Gender fluidity is a huge trend and is only set to become bigger. This year has seen the announcement from Burberry who will now show their men's and women's collections together, the launch of Calvin Klein's newest genderless fragrance CK2, and the unveiling of Zara's first gender neutral collection UNGENDERED.
The idea of marketing the same product to both men and women isn't really anything new. The genderless fragrance CK One was launched in 1994, and brands such as Agender and Not Equal have been around for a while. However the open minded millennial is growing up and becoming the main target for many brands. The generation that has contributed largely to fourth-wave feminism, view the term 'cis' as derogatory, and saw the change in laws of gay marriage want something more from the brands they buy in to. The population today seems more accepting than ever, and brands are reflecting this in their lines.
Now while I am all for everything that gender neutral clothing represents, I couldn't help but be slightly let down by Zara's big reveal. UNGENDERED is essentially a men's loungewear collection that is also marketed at women. I don't need this. It's already widely known and accepted that, as a woman, if you want something comfy to wear on a lazy Sunday, the men's department is the place to be. What I was hoping would be a fresh and groundbreaking collection injected in to the high street by a well known brand, turned out to be just a marketing ploy. Zara, I see right through you.
And if I really wanted to get all feminist on Zara, I could argue that they have opted wholly for masculine pieces, rather than try to push the boundaries by putting men in something more feminine. But that's getting picky. And of course Zara isn't the most avant-garde of brands. At the end of the day they need to sell their products, and something that you might see on Jaden Smith isn't necessarily what Zara's consumer would want.
What do you think of Zara's newest collection?
Aderyn x
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