he for she
When it comes to equality for the sexes, fashion’s runways are leading the charge
Fashion is leading the way in equality for the sexes, at least when it comes to gender-fluid apparel.
Last September, Burberry replaced its four-show calendar with two shows, combining its womenswear and menswear collections on the runway for the first time. Cementing its position as an industry trailblazer, Vetements had already married its readyto-wear collections for men and women, showing during Paris couture week. And it’s a trend that has continued to roll through houses like Vivienne Westwood, Gucci and Rag & Bone. While combining designs for both sexes on the runway makes good business sense (more time to design, sell and produce collections), the move comes at a time when androgynous and gender-bending fashion is blurring the line between clothes for women and ones marked male-only. Which begs the question: do the old rules even apply?
The short answer is: no. If you’re one for pinching the odd denim jacket or hoodie from your partner’s wardrobe, then you’re already one step ahead when it comes to the kind of sartorial opportunities a little menswear can introduce to a winter wardrobe. But the current trend towards manstyling goes well beyond just swiping a starched shirt from the dry-cleaning stack. Designers have cottoned on to our longstanding desire to eradicate the his and hers mentality and are blending the best features of both into some seriously wearable pieces that flout tradition in the most tremendous way. That means slouchy pants reimagined with a corset and ruffles, plaid suiting cropped above the ankle and crisp shirting, either of the business or bedtime variety (pyjamas are still going strong), cut long and layered under just about everything – including Burberry’s pure white tiered lace dresses.
While one camp championed unisex pieces designed to be worn by men and women, the most modern treatment of gender-fluid fashion came from Londonbased designers. Our favourites: Simone Rocha, who inserted Victorian puff sleeves into utilitarian jackets and frills at the knees and ankles of tailored trousers, and Preen By Thornton Bregazzi, where a witty mix of masculine/feminine saw reworked polo shirts worn with lace socks. On the street, the movement translated into Prince of Wales checks finished with “ladylike” bags and kitten heels, or jumbo earrings swinging over the collar of a military-issue coat, proving that anyone can buy into the look with a few clever styling tricks.
Our tip for your smartest winter investment? An impeccably cut blazer in a traditionally menswear fabric. Keep it slung over the back of your desk chair for weekday meetings, or use it to extend the life of a feminine summer blouse on the weekend. Because there’s a time for pretty and a time for powerful, and we never like our fashion more than when it combines the best of both.