Gender fluid clothing is slowly becoming more and more popular within the fashion industry and is often showing smaller labels or fast fashion labels taking inspiration from those higher up with a larger and more loyal audience. Celebrities are more regularly captured at events shown across the world wearing gender fluid clothing, from Harry Styles’ many outfits for Gucci to Billy Porters famous tuxedo dress. Not only are these celebrities showing that clothing has no gender, they are also creating an influence for the younger generation going ahead.

In 2020, designer Alessandro Michele introduced Gucci’s first ever non-binary, gender-fluid collection called Gucci Mx. The collection began from Fall/Winter 2020 and features pieces every season which don’t conform to one specific gender. Gucci have also included an iconic bag to this release from 1961 named the ‘Jackie’, one of Jackie Kennedy’s favourite designs. Gucci enlisted photographer Angelo Pennetta to photograph gender-neutral models wearing the Jackie bag. The campaign has showcased models wearing a wide range of eye catching garments, such as a pair of metallic green flares and the iconic Jackie bag (Hypebeast, 2020).

When visiting the genderless section on Gucci’s page, you can find more information on Gucci Mx and the reasonings behind starting this. Gucci’s landing page reads “Gucci’s collections set out to deconstruct preconceived binaries and question how these concepts relate to our bodies. Celebrating self-expression in the name of all gender equality, the House presents MX.” (Gucci, n.d.). Gucci Mx separates their products into four sections from Ready-to-wear, Handbags and Luggage, Accessories and Shoes (Gucci, n.d.).

The importance of Gucci’s Mx collection is significant in meeting the requirements for all of their consumers but also linking this with the currently social environment and showing how genderless clothing is way more relaxed and respected compared to how it was a 5-10 years back, whilst Gucci are not the first to explore these options, it can be argued that they are one of the largest and most influential brands to be taking gender fluidity that one step closer to being treat as normal. Similar brands such as Telfar, Hood by Air and Rihanna’s Fenty and Fenty Beauty have also taken a genderless approach, from clothing to makeup and skincare.

On Gucci’s Mx landing page, a statement also reads “The House’s collections emphasize the dissolving lines of the gender divide in the name of self expression. Playing with the constructive nature of gender, MX underlines the performative nature of what we wear, presenting masculinity and femininity as relative concepts.” (Gucci, n.d.).

Some of Gucci’s imagery for the advertising campaign were illustrated by artists for Frankenstein Magazine and show cartoon like illustrations of men and women wearing genderless clothing, one of the main drawings which stood out to me was a man with pink long hair, wearing baggy suit pants, loafers and a sweatshirt combined with ankle bracelets and the Jackie bag. I feel this shows how genderless clothing can be represented even through drawings.

Overall, it can be recognised that brands introducing gender neutral campaigns and collections can be a strong point for their brand image and their overall consumers, along with influence onto the current society. Gucci also marketed Mx via Instagram, reaching 87 thousand likes and overall positive reactions across social media to this campaign. Gucci are in a strong position to do a good job of this and I feel it represents their current image and shows what their designer stands for.

Gender neutral clothing needs to be branched out more in the fashion industry. Consumers are ready for the launches of these collections, especially Gen Z consumers. Phluid Project founder Rob Smith said at the WWD Culture Conference that  56 percent of Generation Z consumers shop “outside their assigned gendered area.” (Anyanwu, 2020). WWD also stated “The generation has a buying power of $143 billion, and an influence of up to $200 billion, according to Smith at the Culture Conference, and that is before all members have entered the workforce.” (Anyanwu, 2020). Regardless of which generation is in charge, its important to understand consumers have some form of charge on the impact and shift of a brand, therefore stores must look at the limitations when going forward with a new range (Anyanwu, 2020).

Bibliography

Anyanwu, O., 2020. Decoding Genderless Fashion, the Future of the Industry. [Online] 
Available at: https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/genderless-fashion-future-of-industry-1203381685/
[Accessed 4 May 2021].

Gucci, n.d.. Gucci Mx. [Online] 
Available at: https://www.gucci.com/us/en/st/mx-landing
[Accessed 4 May 2021].

Hypebeast, 2020. Gucci Mx Line Explores Gender Fluidity Within Fashion. [Online] 
Available at: https://hypebeast.com/2020/7/gucci-mx-non-binary-gender-fluid-collection-fall-winter-2020-jackie-1961-bag-lookbook
[Accessed 4 May 2021].