A New Era of Unisex Fashion
It’s been a long time since I’ve had an opportunity to sit down and write. Motivation comes lurking in the middle of the night, with an adrenaline rush to share my insights, deriving from a different angle and my own experiences.
2020, was the year the world was on pause, but radical changes were happening within humanity. The Black Lives Matter movement returned to national headlines after the death of George Floyd. COVID cases pushed the hospital system to capacity, and Kamala Harrison became the first female Vice-President. We ended the year with Harry Styles blessing Vogue’s December 2020 cover with a dress and jacket by Gucci. There we have it, a new era of unisex fashion. Styles shared his perspective on vulnerability, building authentic friendships, and experimenting beyond our limited beliefs. This cover was the first time a man wore what is considered feminine clothing, revolutionizing the playground of gender-neutral fashion.
I remember in 2021 when I first wanted to talk about this topic, but my writer’s block hit so hard, and I became distracted with life’s journey. I forgot about this blog post until recently. I took a trip with my dad to Vietnam, revisited my roots, spent time with my family, and was gifted a unisex hand-weaved vest. There is always a warm feeling that seeps into the soul when you visit the motherland, a reminder that before me, there is a history of people. This reminder was met with another thought; once my journey is over, there will be many that will inhabit this planet after, living life as vividly as I did.
Everything interconnects, our minds cannot piece it together, but everything always has. Our interactions, regardless of how minuscule, leave an impact grander than we can even imagine, so let’s ponder this question; how does gender-neutral fashion impact the planet?
Gender-neutral fashion breaks away from the fast fashion cycle, allowing the mind to creatively design beyond what already exists. Designers will shift their ideas from targeting a specific audience and focus more on inclusion. The call for a singular design for everyone will decrease textile waste, increasing intent and purpose. This mindset shift will implement a view that will help us think of more than ourselves.
Here is a highlight of two events in the past year that have expanded my perspective.
- NASA’s successful launch of Artemis 1 at the end of 2021. How amazing is it that we get to be alive to witness humanity’s exploration of Mars?
- Gigi Hadid’s spray-on dress during the Coperni’s showcase in September 2021. This latex spray self-hardens in seconds, creating another avenue for material science. Designers can alternate this fabric to create new clothing or repair old ones. With expansion into the medical field, there have been discussions on using the latex fabric for casts and bandages.
Thank you for taking the time to read my insights and how I view the world. Cheers to enabling a beginner’s mindset in everything we do and see. I hope to chat with you again in my next blog post.
With love,
Thy X. Phan