Androgynous fashion is a movement that blurs the sharp lines between women’s and men’s clothing, bringing the codes of both worlds together in a single look. At the men’s fashion week in Paris in particular, one of the most talked-about examples of this movement took the stage.
Spring/Summer 2017 Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, the French capital, was a colourful spectacle.
Androgynous models took the lead role in designer Thom Browne’s collection. The models wore bonnets on their heads and painted their faces like mime artists. With their white trousers and multicoloured jackets, they heralded the arrival of summer. The choreography presented by a model who took to the stage with bird wings and a mask also attracted a great deal of attention.
What is androgynous fashion, and how does it look on the runway?
The word androgynous means carrying both masculine and feminine characteristics at once. In fashion, it means designers creating clothes without assigning them to a particular gender, or carrying pieces identified with one gender over to the other. In women’s collections, for example, suits, oversized jackets and masculine shoes are well-known examples of this approach. In men’s collections, flowing fabrics, draped cuts, pastel colours and accessories fall under the same approach.
The androgynous approach is not new in fashion. Indeed, women wearing trousers and suits gradually becoming commonplace is also part of this line. In recent years, many brands have been creating genderless or unisex collections, and stores carry capsule ranges that don’t separate women’s and men’s departments. In short, this trend shows that personal expression and comfort in clothing have become more important than set moulds.
As at Thom Browne’s show, androgynous fashion on the runway often turns into a performance, combined with make-up, hair and staging. Painted faces, unexpected accessories such as bonnets and theatrical choreography convey an idea beyond the clothes: that clothing does not have to squeeze identity into narrow moulds.
Androgynous touches for everyday life
You don’t need to be as bold as the runway to bring this movement into everyday dressing. A loose-cut blazer and straight-leg trousers are simple but effective choices, as are a white shirt or loafers. These pieces stretch gender conventions.
For men, a soft-textured shirt, a pastel knit or a fine necklace is an easy way in; these stretch the usual mould. What matters is that the piece you choose makes you feel comfortable and like yourself. For women borrowing pieces from the men’s wardrobe, our article on boyfriend style may also inspire you.
If you’d like to see the collections and the brand’s world up close, you can visit Thom Browne’s official website.