THE GENDERLESS

GENERATION
CO NS U M E R I NS I G H T

As younger consumers
question gender roles, they
are seeking out versatile,
androgynous styles as a
means of self discovery.

Fashion Week Streets

OVERVIEW
" You've got your mothe r i n a whi rl , s he 's not Tr a nscend ing colour
s ure i f you're a boy or a gi rl . " So goe s the c o n n o t a t i o n s : pas te l s and pi nk tone s
ope ni ng s al vo on Davi d Bowi e 's Re be l , Re be l , are be i ng fre e d from fe mi ni ne
whos e l yri c s now al i gn wi th a s hi ft i n the c onnotati ons – whi c h we re onl y
re l ati ons hi p be twe e n ge nde r norms and e s tabl i s he d as re c e ntl y as the 1940s –
fas hi on. As me ns we ar and wome ns we ar and s i mi l arl y, s urpl us mi l i tary tone s
i nc re as i ngl y take c ue s from e ac h othe r, the fi nd a s ofte r e dge i n wome ns we ar
l i ne s di vi di ng both c ate gori e s are di s s i pati ng.
E g a l i t a r i a n a n d r o g y n y : l abe l s from
G e n d e r - f l u i d f a s h i o n : a s ui t i s j us t Sc andi navi an c ountri e s , known for
a s ui t and a dre s s i s j us t a dre s s . c hampi oni ng ge nde r e qual i ty, are
Pl ac i ng the s e i te ms outs i de the promoti ng an ove rs i z e d, androgynous
c onte xt of ge nde r al l ows the m to s pe ak l ook that has be c ome an age nde r
to a broade r c ons ume r bas e , who are uni form
l ooki ng to c l othi ng as a me ans of s e l f-
e xpre s s i on and di s c ove ry.

E m b r a c i n g t h e s p e c t r u m : more
Mi l l e nni al s are i de nti fyi ng as LGBT Q IA
( l e s bi an, gay, bi s e xual , trans ge nde r,
que e r, i nte rs e x and as e xual ) than
pre vi ous ge ne rati ons . T he i de a that
s e xual ori e ntati on and c l othi ng are
c orre l ate d i s outdate d, and more
progre s s i ve atti tude s take root

Ashish
REDEFINING THE GENDER GAP
" Many pe opl e don't fe e l l i ke the y ne e d to
we ar one type of c l othi ng j us t be c aus e
s oc i e ty di c tate s i t, " s ays Bobby Bonaparte ,
c o-founde r of Portl and-bas e d uni s e x l abe l
O l de r Brothe r. T he brand s pe c i al i s e s i n
garme nts that fi t l oos e l y ove r the body, not i n
a way to be trans gre s s i ve , but rathe r i n a way
that c hanne l s the nos tal gi a of we ari ng an
ol de r s i bl i ng's hand-me -downs .

It's j us t one of many c l othi ng brands fi ndi ng

s uc c e s s i n the ge nde rl e s s s pac e . Bonaparte
poi nts to the l i te ral trans l ati on of " ki mono" :
Fashion Week Streets the drape d Japane s e oute rwe ar may re fe r to a
s pe c i fi c s i l houe tte , but i t ac tual l y me ans " a
thi ng to we ar. " F or me n and wome n, c l othi ng
i s be c omi ng e xac tl y that.

F orme r i de al s of what me ns we ar and

wome ns we ar i s are obs ol e te , no l onge r
appl yi ng to a s avvi e r ge ne rati on wi th l i ttl e
re gard for pre e xi s ti ng s oc i al c ons truc ts . C as e
i n poi nt? Ge nde r-ne utral baby name s are on
the ri s e . A ne w s tage i s s e t for a narrati ve
dri ve n by i nc l us i ve de s i gn.

Acne Studios

Fashion Week Streets

GENDER & SEXUAL POLITICS
​ s aware ne s s of ge nde r e qual i ty and
A
LGBT Q IA ri ghts be c ome more c ommonpl ac e ,
fas hi on that s pe aks to the s e i s s ue s be c ome s
more re l e vant – and pre val e nt. A re c e nt
s urve y re ports that 7% of 18-35 ye ar ol ds
i de nti fy as LGBT Q IA, c ompare d to 3. 5 % of
ove r 35 -ye ar ol d adul ts .

Se rvi c e s s uc h as My Ki d Is Gay offe r gui de s

and s ti c ke rs to he l p pare nts be tte r
unde rs tand the i r ki ds . In a re c e nt
groundbre aki ng de c i s i on, Ame ri c an Jami e
Shupe was l e gal l y grante d the ri ght to opt out
Acne Studios of the ge nde r bi nary, offi c i al l y i de nti fyi ng as
ne i the r mal e nor fe mal e .

Di re c ti onal fas hi on s tri ve s to pus h the

e nve l ope and s hoc k s oc i e tal norms , and the
pre domi nant me s s age s are s e x-pos i ti vi ty and
an e mbrac e of pans e xual i ty. Ac ne Studi os
pre s e nte d a me ns we ar c ol l e c ti on wi th
me s s age s s uc h as " Woman Powe r" and
" Radi c al F e mi ni s t. " H ood By Ai r te ame d up
wi th pornographi c we bs i te Pornhub to
pre s e nt i ts l ate s t c ol l e c ti on. Its mode l s
gl i s te ne d wi th make -up and groomi ng me ant
to e mul ate bodi l y fl ui ds .
Hood By Air

Christian Dior
GENDER-BENDING ICONS
" I am not gay, al though I wi s h I we re , j us t to
pi s s off homophobe s , " wrote Kurt C obai n i n
one of hi s many j ournal s . T he l ate N i rvana
frontman fre que ntl y wore dre s s e s and re d
nai l pol i s h, famous l y appe ari ng on the
Se pte mbe r 1993 i s s ue of T he F ac e i n bl ac k
e ye l i ne r and a dre s s .

N ow, a ne w c rop of arti s ts s uc h as Young

T hug and Jade n Smi th c arry on the l e gac y of
be i ng s trai ght mal e s tyl e i c ons who have
pos i ti one d the ms e l ve s as al l i e s . Young T hug
e ve n we ars a dre s s de s i gne d by Al e s s andro
Young Thug T ri nc one on the c ove r of hi s l ate s t al bum,
N o, My N ame Is Je ffe ry. " T he androgynous
i de nti ty of my i ns pi rati onal garme nts
re i nforc e s my be l i e f of no-ge nde r boundari e s
be twe e n me n and wome n, " s ays the de s i gne r.

Jaden Smith

The Face
INTEGRATED CATWALKS
​ ore and more de s i gne rs are s hi fti ng towards
M
mi xe d-ge nde r fas hi on s hows , wi th Guc c i ,
Burbe rry, T ommy H i l fi ge r, and Botte ga V e ne ta
among the l arge s t brands to i mpl e me nt the
c hange . " H avi ng de s i gne rs que s ti on
pre c onc e i ve d noti ons of ge nde r or s i mpl y
re c ogni s i ng that me ns we ar c ol l e c ti ons are
appe al i ng to a fe mal e c ons ume r i s a tre nd
that c onti nue s , " c omme nts C arol i ne Rus h,
C EO of the Bri ti s h F as hi on C ounc i l , to BO F .
" Showi ng me ns we ar and wome ns we ar
al ongs i de e ac h othe r on the runway whe n you
have one c re ati ve di re c tor he l ps to bui l d a
Vêtements
c ohe s i ve brand, " s he adds .

Ste ve n Kol b, pre s i de nt and C EO of the

C ounc i l of F as hi on De s i gne rs of Ame ri c a,
s ti l l be l i e ve s the re i s a pl ac e for me n's -
foc us e d fas hi on s hows for young tal e nt and a
s e parate marke t s c he dul e . " What I s e e
happe ni ng, though, i s thi s bl ur be twe e n
c ol l e c ti ons . I s e e a s hi ft to ‘ s e as onl e s s ’
i de as , " he s ays . Guc c i de s i gne r Al e s s andro
Mi c he l e , known for hi s androgynous de s i gns ,
had a s i mpl e r re as on for i nte grati ng hi s
c atwal k s hows : " It's the way I s e e the worl d
Gucci today, " he s ays i n a s tate me nt re l e as e d by
the l abe l .
J.Crew
RETHINKING COLOUR CODES
​ i s tori c al l y, pi nk was a mas c ul i ne c ol our
H
mos tl y us e d for boys , s i nc e i t was re garde d
as a tame r s hade of re d, a hue s ti l l as s oc i ate d
wi th mac ho " powe r ti e s . " It was n't unti l the
1940s and 195 0s that i t gai ne d a fe mi ni ne
c onnotati on, partl y due to the i nfl ue nc e of US
F i rs t Lady Mami e Ei s e nhowe r, as we l l as
mus i c al s s uc h as F unny F ac e .

N ow mute d s hade s of pi nk, s al mon, and

pas te l s i nc l udi ng l ave nde r have a ne w
promi ne nc e i n me ns we ar and s tre e t-i nforme d
offe ri ngs for young me n. F rom c omme rc i al
Fenty Puma by Rihanna re tai l e rs s uc h as J C re w and buz z y
c ol l aborati ons s uc h as Ri hanna's F e nty
c ol l e c ti on wi th Puma, to c atwal k c ol l e c ti ons
from Botte ga V e ne ta, a ne wfound e mbrac e of
s tate me nt bri ghts e xi s ts for S/ S 17 and
be yond.

C onve rs e l y, tradi ti onal l y mas c ul i ne mi l i tary

tone s s uc h as ol i ve , tan, and l abour bl ue s add
a rugge d e dge to wome ns we ar at c ol l e c ti ons
from Kare n Wal ke r and T he Row, mi rrori ng the
fe mi ni ne / mas c ul i ne i nte rpl ay ac ros s both
c ate gori e s .

Bottega Veneta

J.Crew
BORROWED FROM THE BOYS
​ he l i ne s be twe e n wome ns we ar and
T
me ns we ar c onti nue to be c hal l e nge d. Sporty
trac k j ac ke ts , uti l i tari an bombe rs , and
tai l ore d s ui ti ng have a s trong c ros s -ge nde r
appe al , e s pe c i al l y as ove rs i z e d s i l houe tte s
be c ome more pre val e nt.

T he s e proporti ons c ompl e me nt me n and

wome n e qual l y, and wome n have be e n
l ongti me c ons ume rs of l abe l s that c ate r
s pe c i fi c al l y to me n, s uc h as Supre me and
Gos ha Rubc hi ns ki y. Al e xande r Wang's re c e nt
adi das c ol l aborati on of s porty, uni s e x,
Fashion Week Streets graphi c -dri ve n garme nts de bute d on the
c atwal k i n an i nte grate d l i ne -up of young me n
and wome n.

J C re w has made the te rm " borrowe d from

the boys " i nto s ome thi ng of a s i gnature
marke ti ng te rm, us e d to pe ddl e e ve rythi ng
from workwe ar-i ns pi re d c hambray s hi rts to
tas s e l l oafe rs and twe e d bl az e rs .

T radi ti onal l y mas c ul i ne s artori al patte rns

s uc h as pi ns tri pe s , Gl e n c he c ks , and
hounds tooth c onti nue to i nform e l e vate d
wome ns we ar offe ri ngs at Kare n Wal ke r and
Karen Walker T he Row.

Fashion Week Streets

STYLE AS SUBTERFUGE
" T he fas hi on s ys te m has be e n i n a re al l y ri gi d
bi nary for s o l ong that i t’ s onl y now we ’ ve
s ort of s tarte d to pus h that. . . and i t doe s n’ t
have to be s uc h a bi g de al what any of us are
we ari ng, " s ai d Kri s ti i na Wi l s on, photographe r
and EIC of age nde r fas hi on s i te You Do You,
to Re fi ne ry 29.

Subc ul ture s have us e d fas hi on to s hoc k and

make a s ubve rs i ve s tate me nt, from 1970s
punks to the myri ad of footbal l -i nfl ue nc e d
s tyl e tri be s . In al l owi ng s i l houe tte s to s pe ak
for the ms e l ve s , the e nd us e rs i mbue
Young Thug garme nts wi th a me ani ng of the i r own
c hoos i ng. C l othi ng be c ome s i ntri ns i c to the i r
s e l f-di s c ove ry, i ns te ad of hi nde ri ng i t wi th
ge nde r-s pe c i fi c c ate gori s ati ons .

Ac ne Studi os de s i gne r Jonny Johans s on us e d

hi s 11-ye ar-ol d s on F ras s e for the brand's A/ W
15 / 16 c ampai gn, i n whi c h he we ars wome n's
pi e c e s . “I’ ve s e e n thi s ne w ge ne rati on’ s
atti tude to fas hi on whe re the c ut, the s hape
and the c harac te r of the garme nt i s the
c ruc i al thi ng, rathe r the n s e e ki ng approval
from s oc i e ty or to fol l ow s e t norms , ”
Johans s on tol d Daz e d.
Tokyo

Acne Studios
 GENDER-DIVIDED SHOPPERS
C ar c ompany Mi ni re c e ntl y tappe d young
de s i gne rs at Pi tti Uomo for a c aps ul e
c ol l e c ti on of droppe d-s houl de r s we ats hi rts ,
ai mi ng to " e ngage both s e xe s " through a
de moc rati c s i l houe tte . And Zara re c e ntl y
l aunc he d an Unge nde re d s e c ti on of te e s ,
trous e rs , and de ni m wi th i te ms mode l l e d by
both ge nde rs , whi l e l as t ye ar Se l fri dge s
l aunc he d an age nde r c onc e pt s hop.

​ he move towards ge nde rl e s s c l othi ng has

T
be e n a boon for the me ns we ar marke t, whi c h
al re ady has pl e nty of c ros s -ge nde r appe al . A
Agender re c e nt re port doc ume nts how the me ns we ar
marke t gre w by 1.9% i n 2015 ove r
wome ns we ar's 1. 6% growth, total l i ng $29
bi l l i on. So whi l e fas hi on-re ti c e nt me n j us t
ge tti ng us e d to s hoppi ng for the ms e l ve s may
not be ke e n on pe rus i ng the wome n's
s e c ti on, the s ame may not appl y to wome n.

“Re tai l as a whol e ne e ds to c ons tantl y e vol ve

and i nj e c t ne wne s s for the c ons ume r, ” s ays
N PD Group fas hi on anal ys t Sandy Si l va. " And
mos t re tai l e rs c oul d i nj e c t uni s e x we ar
'wi thout muc h e ffort' – e s pe c i al l y i f the y
al re ady c ate r to me n and wome n. "
Seoul

Fashion Week Streets

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