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A view into one of fashion’s most ground-breaking movement - Androgyny
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PREFACE The dictionary defines an echo as a sound or sounds
towards androgyny, it was nonetheless a very influential
caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface
one.
back to the listener. But for a moment, if you were to keep
Soon there was the insurgence of ambiguity of sexuality in
aside the elementary technicalities, you would see how the
fashion, the idea of self-expression and choosing who you
word pertains to a multitude of things happening around
want to be. Gender was no longer bifurcated into male and
us. Fashion, as a popular culture, is an echo of society,
female- but the society was beginning to understand just
politics, economics and more. It captures the zeitgeist
how complicated gender and sexuality could get. With this
of a time. The world of fashion sees the birth, influx and
came a deeper understanding of individuality.
decline of trends. Few of these trends are born from
Yves Saint Laurent, Donna Karan, Yohji Yamamoto,
deeper understandings of the society, of it’s people, of the
Comme des Garcons- though designers with very diverse
psychology that drives fashion and surpass the boundaries
voices, they began working towards a common future. A
of what makes a trend and transforms into a movement-
future where gender lines are blurring and sexuality is
with a very unique voice and a message to share.
no longer ‘understood’ but becomes an opportunity for a
Androgyny as such could never be limited to just a mere
dialogue.
trend. It is driven by a profound reasoning- with a need to
The influence of androgyny could have a lot to do with
redefine sexuality in fashion.
how fashion is perceived in the coming years. Would it be
Feminity
in
fashion
has
important
sociological
easier for women to borrow staples from their brother’s
implications. Feminine fashion was used to “keep women
wardrobes and vice versa?
in their proper place”- in the kitchen, on the shelf of out
You would perceive the importance if you were to imagine
of the boardroom. Though the rising hemlines of the 20s
the novelty of a works free from preconceived stereotypes
were only a stepping stone, as women were given greater
of sexuality, where inspiration could come from anywhere
rights, privileges, freedom and opportunities for success
and wasn’t limited by gender roles and every person
and independence, their fashion choices shifted. Women
could express themselves just how they wanted to. By
embraced “power” clothing- the power suit, pant, stacked
understanding the future of androgynous fashion, we
heels and war paint make up of the 80s prepared women
could grasp an understanding of the future society. Now
for the concrete jungle. Though this was the first step
wouldn’t that be interesting?
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01 Androgyny - the term and its origin
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androgyny The very beginning
The connotations of the term ‘androgyny’
the cognitive process that happens when
have long been debated on. In itself, the
people learn and internalize gender roles.
word has a multitude of implications, and
This theory denotes that gender becomes
different facets to its understanding.
the core lens through which people learn to
The term derived from the Latin word
see the world, recognize people, things and
androgynus, derived from Ancient Greek
characteristics as being inherently feminine
in which andr means man and gyne means
and masculine. Androgyny comes into play
woman. Androgyny has long been divided
when these conventions of gender roles are
into two distinct types: physical androgyny
broken down, allowing to borrow from and
and psychological androgyny. As fashion is
adapt to the opposite gender. The starting
a cumulative effect of all political, economic,
point of androgyny is ambiguity leading to
geographic,
distinction
cultural
and
psychological
influences of a time, it is more pliable to
In the concept of philosophical dualism in
the psychological aspect of androgyny. It
Greek culture, it has been explained that
refers to a person who has the ability to be
our sexual natures as male and female are
at the same time nurturing and aggressive,
accidental limitations that we may transcend
rigid and sensitive, and submersive and
through our freedom, and in death we may
dominant. This ability can be experienced
return to the existential sexless and abstract
by both men and women.
humanity that is truly us.
The gender schema theory tries to explain
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02 The deep roots of the movement
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carl jung Inside the mind
Like androgyny itself, the psychoanalytic
together form the whole. Amongst these are
theories referred to this topic is multi-
the shadow, the Anima and Animus and the
layered and vividly interesting. It was once
Mana.
define scientifically by Carl Jung. Carl
The
Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and
women is called Animus, and the female
psychotherapist who founded analytical
principle in men called Anima, that makes
psychology. He was also the first person to
communication between genders possible.
explain the implications of androgyny on the
He claims that every being is born with male
psyche. He founded the concept of the ego
and female components and characteristics,
- the centre of consciousness - and the self
which are amplified by the individual’s
– the centre of the total personality, which
upbringing and surrounding. Androgyny
includes the consciousness, the unconscious
is witnessed in individuals who are not
and the ego. The self is both the whole and
polarised to male and female characteristics.
the centre, while the ego is the self-contained
According to Jung, androgyny leads to the
little centre of the circle contained within the
displacement of the inner frame of anima and
whole.
animus and restructures the concept of inter-
Jung’s work explains that under the Self’s
gender communication and gender identity.
guidance, a succession of archetypal images
It can simply be defined as just another
emerges. In simpler terms it means the self
aspect that differentiates individuals, which
is fragmented and divided into parts that
reflects their true, unique self.
masculine
archetype
principle
in
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03 How the 1920s fared in Androgyny
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A-CHANGING TiMES How the end of the War changed everything
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The end of the war was like a beacon of hope,
history. Life was lived in the fast lane. The
a promise of better times. The skies cleared,
automobile
and there was reason to look forward again,
horse carriages. The youth began to love
but nobody knew there was a bend in the
more freely, embracing each day as it came.
road ahead. Soldiers had come back with a
Alcohol fuelled energy, nicotine and opium
different view of life, with having dealt with
helped further and the life of the party was
so closely. On their return to their past lives
on the dance floor. Cigarette production
they started questioning the old norms,
always doubled overnight in America as
rearranging the rules as they went. Now
every second lady was seen with a smoke
that they had learnt to question their futures
propped between her fingers. Never before
replaced
the
old-fashioned
After the horrors of the war, people were intent on having fun and that brought with itself the overwhelming desire to make up for lost time. Youth culture was an invention of the 1920s. The events of the 60s were merely a revival of what was already history.
they realised that they no longer wanted to
had men and women been so comfortable in
spend the present day hoping and preparing
such proximity.
for the next, but live every day at a time, and
One of the most significant changes was how
do a good job at it.
the youth began to perceive the idea of sex.
After the horrors of the war, people were
The young ones decided that’s ex should
intent on having fun and this brought with
no longer be considered a social taboo.
itself the overwhelming desire to make
They took the ‘never-to-be-discussed’ idea
up for lost time. Youth culture was an
from their parents and relaxed the notions
invention of the 1920s. The events of the 60s
surrounding it. The women, who had already
were merely a revival of what was already
begun to discover themselves beyond their
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homes and their families, heralded the sexual revolution. They embraced their sexuality, mingled with men freely and danced the night away. Throughout the 1920s discussions about sex became more commonplace. The end of the war also brought with itself the biggest economic boom seen yet.
The Roaring Twenties is remembered for Charleston, Jazz, bobbed haircuts, red lips, cigarettes and free love. But it has etched its mark in the timeline for being the decade that single-handedly changed the course of history of mankind, and the society he lived in.
This came in time with the technological advancements.
Automobiles,
household
appliances, telephone, radio, gramophone all conspired together to make life easier and pleasanter, and at the same time strengthen the belief in a better future. In the 1920s, the world was introduced to the American Dream. The Roaring Twenties is remembered for Charleston, Jazz, bobbed haircuts, red lips, cigarettes and free love. But it has etched its mark in the timeline for being the decade that single-handedly changed the course of history of mankind, and the society he lived in. The era saw women accepting their sexuality and stepping beyond the preconceived notions of the society as to what femininity looked like. They redefined their sexuality and set out on their venture for more. This single step was the biggest leap for androgyny at the time.
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the
flapper The seeds of women liberation during the Twenties were sown during the First World War. As men were sent to fight at the front line, women began to take over their jobs. They found employment in agriculture, construction
As the war blew over, no one could expect them to return to more menial tasks. They pushed themselves into occupations that were highly regarded and better paid than domestic jobs. They spent the money at their own discretion, investing it largely on their appearance. Finding their ground was only the first step for what was yet to come.
industries,
munitions
and
other factories. Those who volunteered for military service found themselves in a variety of roles, including nursing. As the war blew over, no one could expect them to return to more menial tasks. They pushed themselves into occupations that were highly regarded and better paid than domestic jobs. They spent the money at their own discretion, investing it largely on their appearance. Finding their ground was only the first step for what was yet to come. With the onset of the decade, a multitude of things changed for the then women. Alongside finding their own careers, they embraced the prevalent youth culture. With the end of the war, some girls were never to find a man, so why shouldn’t they enjoy life with a male kind of freedom- easy-towear clothes, a job, cigarettes, cocktails, sex and dancing all the night? Hence, was born, 26
the Flapper. The bachelor girls, as these 1920 liberated
Though there were a few more years to go till women were to be seen in pantsuits and jackets, the flapper- this eponymous central character- remained a role model for young androgynous women of the time who were trailblazers of their own kind.
women became known, strapped down their breasts, cut their hair short, masked their hips with dropped waistlines and revealed their legs with daringly short dresses. As the silhouettes turned boyish, breasts, bellies and butts disappeared with exercise, diets and spa treatments, and whatever was left was flattened by new-style stretch girdlesparts of the body that the corset had once accentuated. All of these changes were mainly lead by one motive- freedom of movement. After years of being bound by corsets, this was liberation enough. The Flappers were nicknames Garçonnes, after Victor Margueritte’s censored 1922 novel La Garçonne- a romp of career girls cutting off their hair and sleeping around. This was the very first step towards androgyny at the time. Androgyny is not just defined by dressing like the opposite sex. It is a movement that has its roots deep I psychology. This was the first time in history that women were stepping beyond their previously assigned sexual roles by society, and were setting on a course of self-discovery. By merely demanding for better jobs and getting them, and being at par with their male counterparts they had taken the first step towards an androgynous future. Though there were a few more years to go till women were to be seen in pantsuits and jackets, the flapper- this eponymous central character- remained a role model for young androgynous women of the time who were trailblazers of their own kind.
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mademoiselle Coco Chanel brought in an air of revolution and took the industry by a storm when she first stepped into the fashion scene. For the first time ever, function preceded form in women’s fashion, freeing bodies, uplifting spirits and giving rise to a new way of life. She single-handedly modernized fashion. With her boyish appearance, active lifestyle and her sharp tongue, she herself represented the change that she was here to bring. Gabrielle Chanel had nothing to lose; she only stood to gain.
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Following her mother’s death, when she was just 11 years
The Chanel jacket is a man’s jacket which has become typically feminine, which has definitely come to symbolize a certain nonchalant feminine elegance, that is timeless, and so for all times. Karl Lagerfeld
old, her father abandoned her and her two
siblings to
a convent run orphanage and disappeared from her life, never to be seen again. She was taught to sew by the nuns who ran the orphanage and such was the humble beginning of her affair with fashion, which was here to stay. Chanel’s penchant for anything masculine became the driving force in her life and designs. In her attempt to free the body and design garments that offered unadulterated movement, she began to make loose-fitting outfits with jersey, an “inferior” material which had hitherto been used mainly for men’s underwear. Coco was always rummaging through her lover’s wardrobes, hunting for inspirationpicking up a tweed jacket here, or a pullover there, making it fit by means of a belt around her waist. From Scotland which she discovered in her youth with the Duke of Westminster, Chanel brought back tweed, which became the base of her jacket- a true masterpiece. Simple, fluid and undeniably modern, the tweed jacket allowed absolute freedom of movement. With this she etched her mark in the history of androgyny. As put by Karl Lagerfeld, “The Chanel jacket is a man’s jacket which has become typically feminine, which has definitely come to symbolize a certain nonchalant feminine elegance, that is timeless, and so for all times.” In her men’s trousers, tucked in cardigans, Coco didn’t just herald an age of androgyny by the way she dressed, but exemplified what women could achieve if they put their minds to it. This was an inviting idea for the women of the time, giving that final thrust to the already powerful youth culture. After all, if their lives were heading a revolution, it was only fair that their clothes followed suit. 32
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04 How the 1930s fared in Androgyny
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A paradoxical epoch A decade of clashing ideas and identities
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The stock market crash of 1929 marked the beginning of uncertain times, characterized by mass unemployment and political turmoil. This was to change the course of history remarkably. Many of American couture buyers did not make the trip to France, and even the big US fashion houses, that customarily bought the rights to a range
Women’s curves were no longer being deemphasized. Skirts became longer, and clothes returned to being near the natural waistline. This definitely was a step away from androgyny.
of designs every season so as to reproduce them in the States, now took only one or two licenses and copied them endlessly. In the French fashion industry alone 10,000 people lost their jobs. People who had managed to hang onto their fortunes were no longer ostentatious about it. Rather than being a sign of insensitivity towards others, this was often simply because they were in tune with modern times: Art Deco and Cubism had marked a trend for geometric lines. Despite their poverty, ordinary people wanted to maintain a certain status. Good clothing was never more highly prized than during the Depression.
“It’s no longer smart to be boyish. You must be the essence of romance at the evening”~ Vogue, March 1938
The Depression heralded a multitude of changes, from culture, economics to politics and fashion. Fashion reclined to the familiar elegance that it knew before the Twenties. The 1930s began with a dramatic shift in the overall silhouette. Women’s curves were no longer being de-emphasized. Skirts became longer, and clothes returned to being near the natural waistline. This definitely was a step away from androgyny. By now, pants, especially silk pyjamas were to be found in the wardrobe of every elegant lady. Yet in a way they went unnoticed; they were not seen as acceptable in public. “It’s no longer smart to be boyish. You must be the essence of romance at the evening”- Vogue March 1938. Pants with sweaters as women’s dressing only appeared on the pages of Vogue by 1939. By the same time Hitler provoked 39
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the Second World War. Fashion seemed to have already foreseen the catastrophe as, towards the end of the decade, clothing took an almost uniform-like appearance: square shoulders, narrow skirts, shoulder bags and flat walking shoes- making every woman look like an eager recruit. Fashion took its
So the 1930s could have singlehandedly veered the world away from androgyny, but why couldn’t it? The answer lies in the paradox that the era exemplified. While the world returned to flounces and femininity, a few trailblazing women stepped up to give the world a taste of androgynyand an idea of how their daughters would want to look decades later
cue from perfection rather than innovation. War and couture had always seemed to be at opposite ends- one the destruction and the other the creation of beautiful things. Yet, the defiance of French citizens found an expression in fashion. Despite the regulations, French women expressed their independence by cultivating an extravagant look. Everywhere else women saw it as a duty to dress as inconspicuously as possible. “While we wear artificial silk, French women swathe themselves in meters of the real thing,” complained American Vogue. So the 1930s could have single-handedly veered the world away from androgyny, but why couldn’t it? The answer lies in the paradox that the era exemplified. While the world returned to flounces and femininity, a few trailblazing women stepped up to give the world a taste of androgyny- and an idea of how their daughters would want to look decades later.
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sportswear When Europe was still falling back on
American fashion from the clutches of
extravagance, America, for the first time was
Parisian design. The epicentre of this new
treading into newer territories. As a nation,
“American Look” was New York City, where
they thought it was their duty to do their
the majority of fashion was created.
bit to help overcome the difficulties of the
Still reeling from the Depression, and
war. American designers saw the need for
prepping for the Second World War, this
comfortable, utilitarian and durable clothing,
revolution in fashion came at just the right
and hence was born Sportswear. During the
time. It was mass-produced, yet capable of
time America was setting the bars for leisure
self-expression through interchangeable and
and relaxation of gender roles. Cycling,
varied pieces. American designers recognized
tennis and golf remained popular pastime.
the need for a shift from fashion’s trivial
Soon, sportswear gained an ambiguous role,
relationship with beauty and femininity of
not only appropriate for athletes but also
the time to meet the demanding need s of
for spectators. American sportswear ably
a fast-paced shifting lifestyle being adopted
represented the heart of American lifestyle,
by the American women. They altered the
reflecting the fast-paced life of the career
course of 20th Century fashion, pioneering
woman, mother and young lady. It liberated
gender equality and freedom for women.
American designers saw the need for comfortable, utilitarian and durable clothing, and hence was born Sportswear. During the time America was setting the bars for leisure and relaxation of gender roles. Cycling, tennis and golf remained popular pastime. Soon, sportswear gained an ambiguous role, not only appropriate for athletes but also for spectators.
the
blazer As one of the most “functional” revolutions in the industry, sportswear was to change how fashion was perceived. Now, not only concerned with the feminine side of fashion, the world recognized the utilitarian side of it too. By the turn of the 1930s, young women wore jersey, turtleneck sweaters and cardigans borrowed directly from their brothers.
By the turn of the 1930s, young women wore jersey, turtleneck sweaters and cardigans borrowed directly from their brothers. Certain jackets also became linked with sports and therefor sportswear. The most notable of these, still a staple of the modern dress- a blazer.
Certain jackets also became linked with sports and therefor sportswear. The most notable of these, still a staple of the modern dress- a blazer. The standard straight-cut lounge jacket of the late nineteenth century was adopted both by colleges and sports clubs, often fashioning them in stripes, called “blazes”. Hence, blazers. Striped blazers, popular through the 1920s have had revivals since, most notably in the late 1950s and 1960s. Generally, however, they gave way to single coloured blazers in the 1930s. Though the 1930s were all about the return of the feminine and fuller silhouettes in Europe, America set a whole new tune to it. It was not just the mere act of a woman donning a blazer, but the idea it put forth. With the freedom of movement came a certain sense of confidence. This liberated women and gave them a certain masculine taste of independence, pushed them out of their homes and into careers that would go a long way to fulfil their lives. It was the very first steps of androgyny when women started feeling comfortable in skirt-suits and blazers, not yet confident enough to borrow a trouser from their brother’s wardrobe. But there was still a long way to go. 42
MARLENE
DIETRICH It is 1930, the film ‘Morocco’ starring Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper is showing in the cinema, a cabaret scene begins and Dietrich appears, not in a sultry, glamorous dress but in a full tuxedo and a top hat. The audience in the film are shocked and boo as Dietrich carries on her act. Yet now the sight of Dietrich in her tuxedo and top hat is one of the most iconic- later channelled by Madonna- not just in film history but also in fashion. The quintessential 1930’s silhouette was characterised by feminine flounces, fun and sultry glamour. Marlene also adored the glamour of the age, but never giving up her desire to wear trousers and adopt the androgynous style. After wearing the tuxedo in the film, she then later wore it in public in 1932 for the premier of The Sign of the Cross causing amazement, when the photographs hit the newspapers the next day. Although she was definitely not the first women to wear trousers- Parisians specially were wearing the style for years- she was the first Hollywood actress to wear them in public and to really bring the androgynous style to the big screen and the public eye. The outlandish, promiscuous yet alluring German actress and her love of the androgyny paved the way for future actresses to wear ‘male’ clothing without judgement. Greta Garbo and later Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe followed her footsteps.
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katharine
hepburn Modern gender-bending had its humble beginnings with
She was a force to behold, a living proof that Hollywood stardom wasn’t all peroxide blonde and vapid sighs. The fiercely independent Hepburn famously once said: ‘Anytime I hear a man say he prefers a woman in a skirt, I say, “Try one. Try a skirt.”’
a few vey daring women of the 1930s- most famously Hollywood starlet Katharine Hepburn. Championing androgyny for women, Hepburn wore the trousers like no man ever could. The multiple Academy Award winning Actress was unique for her time, pushing her intelligence and independence whilst still keeping hold of her feminine wiles. A self-proclaimed feminist raised by progressive parents in Connecticut, she would appear on sets donning highwaisted pants and button down shirts. She embraced menswear because that was the style of dress she felt most comfortable in, and without a doubt, carried it gracefully. Everything about her set her apart from the crowd- the proud tilt of her skin, the steely eyes and the strong cheek bones, it was almost as if she was enveloped in confidence. She was a force to behold, a living proof that Hollywood stardom wasn’t all peroxide blonde and vapid sighs. The fiercely independent Hepburn famously once said: ‘Anytime I hear a man say he prefers a woman in a skirt, I say, “Try one. Try a skirt.”’ Women like Dietrich and Hepburn set the pace for androgyny for the years to come. If you look beyond the trousers and suits, you see the idea that they stood for: women were no longer the shadow of their husbands, they were now a force to reckon with. It was only beautiful that their style added to it. 49 46
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05 How the 1940s fared in Androgyny
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19 40 fashion in hard times
How Androgyny survived the Second World War
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Neon lights flash through the darkness on a
to utilitarian, uniform-like fashion with
rainy night in the city. Curfews and blackouts
separates, as their bit to help towards
are the order of the day. The Second World
coping with war. Paris lost its charm as
War pursues.
extravagance in fashion was frowned on. An
Six and a half billion British women saw
unusual spectacle restored haute couture
active duty during the war, and four of them
to the public consciousness in 1945. Due to
rose to rank of General. In the US there
shortage of fabric it was impossible to put on
were two million voluntary workers in 1942,
big shows, so the idea of a “theatre of fashion”
which soon became a paid labour force of
was born. The couturiers demonstrated their
four million. From telephone operators
great craftsmanship on small dolls made of
to female engineers, this new “women’s
wire, which required only a small outlay on
Only a decade earlier women who had become accustomed to independence during the First World War had struggled to devote themselves once again to home and hearth, but now willingness to engage in the war effort outside the home was once again seen as a feminine virtue. power” was widely applauded. Only a
material. After a successful launch in Musée
decade earlier women who had become
des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Couture
accustomed to independence during the
Show went across tour in America, winning
First World War had struggled to devote
back former customers and enticing new
themselves once again to home and hearth,
ones.
but now willingness to engage in the war effort outside the home was once again
Reeling with the aftermath of the war,
seen as a feminine virtue. The brave little
this era had subtle contributions towards
soldier’s wife was diligent, thrifty, efficient
androgyny.
and resourceful.
movement more acceptable, by simply
With the outbreak of the war, heavy
cashing on the utilitarian factors of the dress
rationing ensued, on both food and fabric.
codes, which were a dire necessity at this
As an immediate result, women resorted
time. The functional logic was unstoppable.
It made the idea of the
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Women started borrowing from the boys as they realised that only trousers could give them the freedom of movement and ease that they were looking for as they moved around at work. Hence trousers became a norm, cropping up in the wardrobe of every working lady at the time
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trousers As the War continued, men lost their pants to women. Only a decade ago, a style that was considered avant-garde was being adopted at large, as women broke out in a rash of trousers. Before the United States entered World War II, several companies already had contracts with the government to produce war equipment for the Allies. Almost overnight United States entered the War and war production had to increase dramatically over a short period of time. Auto factories were converted to build airplanes, shipyards were expanded and new factories were built, and all these facilities needed workers. At first companies did not think that there would a labour shortage so they did not take the idea of hiring women seriously. But the women who had gotten a taste of stepping out of their home during the last War, were not going to sit back as their husbands were sent to the frontline. As companies were signing large, lucrative contracts with the government, men were leaving for the service and women stepped into work. Women started borrowing from the boys as they realised that only trousers could give them the freedom of movement and ease that they were looking for as they moved around at work. Hence trousers became a norm, cropping up in the wardrobe of every working lady at the time. Mass production helped bring this aspirational piece of clothing to every household, and almost everyone could tell that it was here to stay. 55
make do and mend 53
1940s fashion was stuck in a time warp. Fabric was used in the Second World War to create uniforms, parachutes, bags and padding. In Britain, rationing from 1941 led to painfully exacting regulations: purchase of materials per item of clothing, maximum skirt lengths and width, maximum number of pleats, buttons and accessorieseverything was regulated. Wearing silk was considered and absolute taboo amongst the civilian population, as it was used to make parachutes. Many women owned Utility Jumpsuits which one could put on quickly once the siren blew. The jumpsuit, a new innovation, was warm and comfortable, and featured pockets for papers and valuables. The new fashion invention of the 1940s was the ladies two-piece skirt and jacket suit. Having separates made it easier for women to mix and match clothes which meant they could buy or make less clothing. Less fabric meant lean styles, with narrow hip lines. Short and boxy was the style of the day, out of necessity. The contribution of these events to androgyny was very subtle- separates came in, suits were in vogue. As function took over form, it was a home run for androgyny.
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06 How the 1950s fared in Androgyny
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19 50 Rebirth of couture
A time of new corsets and old conventions
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The 1950s were the last great decade for haute couture, a state of affairs from which it never really recovered. Never before and never again would the world of fashion see the rise of independent couturiers whose work and ideas had a worldwide impact on fashion for the masses. The invention that
As the War ended, the fashion world was ripe for a radical change of direction. After years of clothes being austere and in short supply during the wartime, women yearned for soft lines and extravagant flounces even if this went south of all common sense
single-handedly lead the way was The New Look by Christian Dior. As the War ended, the fashion world was ripe for a radical change of direction. After years of clothes being austere and in short supply during the wartime, women yearned for soft lines and extravagant flounces even if this went south of all common sense. So rose critics of this change- with every justification- who viewed it as unnecessary if not downright outrageous in a world where the parents couldn’t feed their young. And feminists, including English M P Mabel Ridealgh, realized immediately that the new style was not a sign of progress, complaining that: “The New Look is too reminiscent of a bird in a golden cage.” But the 50s marked the rebirth of couture, which undoubtedly the world was yearning for. In spite of all criticism, this trend caught on. The economic upturn in fact, sealed the deal as most women could afford fashionable extravagance. The sombre lines of modernism, in which form was dictated by function, gave way to attractive designs geared with seduction. Only the wealthy 61
could afford this new fashion, which only served to
With the onset of these events, women returned, both literally and figuratively, to the constraints of new corsets and old conventions. After standing their ground all through the war, women now wanted to go back to feeling completely feminine.
emphasize class differences. It also sparked the emergence of a new sector of society: The Middle Class. Material desires were the main priority. Three new inventionsdepartment stores, synthetic factories, and ready-to-wear clothes- enabled people to copy fashions of the rich. In this way haute couture fashion found its way to the High Street. With the onset of these events, women returned, both literally and figuratively, to the constraints of new corsets and old conventions. After standing their ground all through the war, women now wanted to go back to feeling completely feminine. In doing so, however, they gave a good deal of hard-won ground and went back to tending the domestic hearth. They almost became advertisements of their husband’s success, not giving much thought to who they were, as individuals. As masses began to copy the behaviour of their better and as every woman hankered to look impeccable it truly marked the 1950s as an age of conformity. Everyone worked towards a conventional social ideal that they wanted to achieve. Every lady wanted a wasp wait accentuated with a voluptuous skirt. This definitely did nothing good for androgyny. The 50s swung the pendulum far away from the movement, as women went past their hard-won independence and retreated to the comfort of their home. In fact, the 50s went directly in the opposite direction of what androgyny ever stood for. However as the decade came to close, only the farsighted could smell the lingering change in the air which was to set the carousel turning in the opposite direction.
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the
new look On February 2nd 1947, Christian Dior showed his very first collection. How long had it been since people had last seen such tiny waists, and such extravagantly full skirts? The new silhouette caught on with a rage. Now, two world wars later, this silhouette suddenly seemed new and refreshingly feminine. It was Carmel Snow, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar who coined the name for this style that would go down in history: “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian,” she congratulated the shy couturier. “Your dresses have such a new look.” As women began to take down their blackout curtains and turning them into their first full skirt, they were embarking on what was to become an unstoppable quest for beauty. The hourglass silhouette, which became the hallmark of The New Look, was echoed in every aspect of life- from architecture, to interior design, to the most insignificant household object. The “New Look” was even adopted by the Rosenthal Company in 1955 as a label for its new “organic” coffee service. Christian Dior, witnessing the reaction to his latest fashion innovation, remarked: “What have I done? What on earth have I done?” What he had done, was tap into a global desire for a restoration of old values. There was a widespread longing for things to return to how they used to be when men and women had clearly defined roles. This, though a revolution in the history of fashion, did nothing good for androgyny. The movement just sat back and waited for the next change, which was in fact, not very far away.
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07 How the 1960s fared in Androgyny
19 60
when everyhting changed A time of radical changes
The “Swinging Sixties” was undeniably the most
It witnessed a multitude of events- from the sexual revolution, the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Civil rights movement, the introduction of the Pill, the Stonewall riots, to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. All of these events had their own contributions towards the overall impetus that made 60s such a ground-breaking era
revolutionary era in the history of mankind. Never before had a decade seen such extreme changes in every normfrom society, politics to culture. It saw a stark change from the 50s and paved a new path for itself, refusing to hold on to antecedent ideas. It witnessed a multitude of eventsfrom the sexual revolution, the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Civil rights movement, the introduction of the Pill, the Stonewall riots, to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. All of these events had their own contributions towards the overall impetus that made 60s such a ground-breaking era. The incentive for change stemmed from the younger generation- the most optimistic social group. Thanks to the post war baby boom, the young crowd accounted for an extremely large section of the population and their influence than ever before. Teenagers, who were only ‘discovered’ as potential customers in 1950s, had grown into rebellious twenty-somethings, questioning all that their parents held sacred. Generational conflicts as such was not a novel concept, but what made it work this time was the counterculture that they developed, and promoted so forcefully that it could not just die away given time. It was the suffocating constraints of the middle-class society, with its empty protocols governing respectability and good manners that provoked this rebellion among the younger generation. The roots of this rebellion lay in the youth’s aversion of being put under pressure. So what if they now refused to be told what to do or pick their partners as causally or randomly as they chose their clothes? It was not long before that the younger generation was congratulating itself on its wonderful, new found liberation. It was also the concurrence of the African-American Civil Rights 66
movement, the LGBT Movement and the sexual revolution that added to this counter culture. They all wanted a single thing: change. By the end of the decade, the plastic flower , with which Mary Quant embellished her clean-cut Lolita dresses, had given way to real a real flower, which became a symbol of the peace movement. The hippies “flower power” movement attracted most of the younger generation as well as many adults. The youth movement celebrated peaceful unity for the last time in August 1969 at the legendary open-air festival in Woodstock, New York- an event which has gone down in history as the biggest such event of all time. Nothing was the same as before, not even fashion. Brigitte Bardot, idol of the younger generation was said to have dismissed an offer from Chanel to dress her, remarking “couture is for grannies”. Elegance was the last thing the youth wanted, because that was exactly what their mothers had aspired for in the 1950s and it was very aging. Prêtà-porter and boutique fashion were the main innovation of the decade. For the first time, street fashion influenced runway trends. As function took over form yet again, interesting milestones were ahead for androgyny.
the
sexual REVOLUTION The 1960s was synonymous with change and
The contribution of the sexual revolution
social revolutions. But the real revolution
to the movement of androgyny was very
started in 1961, when the first contraceptive
elusive. As women became more confident,
pill was distributed. A new era began in which
they started taking control of their own lives,
all women, no matter what social class they
which left them feeling enriched and assured.
belonged to, could for the first time decide
This confidence refracted to every facet of
about maternity. They started depending
their lives, also in what they chose to wear.
less on men and started to rule their own
Consciously moving away from the decadent
lives. The sexual liberation was typified by a
extravagance, they chose shorter hemlines,
dramatic shift in traditional values related to
and boxier silhouettes, which veered away
sex and sexuality. Unlike the decade before,
from the idea of femininity their mothers
sex became more socially acceptable outside
lived by. The beauty that the women of the
the boundaries of heterosexual marriage.
50s looked for in their powder rooms, the
This revolution that was born out of the
youth found in their own skin. Accepting
pill later gave way to the Women’s Right
their own beauty, without having to impose it
Movement and the Gay Liberation. The
on themselves with feminine silhouettes and
youth clearly just had one thing to say- they
red lips was just the beginning. Finally, it was
live by their rules.
looking for androgyny.
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Design has never completely been art, though art has always been a part of design. Though, there have been moments in history, when fashion has gotten closer to art: when it established exceptional alliances with the female liberation movement and has had real social transcendence; years in which a simple mini skirt or a two-piece suit could become a political statement. To this category belongs Yves Saint
The female tuxedo was the perfect portrayal of the zeitgeist of the decade. It talked, from the haute couture, about a new female role model, a more powerful woman. More than a garment, it was a symbol. Fifty years later after its birth, the tuxedo is still one of the freest garments of the female wardrobe. Devoid of its political message, it is now an example of elegance and power.
Laurent’s “le smoking”, or female tuxedo suit. The pill and the sexual revolution that followed had prepared the ground for Le Smoking. Saint Laurent premiered Le Smoking in 1966 in his Pop Art Collection at number 5 avenue Marceau. At first it was considered a provocation, but only at first. For a fashion designer to transcend, it isn’t enough to be talented. He or she needs to impose his own vision to the needs of the time, so much so that trends that would be considered outrageous some years before, suddenly became a necessity. The designer creates the necessity, but this needs to be reflection of the unconscious desires of the time. The female tuxedo was the perfect portrayal of the zeitgeist of the decade. It talked, from the haute couture, about a new female role model, a more powerful woman. More than a garment, it was a symbol. Fifty years later after its birth, the tuxedo is still one of the freest garments of the female wardrobe. Devoid of its political message, it is now an example of elegance and power.
TWIGGY As the world was transitioning from set hairstyles, curlers and rollers of the 50s, a revolution happened in fashion, and a surprisingly enough it was a model. Twiggy, the androgynous icon of the decade was nothing like anyone had seen before. Her femme cheekbones and eyes, the wide
As a remark to the whirlwind of attention paid to her she said, “I hated what I looked like, so I thought everyone had gone stark raving mad.”
forehead and her fairly strong shoulders made a ‘look’ that never had been in fashion before. The poster girl for androgyny was named ‘The Face of 66’ and could look as effortless in a tux as she did in a shift. As a remark to the whirlwind of attention paid to her she said, “I hated what I looked like, so I thought everyone had gone stark raving mad.” In fact, everyone had. With her mop top and statement eyelashes, she represented everything that a 60’s girl wanted to look like. The world looked on, as the shifts effortlessly hung from her shoulders, crafting the quintessential 60s boxy, non-conformist silhouette. As the ‘child star of high fashion’ she illustrated the exemplary androgynous look of the time.
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08 How the 1970s fared in Androgyny
19 70 sex, drugs and rock & roll The genesis of gender ambiguity
The utopia that the 60s idealists had
seem more fragmented, hazier. The social
dreamed of, almost seemed within grasp as
upheavals of the last decade only got bigger.
the world strode into the seventh decade of
Sexual freedom, conscientious objection to
the 20th century. The future belonged to the
military service, experimental drug use, the
young and their “love and peace” mantra.
call for women’s rights- these were no longer
However, as the youth of the last decade
uprisings of small groups, but a matter of
only got older, soon enough the watch-
public concern. Everyone seemed to come
word was “trust no one over 30”. The young
together to make a point.
people who came after them, didn’t really
The end of the Vietnam War brought on
perceive their youth as a blessing-plagued as
darker days. The oil crisis of 1972-73 saw the
“We wanted to rebel,” explains Vivienne Westwood, “as we felt that the hippie movement had run its course, and we never liked what it brought with it in the first place.” There was a stark change of attitude amongst the youth, as the new decade moved on they were with unemployment, inflation and
crash of the dollar, and the economic boom
bored; being young no longer meant being
that was born out of the 50s was suddenly
optimistic and idealistic.
lost to despair, as the Seventies saw a
“We wanted to rebel,” explains Vivienne
downturn. With inflation, unemployment
Westwood, “as we felt that the hippie
taking over the country, the once optimistic
movement had run its course, and we never
youth turned cynical and resorted to
liked what it brought with it in the first
nihilism. The decade has gone down as the
place.” There was a stark change of attitude
era of bad taste for a reason.
amongst the youth, as the new decade moved
Haute couture picked up the ideas of the
on. As the 1960s are remembered as the
time; even if the utopian future that the
great period of the youth revolution, the 70s
youth once dreamed of wasn’t a reality
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yet, at least t was on the runways. Yves Saint Laurent, in
Whether punk or feminist, women were choosing for themselves. 70s ushered a cluster of successful women who stood their ground, and were good at it. 1970s brought on the most unforeseen era for androgyny, as stars like Gary Glitter, Marc Bolan and especially David Bowie rose to fame, almost everyone could tell that they had something very unique to say
particular, gave both the fantastic-folk dresses and black leather blousons of the anti-establishment the blessing of couture. The idea was anti-fashion. Nobody wanted the glamour or elegance of the yesteryears. Everything was allowed, from cheap cotton garments to couture outfits, as long as it didn’t resemble a “normal” look. Jeans became the uniform of the non-conformists, lodging it as a classic of the unisex wardrobe. The world, as well as androgyny never got over its fascination with it. Disco established that ‘the best taste is bad taste’. In the evening even respectable professionals who dressed in unassuming gray and beige by day embraced glitz and glamour. The punks in turn replaced “love and peace with “sex and violence”. Whether punk or feminist, women were choosing for themselves. 70s ushered a cluster of successful women who stood their ground, and were good at it. 1970s brought on the most unforeseen era for androgyny, as stars like Gary Glitter, Marc Bolan and especially David Bowie rose to fame, almost everyone could tell that they had something very unique to say.
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boy
george In 1970s as ideas merged and cultures blended, androgyny seemed to have found its way to global mainstream. The world was introduced to the concept of ‘psychological androgyny’, as it defined those individuals who did not fit into the traditional gender roles. Almost as a reaction to this, the world was introduced to the androgynous stars of the decade. Boy George was probably the first
What catapulted Boy George as a social icon was the idea that he stood for. His message was not “be like me” but “be yourself”. It was like saying “accept me for who I am, not for who you want me to be.”
icon to popularize the gender bending culture, and made headlines as he captured the world’s fascination with sexual ambiguity. New Romanticism started as a small scene at the time in UK nightlife, spearheaded by Boy George, the lead singer of culture club. As the pioneers of gender blurring, they donned androgynous ensembles with brightly sculpted make up and wild hair. But what catapulted George as a social icon was the idea that he stood for. His message was not “be like me” but “be yourself”. It was like saying “accept me for who I am, not for who you want me to be.” This assurance of selfexpression turned out to be just what the youth needed. Reeling with nihilism and despair following the recession, Boy George gave them something to believe in, and for the times, that was quite enough.
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david
bowie As androgyny was on its way to become a staple in the rock world, it was David Bowie who pioneered the art of
Characterised by platform boots and heavy mascara, the youth was taken by the radical Bowie
constant reinvention through costumes, make up and bucket full of glitter. Glam Rock restored colour to the interplay between the sexes, as well as revolutionary potential to fashion. With his elaborate make up and flamboyant elegance, Bowie revolted against the prevalent sloppiness that was so characteristic of the times, and developed a high maintenance look. He showed the world that the unisex look need not mean that women needed to abandon colour; men could embrace it instead. If their masculinity was questioned, then it would open up yet more possibilities. Bowie’s fame following the musical journey of “Major Tom” came in the form of a fictional band and rock god named Ziggy Stardust. Characterised by platform boots and heavy mascara, the youth was taken by the radical Bowie. Bowie’s media exposure as a bisexual gave the young gay community of the 70s a security blanket to try new things and explore their sexuality in a socially acceptable forum: glam rock. This attitude was a welcome change and before long London was awash with lurid Ziggy Stardust clones.
annie
hall Never before had a movie had such immense impact on androgyny. Woody Allen’s Annie Hall changed a multitude of things for the radical movements of the 70s. Sure, Marlene Dietrich was the first to ever don a tux on screen, but the influence of Annie Hall was elusive. Not only did the mannish style flatter the boyish frame of Diane Keaton and made a style icon of the actress, but it also became a trend followed by millions of women by the close of the decade. The androgynous style born out of the movie which was christened The New Yorker Style, wasn’t seductive, but open to new experiences, setting unisex clothing as a mainstream. Think men’s collared shirts, airy blazers, baggy trousers, tuxedo jackets, pinstripe waistcoats put together with a tie and a bowler hat. It subtly put forth the ideas that were running wild amongst the youth of the 70s. The feminist movement that was started in the 60s finally took off by this decade. Women trumped men and found success in fields that were hitherto male dominant. Rounding up all of these influences, the Annie Hall look on Diane Keaton was a sign of liberation of women, expressed in a radical fashion statement.
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helmut
newton In his legendary photograph of the Le Smoking, Helmut
Nine years after the birth of the Le Smoking, this one photograph assured its place in the history of fashion, as one of those things that has the capability of turning the world upside down, quite effortlessly
Newton froze not just a moment in fashion but an instant of utter and unapologetic beauty. In the image, shot for Vogue Paris, Danish model Vibeke Knudsen- all aloofness, dandyism and self-confidence- sports the le smoking in an alley of the Parisian Marais neighbourhood. It was taken, as Newton recalls, “like paparazzi, without adding anymore light than was necessary.” He eroticised the delicate androgyne, shooting her in the hazy twilight, drawing on the mystery of exoticism of Dietrich’s image. The sharp black tailoring of the suit was juxtaposed with fluid transparent blouses; the sensuality of the image contained the suggestions of both power and desire. It represented a more adult interpretation of androgyny than the childlike image constructed in the sixties. Increasingly then, androgyny became a part of selection of identities, a range of disguises constructed by fashion that masked and made pleasurable, the issues surrounding gender at the close of the twentieth century. Nine years after the birth of the Le Smoking, this one photograph assured its place in the history of fashion, as one of those things that has the capability of turning the world upside down, quite effortlessly.
09 How the 1980s fared in Androgyny
19 80 an inventive melange
The era of power dressing, androgynous icons and the Japanese influx
In 1980, when Ronald Reagan was elected as the US president, youth culture became a thing of the past. However, Reagan and slender wife, Nancy injected a shot of charm into the White House and kick-started the era that would go down in history as the most glamorous of them all. It was the decade of excess, marked by mass consumerism, when being wealthy was the most
During this decade, the lifestyle was influenced by the western economic boom. Youth culture simmered down as the dominant market was getting older and also financially secure. Old industries died as new technologies developed and boomed
fashionable thing around. In 1980, 300 million viewers across the world tuned in regularly to watch the TV series Dallas, which provided the perfect medium for studying fashion and lifestyle in the 80s. During this decade, the lifestyle was influenced by the western economic boom. Youth culture simmered down as the dominant market was getting older and also financially secure. Old industries died as new technologies developed and boomed. Designer labels and brands gained impetus. It was all about looking and living rich. Luxury, after years, was the order of the day. It was al such a relief to the consumer, to be able to spend, and to be actively encouraged to consume after years of recession. The appearance of affluence was reinforced by the celebrities of the time. As everyone wanted a certain lifestyle, they looked up to the ones who already had it. 80s were the ultimate years for celebrities and super models; they gained fame and kept it. It was an era of image, power and glamour. The standard of living underwent a few fundamental changes, one of which was the cable television. MTV, HBO, ESPN and CNN became household names. MTV, or Music Television brought a revolution to the recording industry. Stars like Madonna and Michael Jackson were able to convey an image along with their music. As Madonna’s “Material Girl� typified the values of the increasingly 92
materialistic decade, Michael Jackson brought on a new
Queen Elizabeth may have reigned the era, but it was Margaret Thatcher who ruled the eighties. In her footsteps, career women were gaining ground, and this brought on the idea: dress for success.
age of androgyny. Pop music had never seen a time like this. There were stark cultural changes. When Lady Diana got married to Prince Charles in a fairytale wedding gown, which was copied a million times over, marriage which was scorned as a middle-class institution during the 1970s, became fashionable again. The non-conformist view of life of the earlier decade gave way to fantasy and escapism. People were finally happy with everything around. Queen Elizabeth may have reigned the era, but it was Margaret Thatcher who ruled the eighties. In her footsteps, career women were gaining ground, and this brought on the idea: dress for success. Women learned to deploy clothing as a means to professional success and the pantsuit became standard work wear. No one responded to the command to “dress for success” better than the Italian designer Giorgio Armani. The completely revamped business wear, making it apt not only for the working woman, but the one yearned for a little sophistication. His stroke of genius was in taking the lining and stiffener out of the jacket, and thus easing its masculinity. Due to its extra-wide shoulders, which hinted at assertiveness, this type of clothing was regarded as “power dressing”. Only Dior’s New Look in the Fifties had had such a global appeal, but that was designed for “the woman at her man’s side”, as a symbol of the man’s success. The career woman was having a moment now. This liberated women, pushing them beyond boundaries even they didn’t know they could cross. Androgyny was heading towards interesting times.
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michael
jackson Michael Jackson was a man ahead of his times. The moved past prejudice and ignorance and stepped into a world unity and acceptance of all alike. He was the androgynous icon of the 1980s. as his career progressed he moved further away from masculine gender norms, and further into asexual pop God territory, further blurring gender lines. The 1984 Grammy Awards was a momentous occasion, bringing to the forefront the undercurrent of spirit of the times. According to the The Rev. Jefferis Kent Peterson, the first half of the presentations “underscored a dramatic shift in cultural consciousness that has place in the past twenty years. Boy George and Annie Lennox competed for the best new artist award; while Michael Jackson, an androgynous figure himself walked with seven awards. The Award nominations became a celebration of androgyny and sexual ambiguity.� The then Times and People issues clamoured for a picture of the star, as a single picture assured millions worth of sales. The extent of Jackson’s success is perceived that he sold more album in three years than Beatles did in their entire 12 year career. His commercial success alone was a proof of popular approval to this new wave of androgynous idols.Jackson was a man who challenged the boundaries of race, gender, sexuality, art and music. A renaissance man, for sure.
grace
jones Before Lady Gaga, there was Grace Jones. A former model, Jones’s ascent to fame was bolstered by her aggressively masculine sense of style, from her nearlyshaved head to her ferociously shoulder-padded suits. At a staggering 5’10½”, her height was feeble in comparison to her ferocious diva persona, razor sharp jawline, and aggro- feminine style. A fashion model gone rogue, her gender-thwarting personality and experimentations made her something of a wild icon of the times. Back in the 80s, she was known for her gender-blurring and love of experimentation with sexual ambiguity. It is a well- known fact that the work of artists often stem from their personal experiences- especially their childhood. This is particularly true in the case of Jones. Though she has long being known for her fierce style and love for gender play, Jones grew up in an intensely repressive Pentecostal family in Jamaica. It was only when she stepped into the United States that she began to test the limits- a path that led her to break them down entirely. Now one of fashions most imposing icons, she remains influential to a number of contemporary artists- Lady Gaga and Rihanna, who have cited Jones as an inspiration. She was the face of the fearless gender bending generation that the 80s came to be known for.
In 1980s, Paris saw a radical change in its fashion
“I want to make clothing like armour. It means something to me- the idea of a coat guarding and hiding a woman’s body. I want to protect the woman’s body from something, maybe from men’s eyes or a cold wind.” Yohji Yamamoto
scene with the influx of the Japanese. The oversized, asymmetrical, black garments were unlike anything that the fashion capital had witnessed before. Of the group of Japanese designers that took Paris by a storm, Yohji Yamamoto was one of the most iconic. Yamamoto has often been described as a “conceptionalist”. His work revolves more around the actual “idea”, so much so that its implementation almost becomes unnecessary. The playful androgyny of his work creates new dimensions of gender identity, redefining the idea of beauty in fashion. He abandons figure-hugging forms, developing a more abstract relationship with the body. Right from the very beginning, his interest in women’s fashion was much focused. Instead of cashing in on sensuality, he went on to give his creations a purpose of its own. “I want to make clothing like armour. It means something to me- the idea of a coat guarding and hiding a woman’s body. I want to protect the woman’s body from something, maybe from men’s eyes or a cold wind,” he confessed. His approach reflects the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, the aesthetics of something that is imperfect. He strives on to find the beauty in imperfection, often leaving garments deliberately unfinished. He trumps beyond sexuality, seeking to dissolve gender-distinctions, dressing women in trousers, suits or military inspired silhouettes. He abstracted androgyny for the first time, working like a sculptor- moving away from the figure line, draping the fabric around the body rather than drawing it out first. He is revered as a poet, artist and philosopher, and was the man who gave androgyny a new face. 100
the armani
suit
By the close of the 80s, women’s wardrobe across the globe was in for the next big surprise, a milestone for androgyny: the Armani jacket. It was the men’s jacket that revolutionised women’s fashion yet again, almost twenty years after Le Smoking. The Italian designer boasts that after Paul Poiret and Coco Chanel he is the fashion designer who has done the most for the emancipation of
He took the classic suit jacket, ripping out both the lining and the piping, altering the proportions, rounding off the shoulders, moving the buttons, widening the lapels- and reconstructing the whole thing from scratch.
women. “I envisaged a garment that would fall over the body contours in a marvellously natural way.” To achieve this, he took the classic suit jacket, ripping out both the lining and the piping, altering the proportions, rounding off the shoulders, moving the buttons, widening the lapelsand reconstructing the whole thing from scratch. The end result was a feather-light jacket, as comfortable and as soft as a shirt that rippled with every movement of the body-one reason why women also like to wear Armani jackets over bare skin. He revolutionised the “power suit”, into a “soft suit” with the intention of giving women a suit to wear without looking like men in disguise. He recreated it time and again, sometimes waist-length, sometimes knee-length, sometimes with lapels, sometimes with a shawl collar. Despite the variations it is almost instantly recognizable as an Armani, with its muted colour palette and flattering textiles. This was a stroke of sheer genius, which empowered the women’s wardrobe, inching women closer to that androgynous dream that had been brewing since years. It was definitely worth the wait.
10 How the 1990s fared in Androgyny
19 90 back to basics
When minimalism took over androgyny
The exaggerated glamour and aggressive sex appeal of
In the mid-nineties, the reserved style founded on basics, turned into an absolute cult fashion, and the world was introduced to minimalism. Its strict, yet sensual aesthetic was explored in blacks, white and grays- a colour palette that almost became synonymous with minimalism
the 1980s, gave way to a new relative calm. Why the 90s is important because it was probably the last time when culture, and fashion as a part of culture, took the last stand before succumbing to pure, unapologetic commerce. 90s was awash with the Internet and the cell phone. You could remain in constant contact with the world and there was a flood of information, which was novel and quite overwhelming. Soon people wanted to withdraw into a more emotive, safer milieu. The reaction to declining consumption, record unemployment and the economic crisis was basic denial. After the extravagance of the 80s, people seemed to have lost their interest in fashion. Their wardrobes were reeling from the superfluity of the last decade, packed with frill and glamour. It was time the world took a step back. Basicsthe only way people could wear their new decision- was everywhere, as they were practical, subtle and demure. Like always in the history of fashion, the pendulum appeared to have swung again towards function, having stayed with form for a decade. These basics included blazers with classic tailoring, pantsuits, pencil skirts and reminiscent of the 1950s: the turtleneck sweaters, preferably in black. Basics were soon to flood retail and the runway, where even the simplest piece had a luxurious touch. Grunge, the “anti-fashionâ€? inspired by the American underground bands, who wore only thrift store buys was briefly a hot trend. The anti-materialist philosophy was about thrift shopping, where everything from t-shirts with old logos, flannel shirts, beanies, floral print dresses to oversized sweaters were allowed. It was a classic rebellion against the indulgence of the 80s that the present generation deemed redundant and passĂŠ. When in 1993, 106
Marc Jacobs, the “guru of grunge” distressed expensive silk to the point that it looked like flannel and sent it down the runway, ironically enough grunge had become an upscale look, heralding its demise. In the mid-nineties, the reserved style founded on basics, turned into an absolute cult fashion, and the world was introduced to minimalism. Following the decade of excess, designers began to turn away from the exaggerated colours and volume, exhausted off the excess, and began to focus on a “new minimalism,” a wearable one. Its strict, yet sensual aesthetic was explored in blacks, white and grays- a colour palette that almost became synonymous with minimalism. Other colours and patterns were frowned upon; the world was still recovering from the neon clad 80s. The Austrian designer, Helmut Lang was the most uncompromising of the minimalists. A review in 1997 in Artform Magazine marvelled at his “respect for elegant convention and an incredible nose for the Zeitgeist.” Minimalism became synonymous to the decade. The more pared down the outfit, the better. If there was nothing superfluous, nothing could go wrong. This obsession with classic, simple and chic design meant only good things for androgyny. Standing at the threshold of the Nineties, the movement was going to see unprecedented variations. A grunge androgynous guru, an obsession with unisex and an influential designer were on their way.
kurt
cobain Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Grace Jones- there isn’t a dearth of androgynous role models in the history of
In his dishelved flannels, distressed jeans and floral dresses, he epitomised the absolute counter of the flashy aesthetic of the 80s. His nonchalant crossdressing set the ball rolling for a radical, millennial idea of androgyny. He was the ultimate grunge guru of the movement.
fashion. But there is one perennial style icon of our times who has been referenced by designers time and again, always reminding us of his self-ease. Nirvana’s frontman, Kurt Cobain was at the epicentre of grunge, a movement that revolutionized the cultural landscape of the 90s. In his dishelved flannels, distressed jeans and floral dresses, the epitomised the absolute counter of the flashy aesthetic of the 80s. His nonchalant cross-dressing set the ball rolling for a radical, millennial idea of androgyny. “I think in an age where even Instagram photos are Photoshopped, there’s something very appealing about that sense of being comfortable in one’s own skin and embracing a less-than-perfect ideal,” says music and culture writer Julianna Escobedo Shepherd. “Not only did he make it okay to be a freak, he made it desirable.” Cobain’s influence can be seen everywhere from Marc Jacobs to Saint Laurent, with Hedi Slimane’s second collection for the Paris house featuring dresses that directly paid homage to those from Cobain’s wardrobe. He was the grunge guru of androgyny.
calvin
klein The bad boy of American design, Calvin Klein was known for pushing the boundaries of acceptability with his sometimes shocking, but always newsworthy advertisements. 90s epitomised unisex fashion, and it can all be traced back to the cultural revolution that was started by a pair of blue jeans. In 1992, Calvin Klein cast the then relatively unknown Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg in what was to become one of Calvin Klein Jeans most iconic commercial and also what would define the “Heroin Chic� aesthetic of the era. This new low-fi style championed a grungy and subdued look that championed pale skin, angular cheekbones and androgyny. But what was etched in history was the androgynous CK campaign. The brand popularised genderless clothing in the form of boot-cut jeans, basic T-shirts and unisex fragrances. The campaigns featured effeminate men, desexed women, gay couples kissing, blurred gender lines and brought about a modern, mainstream approach to the matter. It secured Calvin Klein a spot in the history of modern androgyny.
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JIL
SANDER Jil Sander’s contribution to androgyny was elusive in its
Jil Sander’s contribution to androgyny was elusive in its own way, almost impervious to the one not paying close attention. She championed minimalism, giving it her own signature
own way, almost impervious to the one not paying close attention. She championed minimalism, giving it her own signature. Growing up in post war Germany, she dealt with the hardships of the time. Then came the economic miracle with its own throng of kitsch; taste and a sense of refinement had to be built from scratch. She opened up her own boutique in a suburb of Hamburg. This was a completely new idea for Germany to embrace. Up until then people had only bought bourgeois designs from defunct stores. Her designs were a revolution for the country, as she was registered a success. Her store soon became a Mecca for “women with class” as Sander liked to call them. She aimed at dressing women with the finest materials and the kind of precision only seen in men’s wear. Her pantsuits liberated women; in them, women were taken seriously and were treated with respect. She had her way of morphing masculine into feminine, finding the perfect common ground. Her designs did not allow the wearers to slouch; the sleeves with just enough room to be the perfect fit; while the smart white blouses had just the right amount of stretch. After the frivolities of the eighties, this unadulterated approach to minimalism seemed like just the thing androgyny needed. It was Sander that gave the trend the right amount of sass, making the 90s unforgettable. 114
11 How the 2000s fared in Androgyny
20 00 a new horizon
The rise of the modern androgyne
As the close of the 90s ushered in the new millenniumthings couldn’t have been better. Share prices had been the highest they had ever been, and the positive trend in the job market looked like it was here to stay. However by the autumn of 2000 things were already starting to go wrong and the alarm went off when the stock market bubble burst and the share prices fell through the floor.
The 2008 recession was an economic impulse that changed a lot for the movement. Men for the first time fell behind women as the primary breadwinners, while women were outperforming their beaus in every field. The gender order was being rethought and reworked in our culture.
While the economy in Europe was picking up, in 2008 in the USA the subprime mortgage crisis was gathering speed, a crisis which would lead, the following year, to the biggest financial disaster since the 1929 Depression. In the face of such crisis, the fashion industry was becoming increasingly volatile. The new millennium had nothing new to offer in fashion; there was no ground-breaking new style or a brilliant new couture star. It was almost like the industry was stuck in a loop of nostalgic reruns: miniskirts, pop art, patchwork, punk, tweed, tartan checks were having comebacks. Every season seemed like a trip to a past decade: sometimes the grunge cult of the 90s, or the grannie-chic of the 70s. Designers losing their individual signature dished up designs that were not very different from each other. When everything looked the same, who would still want to invest thousands in luxurious designer fashion? Hence, enter the fashion chain stores. The millennium seemed to be the time for the likes of H&M, Zara and Mango, who were having their moment in the sun. At the same time, androgyny was undergoing iconic shifts in its ideology. The 2008 recession was an economic impulse that changed a lot for the movement. Men for the first time fell behind women as the primary breadwinners, while women were outperforming their beaus in every field. The gender order was being rethought and reworked 118
in our culture. This almost immediately reflected in
The new millennium marked new beginnings for androgyny. The world unanimously seemed to have opened up to the idea; gender blurring was reaching new milestones. From transsexual models, to increasing number of designers joining the bandwagon, things were only going to get better from here
fashion. For the first time since David Bowie and Boy George of the 70s, androgyny consciously swung towards menswear, opening up new possibilities. The movement was increasingly making its way to the mainstream, particularly in the realm of menswear. J.W Anderson, winning Best Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Award, cemented androgyny in the U.K’s fashion zeitgeist. The 2000s were game-changing for androgyny, which overtook an almost provocative taste in the millennium: Kate Moss kissing her colleague on the cover of LOVE; Givenchy’s muse was a transsexual model and Jean Paul Gaultier’s advertisement which shows Karolina Kurkova kissing a beautiful blonde, who is in fact famous androgynous model Andrej Pejic. It was as if, the movement that was building up pace for the last decades had suddenly burst into a flame of confidence, committed to make a statement. The new millennium marked new beginnings for androgyny. The world unanimously seemed to have opened up to the idea; gender blurring was reaching new milestones. From transsexual models, to increasing number of designers joining the bandwagon, things were only going to get better from here.
rad
hourani For the past seven years, Rad Hourani’s vampy, futuristic
While other designers flirt with the idea of androgyny, Rad goes beyond blurring the lines between men and women to completely dis-regarding it with his avant-garde, asexual collections. His linear, ethereal designs won him a spot in the Paris Couture Week, becoming the first and only person to present an entirely unisex collection
clothing line, Unisex has been challenging the boundaries of gender binary that is deeply rooted in fashion. While other designers flirt with the idea of androgyny, Rad goes beyond blurring the lines between men and women to completely dis-regarding it with his avant-garde, asexual collections. His linear, ethereal designs won him a spot in the Paris Couture Week, becoming the first and only person to present an entirely unisex collection. His urge to design a unisex line stemmed from the problem of never being able to find the perfect clothes for himself. Women’s clothes were too tight, men’s clothes were to loose and the fabric was almost never perfect. This egged him on to conceive Unisex, challenging himself to learn the entire design process. Taking his inspiration from art and architecture, his style is subtly reminiscent of the Japanese influence on fashion in the 80s. Driving on an aesthetic, which is neither male nor female, he drives to create a unisex panache that he says is not based on androgyny, but is rather aimed to create a sexless lifestyle in which anyone can seamlessly fit into. On being asked if he thinks all fashion will move towards unisex, Rad explains, “I have been receiving many articles lately that have been referring to people going more into unisex, gender-less or androgynous. Maybe there is an influence or maybe people are just starting to see that there should be no boundary between dressing.” 122
andrej
pejic Modern gender blurring is challenging norms and conventions, as it embarks on an interesting journey. Gender equality and fluidity is reaching new boundaries, as fashion and popular culture is finally paving the way to acceptance and tolerance. The 2015 Fall Menswear and 2015 Spring fashion shows have been no exception. Shows like Prada and Gucci have been taking androgyny and inclusion of genders to new level, as women strutted down the runway in men’s shows followed by men donned in dresses, bows and heels. In its acceptance of fluid gender-bending, the millennium gave birth to the modern androgyne: transgender models. Along with Riccardo Tisci muse Lea T, Australian model Andreja Pejic has made waves in high fashion with her sharp androgynous features, challenging traditional conceptions of beauty and bringing trans models to the spotlight. Born as a boy called Andrej, she was discovered by a modelling scout while working behind a counter at McDonald’s. Having walked for both men’s and women’s wear shows for Jean Paul Gaultier in 2011, Pejic went on to become the first openly transgender model to star in Vogue in May 2015 issue. When asked about the blurring gender lines in the fashion industry, Pejic claims, “There are just more categories now. It’s good. We’re finally figuring out that gender and sexuality are more complicated.”
minimalism Is it widely believed that the 2008 global recession heralded
Minimalism became a longterm trend that has persisted to this day. One of the central tenets of minimalism is Anti-Figurative forms. With respect to fashion, this doctrine explains how minimalism moves away from the idea of the ‘figure’, negating markings of gender and sexuality that fashion holds so dear
the most recent wave of Minimalism, a period when conspicuous consumption was frowned upon.
Visible
brazen display of wealth was considered poor taste, when people across the globe were having a hard time putting food on their table. Soon after, the fashion industry saw the rise of Phoebe Philo, and her definition of luxury- discreet yet edgy. Together with the appointment of Raf Simonsthe champion of clean lines and stark silhouettes- to Dior, Minimalism became a long-term trend that has persisted to this day. One of the central tenets of minimalism is AntiFigurative forms. With respect to fashion, this doctrine explains how minimalism moves away from the idea of the ‘figure’, negating markings of gender and sexuality that fashion holds so dear. By doing away with the idea of the ‘figure’ around which clothes are conventionally designed, it opens up new possibilities for designers. Opportunities arise for them to challenge conventional figurative silhouettes. Female clothing need not accentuate the curves. This gave the designers leeway to do away with the sexuality of the female form, and construct silhouettes that banked on functionality of the garment, rather than the form- an idea that is an innate doctrine of androgyny.
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selfridges
agender The renowned luxury department store, Selfridges is pushing boundaries with their “Agender” pop-up concept. Delivering a truly genderless experience where customers shop from one unisex collection, Selfridges’ buyers noticed that men and women were increasingly shopping from each other’s departments and reacted accordingly. The in-store experience bills itself as “a fashion exploration of the masculine, the feminine, and the interplay…found in between.” WWD reports that the London department store aims to “take customers on a journey where they can choose to shop and dress without limitations or stereotypes.” The project pushes androgyny into the 21st century- featuring gender-bending labels like Comme des Garçons, Gareth Pugh and Ann Demeulemeester. Veering away from male and female mannequins, Selfridges will use photography, film, and music to show collections in non-gender-specific way. Linda Hewson, Selfridges’ Creative Director says that Agender is not about trends or fashion buzzwords. Rather, it’s “tapping into a mind-set and acknowledging and responding to a cultural shift that is happening now. The project will act as a test bed for experimentation around ideas of gender- both to allow our shoppers to approach the experience without preconceptions and for us retailers to move the way we shop fashion forward.” Agender goes on to illustrate the changing attitude of the millennium towards androgyny, and the scope the movement has created for itself, with a promise of a future.
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ungender The 2000s has definitely been the most
at a revolution in fashion that was long in
exciting decade for androgyny. “Gender” is
the making. Androgyny has moved past the
undoubtedly the word of the moment, as
time where it was defined by women wearing
designers to models to photographers aim
suits or sportswear. The 21st century
to deconstruct the preconceived notions
definition of the movement submerges in
that surround it. Our ideas of gender
deeper understandings of the on-going
are being re-scripted and re-established
cultural shifts. It’s no longer about a woman
defining the new millennium as a time when
donning a pantsuit and feeling empowered
everything changes. From female models
in it. Designers today are moving towards a
walking in men’s fashion shows, the rise of
genderless or unisex future. Rad Hourani,
Gender is a context and context is often gendered ~Prada Fall 2015 androgynous models to the emergence of
Commes des Garçons, Rick Owens construct
unisex designer brands- everything seems to
and deconstruct their designs, striping every
aim at a gender-fluid future where men seem
ounce of gender from it. The idea is to rid the
to be borrowing from women’s wardrobes as
garments of conventional gender markings,
much as women have borrowed from theirs,
creating collections seasons after seasons
all these decades.
that can be shared by men and women.
On the seats at the Prada Fall 2015 Menswear
To call this a revolution in fashion would be
Collection was a printed manifesto that
an understatement of the beauty of it. This
read, “Gender is a context and context is
fluidity in gender binary and its nascent
often gendered.” Both male and female
mass acceptance hints at the possibility of
models
an inclusive, fashionable future.
walked
the
runway
wearing
minimalist, dark and sleek numbers, hinting
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forward Into the future
The last century introduced us to the idea of androgyny.
wear blur, it only means good things for the movement.
Time and again, it was a reaction to the prevalent norms of
It will never overrule mainstream fashion that builds on
the day, and was born out of individuals who were misfits.
the idea of seduction, but it will make its presence felt. As
Proud misfits.
we rid ourselves off conventions, we only come closer to the
However, as time trickled on, academicians, professionals
true, unadulterated definition of ourselves; closer to the
and young minds have defined and redefined androgyny
truth. Human evolution has witnessed many milestones-
to give it their own idea, or signature. The movement is no
some rather abrupt, and a few, very subtle. Androgyny
longer the same. It has evolved, as all things must.
seems to be the more elusive of the changes. One, where
It is no longer about gender dissolution- about a woman
we recognize the gender binaries placed on us since time
feeling empowered like a man, or a man feeling more in
immemorial and realize that they are no longer called for-
touch with himself. Gender fluidity effortlessly flows into
at least to a conspicuous extent. This movement, that often
the idea of a greater self- an ungendered identity.
people have confused to be a trend, might just be the next
The future negates all gender markings, rendering them
big thing we needed- never knowing its importance, but
redundant. The idea of the ‘figure’ undergoes a tumultuous
with every step, moving towards it. It hints at an inclusive,
change- moving away from the body and closer to the mind.
brilliant future, and here’s hoping for all things good. I’ll
It moves towards a unified whole, where individuals are
leave you with a quote from Lena Dunham’s Not That Kind
free to choose as to how they want to express their unique
of Girl: “It’s a special kind of privilege to be born into the
self. It is a future where you will no longer be ushered to
body you wanted, to embrace the essence of your gender
your ‘section’ of clothing, moments after you’ve stepped
even as you recognize what you are up against. Even as you
into a store. As the lines between men’s wear and women’s
seek to redefine it.”
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