Suddenly the idea that we might shop from a female-only fashion brand seems remarkably passé. Last week Agyness Deyn launched new clothing label Title A on Net a Porter, which is a slouchy yet robust mix of relaxed tailoring and modestly sexy dresses. This androgynous design debut feels current in a climate where even Victoria Beckham is ditching the heels. Agyness told The Cut this week her new menswear-inspired label is about ‘embracing femininity with whatever you wear’ and looks to strong, sexy women like Patti Smith and Katharine Hepburn.
In contrast to the clunking sexiness of body-con and platform heels from a few years ago, there’s something about slightly more masculine (or rather, gender-neutral) clothing that feels so right at the moment. A few factors come into play for this current wave of androgyny: the return of grungy, ’90s dressing, sporty influences and the resurgence of feminism all point to style that is more about comfort and cool than looking classically sexy.
And Agyness is in good company. Charlotte Gainsbourg’s recent collaboration with denim label Current Elliott has that similar feel of attitude and insouciant chic. And who is more sexy than devil-may-care Charlotte Gainsbourg? Her collection feels very much ‘female rock star on the road’, the leather jackets, lean jeans and loose coats all have that borrowed-from-the-boys vibe.
This androgynous design debut feels current in a climate where even Victoria Beckham is ditching the heels
Going down the de-gendering path but offering up something for both sexes is Suwun, a new shop that launched this week in east London’s Netil House. Founders Egle Rutkausk and business partner Tigana Sari believe that ‘style is beyond gender’. They set the wheels in motion to launch their label after not being able to find what they were looking for. ‘We wanted to stock unisex labels, however having done extensive research we realised that there aren’t many unisex labels that we like,’ the pair explains.
With varied backgrounds – Tigana’s in accountancy and Egle working at a prison arts charity as well as on a Gender MA – they had a vision for a space that could be more than a shop: ‘We always wanted to make it about more than just a transaction. It’s a lot about exchange of stories, emotions, ideas and knowledge. We are still building on it and preparing workshops and events that will be an integral part of our shop.’
The duo pride themselves on having created a space which is ‘non-judgemental’ and ‘more of a creative retail space with extra activities and hopefully a place where people can get involved in sharing and making things together.’
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In the US, androgynous brands (catering mostly to women) are not a new thing. On the west coast in Portland, Wildfang is making a name for itself with tomboy-inspired clothing for women, shirts and blazers with an easy fit and unfussy cut. East coast label veer nyc’s stylish take on ‘androgyny curated for women, by women’ involves T-shirts, sweatshirts and bombers that have a high-end, Alexander Wang-ish whiff of downtown chic about them.
In the US, androgynous brands (catering mostly to women) are not a new thing.
Years ago, American Apparel was one of the first mainstream retailers to offer the same product to both genders, from baggy tees to accessories and knitwear. A trend which has also been taken up – to a slightly lesser extent – by retailers like COS and Uniqlo. Trend and design consultant Claire Foster, who has previously worked for WGSN and Stylesight, says this is part of a wider trend for less-gendered clothing: ‘Over the past couple of years, we’ve really seen a more contemporary androgynous look being embraced across different markets.’
It’s not just high street either; high-end designers are crossing the divide. Claire explains, ‘Younger designers like JW Anderson and James Long are coming at the gender crossover from a fresh, new perspective, whereas more established designers, I think, would find it harder to entice a whole new gender audience.’
The growing appetite for menswear has also contributed to this exchange. Claire adds: ‘Christopher Kane, Alexander Wang and Richard Nicholl all debuted menswear collections around the same time, and have added material, colour or decorative traits translated from their women’s collections.’
Dalston-based label Riyka – who collaborated with veer nyc on a T-shirt for SS14 – offer up a mix of graphic sweatshirts, T-shirts and dresses that are emblematic of this ‘borrowing’ culture across the sexes. Designer Rebecca Johnson says, ‘Designing is not gender specific, it’s more about inspiration, shape and colour.’
For its AW14 collection, Rebecca is looking to Peggy Oki, a badass but non-traditional icon ‘who was the coolest skater girl in the original Zephyr skateboard team’, from the film Dogtown and Z Boys. Agyness Deyn made a similar comment on the prevailing fashion mood. ‘I feel like women today are finding other ways of being provocative, which is strong.’
When it comes to shopping, gender should matter less.
Ultimately, being able to shop in a genderless environment is about much more than fashion choices. Egle from Suwun comments: ‘Gender itself can be quite fun when approached in a more open and playful way. But when it comes to shopping, as well as using a bathroom, travelling or filling out some paperwork – gender should matter less. In other words, anyone should be able to perform all of those simple acts and more, without feeling harassed, judged and policed.’
Creating those spaces where there are no expectations based on whether you’re X or Y genuinely feels radical. As Egle puts it: ‘Why have gendered fitting rooms anyway?’
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.