Over the past couple of years, male celebrities have been turning fashion on its head and embracing a less rigid definition of gendered clothing. Nail polish, necklaces, skirts, dresses, and floaty blouses are now just as much for men as they are for women. From Harry Styles to Timothee Chalamet, Lil Nas X to Brad Pitt, male celebrities are leading the way for a new era of genderless fashion. In July, Brad Pitt made headlines by wearing a skirt at the screening of his latest film, Bullet
Bullet Train. A couple of months later Timothee Chalamet broke new ground with an attention-grabbing backless outfit at the Venice Film Festival. Not to mention genderless fashion advocate Harry Styles’ blue nails and oversized collar at the same event.
It’s not just celebs, the shift is happening amongst consumers, too. Fifty-six per cent of Gen Z consumers shop outside of their designated gendered area, while searches for the term ‘genderless fashion’ increased by 52 per cent in 2019, according to Lyst.
Not so long ago, most fashion shows were broken into ‘menswear’ and ‘womenswear’ events. Fast forward to today, and an increasing number of brands are opting for a single, mixed-gender show.
As Marco Bizzarri, chief executive of Gucci, said when the brand switched to mixed-gender shows back in 2016: “Moving to one show each season will significantly help to simplify many aspects of our business. Maintaining two separate, disconnected calendars has been a result of tradition rather than practicality.”
In Australia, luxury fashion brand Dion Lee is leading the way with an entire unisex collection, designated with a ‘unisex’ link that’s clearly visible from the website’s homepage. Products are shown on both male and female models, helping the customer to clearly visualise what the item will look like on them.
General Pants has also been making waves in the genderless space, most notably via its ‘We are Gen P. Led by none’ ad from 2019. The brand is increasingly focussing on creating products that defy gender constructs, to fit alongside its existing male and female lines.
For retailers, the message is clear: gender boundaries are ready to be broken.
Accessories are truly gender neutral
Accessories such as bags and jewellery are central to the genderless revolution, if only because they’re not tied down to the sizing constraints of clothing and shoes. Absolutely anyone can carry a bag, no matter what size, shape, or gender they are. If you have an ear, you can wear an earring. If you have a neck, you can wear a necklace.
The luxury fashion resell market is already making genderless accessories mainstream, with popular US online resale marketplace StockX now evenly split between men and women. As Vogue notes, popular designer-bag resale site Rebag currently has men making up one-third to half of the customer base.
Accessories like tote bags can be a great way to dip your toes into the water, as a truly one-size-fits-all option. In recent times, retailers have been requesting tote bag ranges that are suitable for both men and women, so we developed new styles with genderless patterns. Sales in this sector have increased 26 per cent in the last 12 months as a result.
Imagery is an important guide for customers who might be unsure whether certain products are ‘for them’. In-store, use signage to make it clear that your products are gender-neutral. When selling online, take a leaf out of Dion Lee’s book and make an effort to feature a diverse range of people wearing or using your products.
Consider collaborating with influencers who are known for their genderless take on shopping, and get inspired by the way they style or use certain products. Harry Styles might be off the cards (unless you’re Gucci), but there are certainly many influencers who follow a similar style code.
Finally, it’s worth remembering that unisex or genderless products don’t have to spell an end to gendered options. With the right marketing strategy in place, it’s possible to cater to a wider more diverse range of customers without alienating your existing audience.