Gender fluidity – merely a trend?

Radhika Roy discusses gender fluidity, fashion and whether this trend is here to stay…

The early days of 2016 witnessed the unveiling of Louis Vuitton’s three-part ad campaign featuring their new spring womenswear collection under current creative director Nicholas Ghesquière. One of the many faces of the campaign includes 17-year-old Jaden Smith, who appears in the ad titled “The Heroine” directed by fashion photographer Bruce Webber, sporting a leather jacket, a knit top, and a skirt.

This isn’t the first time the androgynous actor-rapper, son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, has been open about his arsenal of female clothes. Earlier in 2015, Jaden shared photos of himself on Instagram wearing a calf-length white skirt and black leggings to his high school prom. However, he has never appeared in a major ad campaign supporting gender fluidity until now.

The clothes featured in this campaign aren’t unisex, or gender neutral. Smith isn’t representing a man in transition (as when Lea T was featured in Riccardo Tisci’s 2010 women’s ads). He is simply a man wearing women’s clothing, pushing gender boundaries.

These ‘boundaries’ have been similarly pushed by celebrities such as Ruby Rose and Miley Cyrus, who have come out as gender fluid on social media. Cyrus’s commitment to the LGBTQ community includes her Happy Hippie Foundation partnered with Instagram for the #InstaPride campaign that shares the stories of those who don’t ascribe to rigid gender norms. Back in July 2014, Rose released a video that visually illustrates how freeing it is to identify with something that deviates from the social quo.

This trend has become a prominent aspect of modern fashion. London Fashion Week 2015 witnessed the fashion brand Ashish include two male models showcasing their women’s collection on the runway. The models were clad in multi-coloured crop tops, sequinned denim, and heels. Additionally, British designer Vivienne Westwood launched her collection titled UNISEX in 2015, whilst stating “Everyone has a masculine and feminine side; masculine qualities and feminine qualities. And clothes tell that story.”

But does the sensationalisation of such events truly make us a more accepting society?

Despite challenging the perceptions of sexual orientation everyday, are the cohorts of Generation Z actually blurring the lines between the male and female? The modern consumer wants to be part of the bigger picture, wants to make a difference. Yet, we live in a world drawn to brands. Thus, is gender fluidity a passing streak in fashion, something that may be dusted off in the next season?

While we applaud the actions taken by those whose voices are heard by the masses, it is important to remember that not everyone who is struggling with the issue of gender identity has the visibility (or bank account) of Jaden Smith. A few celebrities speaking up about gender fluidity or appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair isn’t a fix-all. As a society, it is essential that we decode the male/ female binary that has led up to the gender roles that subtly dictate our expression.