Art does not exist in a vacuum. All art is participating in a conversation about our conditions. Fashion, in particular, tells the story of our culture.
The Dandy has been challenging the prevailing concepts of masculinity and rebelling against cultural, gender, and social norms over the last 200 years. They pioneered a mode of queer expression still emulated today, both in gender expression and lifestyle.
Yves Saint Laurent was the first fashion couturier to present the suit as a form of women’s evening wear in the 1960s, which defined a crucial change in fashion. Early androgyny icons challenged the preconceived notions of femininity and created an aesthetic that is still relevant today. Marlene Dietrich, one of the world’s most glamorous stars, was able to shake up Hollywood’s gender-specific boundaries by dressing in menswear while embracing femininity.
In fashion history, there is a before, and an after David Bowie – his glam rock fashion and ambiguous attitude were the solid foundation on which the genderfluid fashion of our century was built. Popular mainstream artists like Harry Styles are heavily inspired by the early 70s glam rock aesthetics.
Gender blurring and androgyny are also deep-rooted within the Goth and Punk subcultures. They were the concentrated sites of praxis where alternative gender and sexual politics were established, welcoming a large population of teens and young adults who felt pigeonholed by cultural norms in the 80s.
The club kid culture in the 90s was not only associated with outlandish and provocative styles. It also emphasized self-expression regardless of gender roles and stereotypes, becoming one of the heralds of inclusivity in contemporary fashion.
The resurgence of gender-fluid fashion in our mainstream media today marked a new page of the history of our nonconformity to a gender binary.
Are we consciously taking the next step in that story? How is our generation actively contributing to the progress of defying gender norms?
Creative Direction and Words by Azure Kwok.
Photography by Lulu Hamilton.
Photo assist by Mackenzie Moore.
Styling by Caitlin Griffin.
Makeup by Molly Linstrum.
Talent by Bryce Fuller, Luna Zander, August Atkinson, Peyton Randolph, Vector Roberson.
Behind the scenes by Emilio Garcia.