When we think about fashion, we aren’t just talking clothes. We’re thinking about the way that people breathe life into garments, and make sense of the world around us. Sometimes we can escape, at other times we can reflect, but the best designers know how to empower us in speaking to our truths. Here we’re taking a look at some visionary brands whose perception of gender as something fluid is leading a way for fashion that is real, and for all.
The eponymous design label from Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta has received considerable attention since their 2013 inception and 2018 LVMH Prize nomination, for their carefree rejection of fashion norms. At the heart of their designs is a liberation of the wearer and a sense of style that surpasses gender, through deconstructed silhouettes. An intuition towards the ultra-cool and urban texture is made obvious in their reinventions of denim and knitwear, which explains a particular traction in the underground fashion scene of NYC.
A priority of creative expression and the avant-garde will always differentiate the house of Maison Margiela. The house never fails to listen intently to stories of diversity and individuality as a point of muse for their artistic expression. Margiela does not speak to gender, it simply speaks to the bold – with flamboyant commentaries on uniform, imaginative textiles and electric prints constituting salient storylines for the house. Its #myMutiny campaign, featuring a diverse collection of faces, is just one of countless examples of their consistent championing of a world without gender.
A priority of creative expression and the avant-garde will always differentiate the house of Maison Margiela. The house never fails to listen intently to stories of diversity and individuality as a point of muse for their artistic expression. Margiela does not speak to gender, it simply speaks to the bold – with flamboyant commentaries on uniform, imaginative textiles and electric prints constituting salient storylines for the house. Its #myMutiny campaign, featuring a diverse collection of faces, is just one of countless examples of their consistent championing of a world without gender.
The mantra “No matter your gender, love unites us” is embedded in the house logo and remains at the core of Jacqueline Loekito’s design ethos. With signature pink hues and larger-than-life silhouettes, Loekito manages to carry out her mission of love with grace and unmatched flamboyance. When finer fabrics and softer tones come into play in her hands, gender is disassembled and personalities can shine through. Her designs are decidedly positive, focusing on human connection rather than labels, which is exactly what we need right now.
We can always rely on Gucci to defy expectations, especially when it comes to gendered dress sense. Under Alessandro Michele’s direction, garments are removed from gender and simply become ‘Gucci’. Elements of the masculine meet the feminine - tailored suits meet silk bows, with exaggerated eye-frames. A new metropolitan is created - one that is refreshing, evolved and gender-dismissive. Most of all, Gucci is inclusive in that it’s approachable, with eclectic garments for all personalities.
We can always rely on Gucci to defy expectations, especially when it comes to gendered dress sense. Under Alessandro Michele’s direction, garments are removed from gender and simply become ‘Gucci’. Elements of the masculine meet the feminine - tailored suits meet silk bows, with exaggerated eye-frames. A new metropolitan is created - one that is refreshing, evolved and gender-dismissive. Most of all, Gucci is inclusive in that it’s approachable, with eclectic garments for all personalities.
Another of 2018’s LVMH prize nominees, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, is admired for something special. Garments seem almost dream-like, with weightless fabrics that form the basis of clothing for everyone. With a particular attraction towards traditionally feminine tropes, such as crystals, cut-outs and sheer fabrications, rendered in a traditionally perceived masculine style, de Saint Sernin blurs gender lines with playful curiosity. His celebration of queer identities in the brand’s campaigns is only fitting to showcase garments that are poetic and effortless.
Dion Lee’s reintroduction of male models for the most recent runway collection was viewed as a natural progression for a brand which is recognised for its gender-neutral evocations. Lee’s styles are stripped back, with the strength and beauty of the human form highlighted by a clean colour palate, and an intersection of hard and soft textiles. There’s a reason Dion Lee is often described as futuristic, in the way that minimalist design allows a blank canvas for all to project their identity upon.
Dion Lee’s reintroduction of male models for the most recent runway collection was a natural progression, for a brand which is recognized by its gender-neutral feelings. Lee’s styles are stripped back, with the strength and beauty of the human form highlighted by a clean colour palate, and an intersection of hard and soft textiles. There’s a reason Dion Lee is often described as futuristic, in the way that minimalist design allows a blank canvas, for all to project their identity upon.
