Love unisex clothing? Check out Philip Mak‘s deeper look into the cultural machinations behind the trend in his piece: “Why the New Androgyny Matters.”
It seems that the line separating women’s clothing from menswear is becoming increasingly blurry with the passing of every season/every time Marc Jacobs hits a red carpet. Particularly when it comes to high fashion and sportswear, not since late 17th century France has it been so trendy for men to show off them gams in tights, skirts, and shirt-dresses. Alternately, menswear-inspired fashions like pleated trousers, overcoats, and tailored blazers have been spotted dotting the ladies’ fall/winter 2014 catwalks of heavy-hitters like Hermes, Giorgio Armani, and Rag & Bone.
With World MasterCard Fashion Week just around the corner, it’s essential to have a rolodex of designers willing to break away from the established male/female binary if you want to be on top of your sartorial game. We’ve rounded up all the best androgyny for you to get your unisex on for fall 2014.
Rad Hourani
Montreal-raised Rad Hourani is arguably the world leader in unisex fashion. The first designer ever to have an entirely unisex show at Paris Couture Week, he exclusively creates clothing that can be styled for both men and women. Hourani insists his work “is an attentive study of the human body that celebrates neutrality as a human trait.” Drawing inspiration for structural sources such as international architecture and origami, Hourani’s clothing is forward-facing, innovative, and beautifully constructed.
American Apparel
As hipster as this may be to say, American Apparel was doing unisex before doing unisex was cool. Womp womp. Say what you want about Dov Charney’s morally/ legally-questionable advertising campaigns and organizational culture, they’ve always promoted equal-opportunity wearability between the sexes. Then again, how gendered can (overpriced) cotton basics really be?
Untitled & Co
Toronto-based designer Cameron Wilson heads up Untitled & Co. The brand is both a storefront and a clothing line, featuring street-style inspired pieces including sweatshirts, accessories, and pants. FYI, the brick-and-mortar retail store just recently switched from a spot on Queen West to a 2-storey location at 98 Scollard in Yorkville.
BOY London
Originally popular in the 1980s British punk scene, BOY London has seen an enormous revival in the past three years. In its heyday, it was a favourite among more subversive celebrities like Boy George and Andy Warhol. Today, mainstream stars such as Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and rapper Wiz Khalifa have been photographed rocking the brand’s iconic labeling on red carpets and on tour. We recommend pairing up their separates for a head-to-toe print outfit. Very on trend for fall 2014. As Beyoncé once said, “If I were a BOY…”
Willis Chan
Willis Chan is barely out of Ryerson’s fashion design programme and already making ripples in the city’s fashion scene. Focusing his aesthetic on “High Athletic” (high fashion with an athletic and techwear element), his designs are unisex and comfortable for both genders. Besides his flair for androgyny, Chan’s pieces feature many of the season’s trendiest fabrics and elements such as neoprene, cut-out, and transparent plastic. You can catch his stuff at one of our favourite hidden gems, Parloque at 1093 Queen Street West.
What are some of your favourite unisex designers and brands? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.
