ISSUE 1 WINTER 2016
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Contents Editor’s Letter.................................................................1 Losing the gender .........................................................7 Colourless Gender.........................................................9 Defying the industry .................................................10 The 80’s Experiment – the Buffalo tribe...................13 The Icon – Olly Alexander.........................................15 Follow the streets........................................................16 Liberating Georgia......................................................17 SIR ................................................................................19 The Ungendered Look................................................22
All ad’s have been chosen for the influence of the designers in elibarating fashion of gender constraints.
TOPIC : Gender representation in men and women’s fashion trends
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Editor’s Letter
The Generation Without Gender Fashion is a fast-paced industry that changes quicker than seasons do , but this means that it has many chances of improving ,reaching a higher state of understanding and acceptance than others parts of society do. For many decades now, fashion has been restricted to gender and not respecting these limitations meant being an outcast . The situation is improving nowadays , slowly , but surely. Fashion , as the industry self-proclaimed as the one to be ahead of the curve, is having a huge impact on this matter as designers are trying to liberate their craft from the restraints. Ruth La Ferla , The New York Times journalist , picked up on this cultural shift that is becoming a massive trend in fashion calling it “The great gender blur�. This new interpretation of clothing and the human body is going to change how people think about clothes , thus how they present themselves. Agender clothing has become a huge point of interest this past seasons in fashion as designers find inspiration in the changes in society where the LGBT movement is becoming more and more important and gender is losing its relevance. Genderless clothing still represents an utopian concept as it has not yet been introduced in many stores , especially not on the mass-market . Even if the 3
marketing of the merchandise continues to be the same , divided into women and men sections , there are some changes in styles ,colours and shapes that are clearly a prologue to the new generation of genderless consumers. The mass-market retailers have started to catch up with this new way of seeing things as their offer is becoming more inclusive in all sections . In this issue of XXXY the topic of gender representation in fashion and how the industry is changing around this new concept is going to be dissected in order to understand this immensely important shift in mindset that will impact society for a long period of time.
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Losing the gender Gender has been a sensitive subject for many decades , if we think about the difference on how women and men are perceived in the work wold or if we think about the restraints put on relationships , this issue has hit the red button in a whole spectrum of topics. Sex has a massive influence on fashion and how clothes are produced , in the majority of cases being a limit to creativity and freedom . The genders have been clearly delimited throughout the years and this distinction has been celebrated , confining people to stereotypes and strict roles Brands have started to respond to this debate and to put their own spin on the controversial matter . They are still at the beginning but the journey has started.
Selfridges
Surprisingly one of the pioneers in unisex clothing is the department store Selfridges which launched in 2015 the Agender pop-up store. Following its founder’s mantra : ‘ Develop imagination , throw away routine.’ Selfridges partnered with designer Faye Toogood in order to build an interactive ,new shopping experience that acted as an experiment for both the customers and the store. This new concept draw attention to the shift that it is happening in society and the fact that the future of fashion will be differently shaped. “Selfridges’ ambition was to create a space where men and women could essentially come and shop 7
together irrespective of gender, and that you would choose clothes as an individual rather than based on your gender,” Faye Toogood, who designed the retail space, says. “For a department store, that’s very revolutionary. You still go up to the children department and everything is still segregated by pink and blue, boys and girls. This concept’s really about breaking down those boundaries... As someone that wants to buy the clothes in this space, you’re going to have to work hard to understand it.” The designer observed the big change is what women
and men are wearing and how the boundaries are blurred reflecting the social and political changes. She built the space around the idea that “ gender is not binary, we are all individuals, and essentially gender is a fluid thing.” Selfridges already stocks numerous boundaries pushing designers when it comes to gender , from household names as Gucci, Louis Vuitton , Vetements to up-andcoming designers as Hood By Air , BOY London , Toogood, 69 .
The department store tries to cater to the needs of gender fluid individuals who have a hard time finding the clothes they need to express themselves.
Zara Zara , one of the biggest high-street retailers , has followed the path to gender liberation introducing on its younger consumer targeted range , TRF, an ungendered collection. The initiative is surprising from such a mainstream retailer that has a influence all over the world but the collections still raises some questions. Does genderless clothing equal plain , oversized , non-colour garments ? The fit is masculine and the style is basic.
But even if for them approaching this issue is just a marketing tool their initiative is laudable.
Dr. Martens
The clothes are presented on gender confining models . All this could shine a light of suspicion on the brand’s intentions: is it transforming the cultural shift on a simple trend taken from the trend forecasters they work with? This simple idea is making the whole concept trivial and the commercial aspect ends overshadowing the intellectual proprieties .
The British brand that is renowned for their classic footwear and that has become a staple for various subcultures has been a pioneer in genderless fashion. Their slogan ‘ individual style , united spirit ’ emphasise their targeted customer as someone who has a strong personality and is not afraid to stand for something , without taking in consideration gender . Their famous boots have the same model for both men and women , the distinction being made only for technical purposes. The strong influence the brand has had on culture and continues to have is proof that gender limitations are being challenged and the restrictions can be broken through.
Photo:own sources
Photo:own sources 8
Colourless gender
Blue is for boys and pink is for girls. This has be the norm for years now and it can be seen everywhere : from clothing to toys , to books and even food. But do this gender assigned colours really reflect a predilection or are they only the restraints put by society ? There is an on going debate about this subject . Some scientists assert that the colour stereotypes have only been set by cultural influence. Historian Jo Paoletti from the University of Maryland backs up this theory saying that the colours have been assigned only in the 20th century so therefore they cannot come from an evolutionary change. Even an article from the 1900’s presents exactly
color, is more suitable for the boy; while blue, which is more delicate and dainty is prettier for the girl.” And this could only mean that the stereotypes have been implied culturally.
On the other side , some scientist advocate a mix of gender preferences and culture : “I bet the answer will turn out to involve an interplay of culture and biology. For example, in 2007 a study found evidence that males the opposite of what today is the and females may be norm : “There has been a great sensitive to different diversity of opinion on this subregions of the color ject, but the generally accepted spectrum, but the explanations rule is pink for the boy and blue that have been proposed are still for the girl. The reason is that pink very speculative being a more decided and stronger and leave much to be desired. I 9
think this is an absolutely fascinating question.” ( Marco Del Guidice, a sociologist at the University of Turin in Italy ).
Defying the industry
As fashion is becoming more liberated of stereotypes and barriers , various designers that create without a certain gender in mind are emerging. They are trying to tackle an issue that is creating a genuine shift in society and that in the future will be a real revolution headed to a real evolution. Below are the top 3 brands that have started an adventurous journey into the realm of genderless fashion.
69 The Los Angeles based brand describes itself as ‘ a non-gender, non-demographic clothing line’. 69 offers a range of basics , mostly denim garments that overcomes gender binary separation by fluid shapes and non-constraining styles . The brand offers cocoon dresses and dad pants, made from durable fabrics and designed for everyone. The line’s anonymous creative director plays with oversized shapes
Vaquera “Vaquera has always been about making clothes that aren’t defined by a person’s physical body... It’s boring to make clothes marketed to one group of people defined by their age, race or sex” says the brand’s founder Patric DiCaprio. The designer is proposing a new way of seeing life , without taking into consideration any of the norms that nowadays configure the way in which a person is perceived . For Dicaprio creating clothes that don’t obey gender limitations is something natural : ‘it’s being in really oppressive environments that really makes you turn it out. ‘ this being said , his creations become even more relevant with their unusual cuts and shapes. Men pulling off the shoulder tops paired with large, dangly earrings and women not being afraid of showing off armpit hair , dresses that liberate women bodies and don’t hide it , this is all in the DNA of the brand. The designer is challenging the norms in a beautiful , creative way .
Toogood
The master mind behind Selfridges’ Agender pop-up store keeps her interest in breaking boundaries , having her own label for analysing self-expression undefined by gender. She partnered with her sister to build a brand that goes beyond stereotypes. ‘Toogood is instilled with the unmistakable spirit of both sisters: Faye’s preoccupation with materiality and Erica’s audacious shape-making’ is stated on their site , outlining the artistic uniqueness of the brand that comes from the mind of an interior designer and a pattern-cutter. The brand focuses on unisex outerwear with a utilitarian approach , reinterpreting workwear in a unconventional way. They work closely with architects, product designers and painters to create a genderless universe of practical and sculptural pieces.
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Photo:own sources
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The 80’s Experiment – the Buffalo tribe Provoking gender norms is a concept that has been around for decades , the underground youth movements starting this shift from early ages. One movement that made the world of fashion do a 180 degrees turn is the Buffalo . When the 80’s are mentioned this style drive is always referred to at it inspired numerous trends that can be spotted on the catwalks now : gender fluidity , athleisure and mixing cultural references . The founder , stylist Ray Petri is the one who started playing with gender . He came from Scotland where men wore kilts and then went to Africa, so for him it felt very natural to put a man in a skirt. But at the time this was ground-breaking as it is today. The aesthetic was peculiar for that period and this made them attractive : Petri
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mixed tribal elements giving them a sartorial twist , using army jackets , sportswear, Dr. Martens with high-end fashion as Armani suits . They had a signature style , a
share of voice that put their imprint on fashion . It was more than a fashion , it was a lifestyle trend that changed the landscape forever. They made noise and they attracted attention , but this was not the reason for which they were doing it. Ray wanted t
to show that man can be beautiful , well-groomed and helped break the boundaries that only women could own that. Buffalo was very inclusive , no matter the gender, the race ,the age , everyone could join and take part in this movement. The Buffalo tribe was similar to an utopian fashion world : everyone was included , the models were chosen on behalf of their personality , no matter the race. The style tribe of Buffalo predicted what will happen today in the fashion industry : a fight for liberation and breaking any stereotypical roles.
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The icon – Olly Alexander Olly Alexander is Years and Years lead singer and a proud representative of the LGBT community . He is challenging gender roles through his music and expressing his unique personality through the way he dresses .
“Shove a rainbow in fear’s face.” was the fierce statement he made at a festival and this shows the amount of interest he gives to breaking society conveying roles. As an artist he uses all the media available to express his identity which means that fashion for him is a powerful force of ‘shoving the rainbow’ . He is usual seen sporting bright colours , sequins and even dresses , all that screams femininity in the current gender bound retail industry . He is a real role model for the young generation talking about all the issues that once were taboo : sexuality , mental illness and freedom of expressing oneself .
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Follow The Streets
Colour has transcended gender on the streets , men mixing the usual all black outfit with pink to add a new twist to their outfit.
Dr. Martens are spotted all over London , men and women wearing them in different styles . The muted , low-intensity colours are being used as low key version of femininty.
Womenswear or menswear? The lines are blurred , similar shapes and style being worn by both sexes wihout any preconception.
Photos: own sources
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Liberating Georgia This year brought to the exuberant London art scene an attempt of freeing a world renowned female artist of the gender limits society has built upon her for decades. This attempt was made by the Tate Modern with a retrospective on Georgia O’Keefe’s work . The survey presents the vast amount of paintings she has done on various subjects, not only the one she is best known for : flowers. O’Keefe has struggled all of her career to shake off the eroticism brought to her work by the Freudian interpretations of the critics. The art world , then represented by a majority of men , labelled her as the best woman painter but this was exactly what upset the artist . In that time , women painters were perceived as being more intuitive , not as intellectual as men were and this meant that they were on an inferior level . For O’Keefe this constraint was something that downgraded the way her art was acknowledged and she was fighting against the gender boundaries that made that happen. This difference between sexes was something that she did not want to allow and saw it as a futility. The aim of the exhibition was to liberate Georgia O’Keefe’s art of any gender restrictions as the curator, Tanya Barson , stated : ‘She didn’t want to be framed in terms of gender’. Gender barriers have always been an issue for the art world , similarly with the fashion world, and the representation of the sexes have always been different , women , usually , being seen as inferior , as having their own type of art that did not compete with men’s art.
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Georgia O’Keefe has won this battle by being able to represent women in a metaphorical way , not as the nudes painted by men for men .
Men put me down as the best woman painter…
…I think I’m one of the best painters. Georgia O’Keeffe
30 September 2016 - 15 January 2017
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SIR Gender has become an important subject when it comes to the art world and a variety of artists are approaching this issue . One of the most recent example is Mario Testino who is launching a book about the changing representation of masculinity and how men are perceived.
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The book is called SIR and is the answer of the legendary photographer to the changing gender categories. “The way men are seen in photography, in fashion, and the way that men look at pictures of themselves has changed in recent years,” says Testino. “It is a subject that has come into focus: The masculine image, a man’s personal style, changing attitudes to the male face and body.” ( Testino , 2016 )
This transgression from the immense amount of women photographed to making a collection of men photography shows how the genderless movement is becoming more powerful with each season passing .
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The Ungendered Look
1. £140 Eskandar White Japanese Linen Trousers 2. £296 Theory Shirt 3. £200 Balenciaga D-frame acetate sunglasses 4. £228 Manokhi thick choker 5. £700 The Row The Ascot satin clutch 6. £1180 Marc Jacobs Lili Platform Pump
1. £130 HOOD BY AIR sweatshirt 2. £330 T by Alexander Wang - Pleated Leather Culottes 3. £995 Vetements Leather platform ankle boots 4. Kendall and Kylie Minato Mini Top Handle Satchel 5. £535 Sophie Buhai Choker 6. £270 Gucci Veiled rabbit-felt hat 22
1. £461 Toogood Knee-length Dress 2. £195 Acne Studios Platform Oxfords 3. £1,667 Stella McCartney alter shoulder bag 4. £255 Bibi Marini Beaded Drop Earrings 5. £73 The Mirtha Beaded Skinny Choker
1. £539 Yeezy Distressed Wool-Blend Pullover 2. £972 Delpozo wide leg cropped pants 3. £320 Jil Sander Velvet slippers 4. £1,549 Marc Jacobs Patent Leather Shoulder Bag 5. £260 Penmayne of London - Siena Fedora Grey Pink Pleated Band
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1. £411 Toogood Blouse 2. £1,795 Toogood stainless steel “The Boxer Long Clay” trousers 3. £135 Dr. Martens Leather Jadon Platform Boots 4. £1,667 Stella McCartney alter shoulder bag 5. £99 CA4LA Rib-Knit Fisherman’s Hat 6. Unisex full frame memory plastic eyeglasses
1. £605 Isabel Marant Qods ruched stretch silk-blend dress 2. £990 Maison Margiela Leather Bag 3. £375 Mansur Gavriel Suede ballerina pumps
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1. £290 Solace London Franklin crepe mini dress 2. £10,350 Gucci Collarless fur coat 3. £745 Valentino Women’s Stretch-Patent-Leather Ankle Boots 4. £910 Stella McCartney Nina small velvet and faux leather clutch 5. £395 Gucci Feline Fedora Hat
1. £720 Vetements Oversized cutout plaid cotton-flannel shirt 2. £500 Jacquemus Pinstriped wool wide-leg pants 3. £99 Vetements Leather platform ankle boots 4. £19 PU Leather Cover Solid Color Satchel 5. £520 Sophie Buhai Vanderbilt tasseled silver earrings 6. £290 Oliver Peoples + The Row After Midnight roundframe metal sunglasses 7. £165 Jennifer Fisher Silver-plated ring
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Photo: own sources
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You’ve got your mother in a whirl. She’s not sure if you’re a boy or a girl David Bowie
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