B. and Schafer, L. (2010). Branded!. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, p.6. Campbell, M. (2013). Popular Music in America:The Beat Goes On. 4th ed. p.249. Cochrane, L. (2015). Gucci’s menswear collection defies expectations after Giannini exit. [online] The Guardian. Available at: http:// www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/jan/19/gucci-menswear-collection-frida-giannini [Accessed 28 May 2015]. Cosstores.com, (2015). COS. [online] Available at: http://www.cosstores.com/fr/About [Accessed 23 Apr. 2015]. Davidson, H. (2014). Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters: Introducing the Spring 2014 Campaign. [online] The Window, Barneys New York. Available at: http://thewindow.barneys.com/brothers-sisters-sons-daughters/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2015]. Deacon, L. (2014). The Death of Student Activism and The Rise of Lad Culture and Political Apathy in Universities. [online] The Huffington Post UK. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/liam-deacon/the-death-of-student-actism_b_4904133.html [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015]. Doig, S. (2015). Milan Men's Fashion Week: the gender agenda-Telegraph. [online] Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph. co.uk/luxury/mens-style/59333/milan-mens-fashion-week-the-gender-agenda.html [Accessed 28 May 2015]. Dreger, A. (2014). Is Anatomy Destiny?. [video] Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/alice_dreger_is_anatomy_destiny/ transcript?language=en [Accessed 7 Mar. 2015]. Edwards, C. (2014). An Open Letter to Barneys New York re Transgender Ad Campaign. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-edwards/an-open-letter-to-barneys_b_4863210.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Eleftheriou-Smith, L. (2015). A gender neutral honorific, 'Mx', could be added to the Oxford English Dictionary very soon. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/gender-neutral-honorific-mx-to-be-included-inthe-oxford-english-dictionary-alongside-mr-ms-and-mrs-and-miss-10222287.html [Accessed 4 May 2015]. Erickson-Schroth, L. (2014). Trans bodies, trans selves. Oxford University Press, p.13. Fox, I. (2015). Dude looks likes a lady: the unisex trend blurring gender boundaries. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www. theguardian.com/fashion/2015/mar/09/unisex-trend-menswear-gender [Accessed 19 May 2015]. Gender. (2015). In: Oxford English Dictionaries, 1st ed. [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ gender [Accessed 8 Mar. 2015]. Hanna, K. (2013). Girls Like Us: A Q&A With Kathleen Hanna. New York Magazine: The Cut. [online] Available at: http://nymag. com/thecut/2013/08/girls-like-us-a-qa-with-kathleen-hanna.html [Accessed 9 Apr. 2015]. Hewson, L. and Jones, N. (2015). Selfridges to Launch Gender Neutral Retail Concept. [online] WWD. Available at: http://wwd.com/ fashion-news/department-stores/selfridges-to-launch-gender-neutral-retail-concept-8150257/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Hollström, P. (2015). O D E U R - About. [online] Odeur.se. Available at: http://odeur.se/info/about/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2015]. Honda, m. (2014). Marie Honda On All Things COS [Interview] | Fashion Magazine | News. Fashion. Beauty. Music. | oystermag.com. [online] OYSTER. Available at: http://www.oystermag.com/marie-honda-on-all-things-cos-interview [Accessed 8 Feb. 2015]. Hourani, R. (2015). Design against boundaries: Rad Hourani. [online] Sleek Mag. Available at: http://www.sleek-mag.com/printfeatures/2015/02/rad-hourani-interview-fashion/ [Accessed 2 Jun. 2015]. Hourani, R. (2015). RAD HOURANI — About. [online] Radhourani.com. Available at: http://www.radhourani.com/pages/about [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015]. IFLA, (n.d.). Political trends and the rise of online participation and activism | IFLA Trend Report. [online] Available at: http://trends. ifla.org/expert-meeting-summary/political-trends-and-the-rise-of-online-participation-and-activism [Accessed 20 May 2015]. K-Hole & Box 1824, (2015). Youth Mode: A Report on Freedom. [online] p.27. Available at: http://khole.net/issues/youth-mode/ [Accessed 28 Apr. 2015]. Kite, P. (1977). Single-Again Scrapbook. The Single Parent Magazine, (20), p.16. Knox, D. and Schacht, C. (2002). Choices in relationships. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, p.64.

Leander, m. (2011). What is a good Facebook engagement rate? See numbers here. [online] Michael Leander - marketing speaker, marketing trainer. Available at: http://www.michaelleander.me/blog/facebook-engagement-rate-benchmark/ [Accessed 28 May 2015]. Lodge, C. (2015). Recognition (UK) - Nonbinary.org. [online] Nonbinary.org. Available at: http://nonbinary.org/wiki/Recognition_ (UK) [Accessed 30 May 2015]. Miista, (n.d.). FASHION BACKWARD: NEW ROMANTICISM. [Blog] MIISTA. Available at: http://miista.com/fashion-backward-newromanticism/ [Accessed 9 Jun. 2015]. Monro, S. (2005). Gender politics. London: Pluto Press, p.91. Nonbinary Inclusion Project, (2014). Non-Binary Gender Inclusion Project. [online] Available at: http://nonbinary.co.uk [Accessed 9 May 2015]. Ongley, H. (2015). An Ode to Kathleen Hannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gender-Bending Feminist Anti-Fashion. [online] Styleite.com. Available at: http:// www.styleite.com/news/an-ode-to-kathleen-hannas-gender-bending-feminist-anti-fashion/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2015]. Posner, H. (2011). Marketing fashion. London: Laurence King Pub. Prince, V., Ekins, R. and King, D. (2005). Virginia Prince. p.29. Robb, J. and Craske, O. (2006). Punk rock. Ebury Press, p.XII. Rosoff, M. (2011). Facebook Will Be Worth $234 Billion By 2015, Predicts Analyst. [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www. businessinsider.com/facebook-will-be-worth-234-billion-by-2015-predicts-analyst-2011-3?IR=T [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015]. Selfridges, (2015). Agender. [online] Available at: http://www.selfridges.com/content/agender [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Steinberg, S. (2009). Diversity and multiculturalism. New York: Peter Lang. Sujaya, J. (2014). Sweden and Gender Equality. [Blog] KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Available at: http://www.kth.se/blogs/jairam/2014/03/sweden-and-gender-equality/ [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015]. Thilbert, G. (2015). If punk never dies - then how does it age? | read | i-D. [online] i-D. Available at: https://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/article/ if-punk-never-dies-then-how-does-it-age [Accessed 3 Jun. 2015]. Titman, N. (2014). How many people in the United Kingdom are nonbinary?. [Blog] Practical Androgyny. Available at: http://practicalandrogyny.com/2014/12/16/how-many-people-in-the-uk-are-nonbinary/?hc_location=ufi [Accessed 17 May 2015]. Titman, N. (2015). The first recorded use of the gender-inclusive title Mx ini print. [Blog] Practical Androgyny. Available at: http:// practicalandrogyny.tumblr.com/post/118241527942/the-first-recorded-use-of-the-gender-inclusive [Accessed 6 May 2015]. Titman, N. (2015). UK General Election: Nonbinary Campaign Results and Final Analysis. [Blog] Practical Androgyny. Available at: http://practicalandrogyny.com/2015/05/09/uk-general-election-nonbinary-campaign-final-analysis/ [Accessed 9 May 2015]. Toogood, f. (2015). Agender - The Concept Store. [online] Selfridges. Available at: http://www.selfridges.com/content/agenderconcept-store [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Toogood, F. (2015). Agender - The Concept Store. [online] Selfridges.com. Available at: http://www.selfridges.com/content/agenderconcept-store [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Tufrey, E. (2015). Skype: Add 'Other' as a gender option. [online] Change.org. Available at: https://www.change.org/p/skype-addother-as-a-gender-option [Accessed 1 Jun. 2015]. Vespa, J. (2009). Gender Ideology Construction: A Life Course and Intersectional Approach. Gender & Society, 23(3), pp.363-387. Vincent, J. (2014). Facebook introduces more than 70 new gender options to the UK: 'We want to reflect society'. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/facebook-introduces-more-than-70-newgender-options-to-the-uk-we-want-to-reflect-society-9567261.html [Accessed 22 Mar. 2015]. Weir, L. (2014). Equal Opportunity. [online] Vogue UK. Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/trends/2014-15-autumn-winter/ equal-opportunity [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015]. Wilkinson, S. (2015). Butch chic: how the gender-neutral trend has ruined my wardrobe. [online] The Guardian. Available at: http:// www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/mar/24/butch-chic-how-the-gender-neutral-trend-has-ruined-my-wardrobe [Accessed 10 Apr. 2015].

Bibliography:

Appendix:

Declaration Form:

Tutorial Record Sheets:

Critical Path

Methodology:

Typeform Results:

Social Media Analysis

Interviews.

C CRITICAL PATH

D METHODOLOGY

E TYPEFORM QUESTIONS 1

E TYPEFORM QUESTIONS

E TYPEFORM QUESTIONS 7

E TYPEFORM QUESTIONS 10

E TYPEFORM ANSWERS

100

E TYPEFORM ANSWERS

101

E TYPEFORM ANSWERS

102

F SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113