No Gender: Deciphering Unisex Fashion
Unisex fashion, also known as no gender, gender-free or genderless, has become a must-have trend since 2017. Collections for children as well as adults blur the notion of gender to better allow each individual the freedom to express themselves. Here is a decryption of this trend that promises to be long-lasting, in the world of ready-to-wear as well as in high fashion.
Neutrality revolutionizes fashion
More than just an ephemeral fashion phenomenon, unisex fashion has made its way into the collections of major ready-to-wear brands.
This successful blending of genders began when key pieces from the men's wardrobe were adopted by women, particularly with the boyfriend jean trend and the women's craze for oversize clothing.
Starting in 2017, ready-to-wear giants like Zara and H&M launched ungendered collections. You may remember, for example, the H&M denim collections playing the mix-and-match card in the form of denim jackets, dungarees and basic tees.
Even the famous French sportswear brand Lacoste recently launched a unisex collection consisting of polo shirts, sports pants and accessories.
Haute couture likes to mix genres
When talking about the current no gender trend, it's also worth noting that the idea of going picking new pieces from the other gender's wardrobe is not a recent innovation.
As early as the 1960s, androgynous icon Twiggy had appropriated the codes of men's fashion, while Coco Chanel had adopted a tomboyish look at odds with the very feminine silhouettes of her time.
Yves Saint Laurent was one of the first designers to adapt the typically masculine tuxedo to feminine silhouettes... Conversely, Jean-Paul Gaultier made the skirt a centerpiece of his men's shows.
Today, unisex fashion is a trend more than ever alive on the catwalks thanks to big names like Maison Margiela, Louis Vuitton or Vivienne Westwood.
All these great fashion houses no longer hesitate to free themselves from the notion of gender to free fashion from its old shackles.
Mixed gender becomes the new norm
In today's fashion, mixed collections are increasingly becoming the new normal.
Many young designers like Kwun Hyuk Kim, Faith Oluwajimi, Ella Boucht and Arturo Obegero
are pushing the boundaries of unisex clothing, imagining androgynous suits and voluminous dresses.
These emerging designers are deconstructing the notion of gender that society imposes on us.
Kwun Hyuk Kim explains, 'I think there should be no gender in fashion: wearing clothes should just be a way to express yourself the way you want. The advantage [of making gender-neutral pieces] is that our clothes have the potential to appeal to more people, regardless of gender, but that means we may be limited in terms of size.'
Children also have the right to gender-neutral clothing
After the unisex fashion boom for adults, the no gender trend has made its way into kids' wardrobes.
Not only do mixed-gender collections help avoid conditioning young minds to the notion of gender from childhood, but no-gender clothes for kiddos are way cooler than those for adults!
California-based brand PacSun is a pioneer in gender-free clothing for kids. You can order their cheerful and colorful clothing online that all kids and teens will love (see link below).
The label, which was founded in 1980, has been offering genderless clothing for adults since September 2020 and for kids since July 2021.
Their clothes, from 4 to 14 years old, are undifferentiated girl/boy in a truly inclusive mindset. This way, each child can dress and express themselves as an individual, outside of any stereotype.
Gender-free fashion for children is inclusive, exciting and optimistic. Thanks to the younger generation, the unisex fashion trend has a bright future!
