Discussing gender stereotypes and vulnerability in the fashion industry, we explore new and well-known designers who are changing the game and breaking boundaries.
“The only reason I’m in fashion is to destroy the word conformity.” A twelve-word quote that has always stuck by me and a variety of other fashion followers by the late Dame Vivienne Westwood, who challenged and broke free from societal expectations and gender stereotypes. I always say how those in the creative industry were born different; an eye that looks beyond perfectionist imagery or the more socially used word, flaws. Many believe fashion designers such as Westwood have set the scene for the new generation of fashion, accepting diversity, identity, self-expression and tenderness.
We saw the latest Diesel exhibition in early August celebrating part of the 2024 Diesel X Tom Of Finland Foundation collaboration, an organization that promotes erotic gay art. The exhibit featured a Pride capsule collection that supports the LGBTQIA+ community, with a range of clothing such as Diesels classic denim, t-shirts and intimates. The brand celebrated on their website by writing, “Diesel is proud to partner with Tom of Finland Foundation on their third annual Pride collaboration, coinciding with the Foundation’s 40th anniversary.” The point of the collection is to bring attention to viewers of human nature, our bodies, freedom and sexuality.
Photographed by Luke Abby and styled by @mal.co.lm on Instagram, the shot below features model Venom Stacy who wears a printed black and white tank top, baggy denim and printed underwear, with self-expression and sexuality as the accessory. The model embraces the clothing by showing vulnerability and freedom. As much as there was positive feedback from this shoot, there were negative and even homophobic slander under these images, with followers going as far to say that this was enough for them to unfollow, or how disgusting the imagery was when it was simply a masculine figure embracing his sexuality and nature within material – you’ve guessed it, the majority of these comments were male.
The photograph that got the most hate was the model wearing a Diesel red sock on his genitals. Although the model was not completely naked, in fact Stacy was wearing a t-shirt and matching red socks, this was enough for people to disassociate themselves with the well-known designer brand.
What is interesting is that Diesel and countless other designer brands such as Jean Paul Gaultier and their Tattoo collection have seamlessly created collections embracing a woman’s body featuring intimate areas on printed clothing, or the model themselves being half naked. We even saw this live recently in the Berlin Spring 2025 Namilia Runway show, with feminine framed models walking down the runway embracing their human nature. Some would say how contradicting this is, and ask the question of why women are more accepted in the fashion industry projecting their true selves and men are not able to as it’s deemed as a violation, and this is where breaking the word conformity lies.
For many of the population, showing skin, vulnerability and feeling freedom in our bodies is seen as a feminine feeling and emotion, as women carry the stereotype of being emotional and maternal beings, which would explain why society cannot accept masculine figures and identifying males in a feminine expression, or even clothing. For some, it is a religious belief, or even just an opinion on the way life should be, but men are still labeled as dominant to a woman, following the stereotype of being “manly” and the ones to look after the woman, therefore showing any sign of vulnerability and emotion is feminine and looked down upon. The argument lies on discovering and investigating where the problem and issue really lies from. Is it these social media comments and hate from male to male that is destroying the progress that identifying men have come so far along for?
We have seen many male figures wearing feminine clothing throughout the years that have caused shock and disruption to the traditional media or in other words, your grandparent’s favourite newspapers on a Sunday such as The Daily Mail or The Sun; ‘As it was’ artist and actor Harry Styles appeared as the first solo male on the cover of the December 2020 US Vogue Magazine edition wearing a Gucci ruched, white lace dress and jacket photographed by Tyler Mitchell where Styles quoted, “I find myself looking at women’s clothes, thinking they’re amazing.” That cover broke boundaries; Many remember the issue releasing and instantly falling in love with it. The self-expression, the daringness, the acceptance that thousands of males must have felt seeing a man of influence and desire follow his heart, but various readers and viewers weren’t as idolized and inspired by this issue. Harry Styles and the magazine were ridiculed for it, with readers of third party magazines writing hateful comments, using homophobic language, and being completely dismissive to the idea that a man can wear a skirt/dress. That’s why that cover broke boundaries because it proved a taboo topic about men’s mental health. Forget the wearing of skirts and dresses, and think of how many times Harry Styles has opened up about his mental health, his confidence issues, his labels, and his therapy sessions that has inspired other males to speak up about their mental health! It seems absurd to question his love for feminine clothes when men’s mental health needs to be the shocking factor instead. I believe this is why a lot of men struggle with their mental mind, because of comments they read such as the ones Harry received. There’s no kindness, consideration, or emotion in the comments. To them, it is just keys and a screen.
The point is, this theme of breaking gender boundaries and vulnerability through textiles, art and culture is finally becoming more normalized through society then it ever has been before, through the power of music, fashion and art, where in an ideal world, we all get to feel comfortable in our own form of self expression and destroy the word conformity.
Written by Courtney a GLITCH Magazine Contributor
