At the spring/summer 2021 men’s fashion shows so far it has been evident that the theme of exploration within the format of male clothing was present. With London Fashion Week beginning today, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues!
This year’s men’s S/S 21 shows have so far had a playful approach to the format of jackets, shirts and pants as male clothing. At Gucci’s S/S 21 there was a strong 70’s feeling e.g. in the use of patterns and colors; which is not a new thing as men’s S/S 20 also had many brands using tie dye, soft fabrics and pastel colours. In this collection, Gucci also included more feminine elements like the handbags and lipstick on the male models, which we do not “usually” see in the male clothing category. Furthermore, it is all the team members from the brand, who are also wearing and showing the collection - pretty cool.
Gucci S/S 21
Mark Peckmezian / Courtesy of Gucci
Like Gucci, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake also experimented with the format of the male clothing category at their S/S 21 show.
Homme Plissé Issey Miyake S/S 21
Courtesy of Homme Plissé Issey Miyake
The traditional format of male clothing was still there, but the overall appearance with softer colours, pleats and the silhouette is very interesting as this is, in my opinion, a step towards a more inclusive direction. This can and will change the way we view humans and clothing; which is needed in a time with violence and discrimination against LGBTQ2+ people and people of colour to only name a few of the awful events we currently see.
As shown in the picture above, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake’s S/S 21 show is presented as an investigation into what men’s wear is, and can become. By having the traditional format yet also including more feminine elements as in this case pleats and tunic shirts, the silhouette of the body is not how society usually sees the male body. There is softness; very much opposite the social confined connotations of what is considered masculine and therefore, this collection is a showdown with what is culturally seen and understood as masculine. The same goes for Gucci's handbags and lipstick. This take on clothing is the same as we saw in the hippie movement, where male and female clothing became more fluid.
That the theme of the 70’s freedom movement has been a trend within men’s fashion for a while is quite interesting in terms of how we look at gender and the body. The German philosopher, Walter Benjamin, made the theory of Tigerspring which evolves around how fashion goes into the past, find inspiration, and make it into something new. The 70’s characteristics that has influenced the past seasons men's collections show the need for change within our culture. It is a symbol of the desire for freedom and equality; to live in a world with love and respect for everyone regardless of gender, skin color, age, sexuality ect. The clothing the hippies wore was a revolution against society's norms as the divisions between humans were blurred in the garments. These elements we see in the fashion industry today is quite understandable considering the political and environmental setting we deal with today. When world leaders make negative statements about people of colour, gender restrictions, and with the rise of pandemics it creates fear in the world, and sparks a need for change; therefore, we look back in time. The Tigersprung, as Walter Benjamin puts it, of the 70’s fashion trends within male fashion is proof that people want change. The exploration within the format of male clothing has the potential to push socially constructed norms as it alters the way we view the male body.
It will be interesting to see if Covid-19, the political, social, and environmental challenges we are facing will be present within the S/S 21 collections at London Fashion Week in the upcoming days. I am especially looking forward to 1x1 Studio's and Daniel W. Fletcher's shows.
Please send your thoughts on this - do you also think that fashion and trends are a reflection of our current society?