Deconstructing Masculinity

by Anouk Jurkowski

Illustration by Anouk Jurkowski

In a time when gender identities are increasingly fluid, fashion is taking on a more political role. Especially in menswear, clothing is being used to deconstruct – or at least challenge – rigid notions of masculinity. But how much subversion really lies behind the androgynous look? And who actually has access to this form of self-expression?

Historically, masculinity was never as “neutral” or “pragmatic” as it’s often portrayed today. In the 17th century, heels, embroidered silk, and corsets symbolized male power – until a purist, disciplined ideal took hold. In the 19th century, flamboyant styles were increasingly rejected as unmanly. Public fear of homosexuality grew, reinforced by laws like England’s Labouchere Amendment. Masculinity became associated with control, restraint, and invisibility. In recent years, however, fashion has started to rebel: androgyny is no longer reserved for women.

Two designers have significantly shaped this shift: Alessandro Michele for Gucci and Thom Browne. Michele’s Fall 2015 collection featured floral blouses, ruffles, and lace – intentionally ambiguous and provocative. Harry Styles appearing in a Gucci dress on the Vogue cover in December of 2020 was not just aesthetic, but political. Thom Browne strips the traditional suit of authority, reimagining it with skirts, embroidery, and lipstick. His shows present men and women in identical outfits – yet they never look “the same.” This is evident in collections like Resort 2025, Fall 2019, and Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear, where Browne blurs gender lines and rethinks uniforms.

And this is where ambiguity begins, because as powerful as these stylistic breaks are, they’re not automatically inclusive. Androgyny in menswear is often a privilege, available mainly to slim, white, affluent bodies. For many queer or non-binary people, the same expression carries real risk: harassment, violence, exclusion. When androgyny is celebrated on the runway but punished in public, it becomes clear that fashion alone can’t dismantle gender hierarchies. The market has followed suit. “Genderless fashion” is booming, but often offers little more than masculine-coded minimalism. Diversity is made marketable rather than meaningful. Designing skirts for men isn’t enough. What we need are spaces where alternative masculinities can safely exist.

Fashion can provoke and question. It can start conversations, but it can’t finish them. When clothes challenge gender norms, that’s progress. But real change begins off the runway – in how we live, connect, and create space. The new man may wear a skirt, but only if he also challenges the systems that try to stop him.

Illustration by Anouk Jurkowski

Bibliography:

Entwistle, J. (2000): The Fashion Body. Fashion, Dress and Modern Social Theory, Cambridge.

Gezcy, A./ Karaminas, V. (2013): Queer Style, London.

Reilly, A./ Berry, B. (2020): Crossing Gender Boundaries. Fashion to Create, Disrupt and Transcend, Bristol.

Steele, V. (2013): A QUEER HISTORY OF FASHION: FROM THE CLOSET TO THE CATWALK, New Haven.

Bio:

Anouk Jurkowski is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Fashion Management at AMD Akademie Mode & Design in Hamburg. She previously completed her Bachelor’s in the same field, with a strong focus on digital fashion, which also formed the basis of her thesis. Alongside her studies, she has gained hands-on experience in buying, technical product development, sales, and e-commerce. Her academic and creative interests lie at the intersection of technology and identity, particularly the use of 3D tools, avatars, and virtual design to question established norms. Deeply engaged with feminist and gender-related topics, she uses fashion as a lens to explore how cultural systems shape and shift our understanding of self and society.