Unisex Appeal

As we've recently reported, fashion's gender boundaries are no longer easy to define. Men are discovering their softer side, women are buying men's clothing and, in response, an increasing number of emerging labels are reinvigorating the idea of unisex fashion. Unlike the gender-neutral movements of the past—from the hippies of the '60s to the urban minimalist aesthetic of the '90s—this new crop of unisex designers is less concerned with revolution, instead aiming for a more subtle statement of power.

"We think the androgynous movement started with the Greeks and never relented," explains Tennessee Hamilton, who developed unisex label Ingar Husband with Sarah Aaronson. "Today, however, the barriers are different. Women no longer have to chop off their hair or burn their bras, but the media still seems to think they want to look like Barbie. We're not opposed to sex, but a lot of women are sick of being pigeon-holed into the archaic boxes of gender roles."

Hamilton's observation is telling of the current unisex movement, one that still takes most of its cues from menswear archetypes. Although every piece in Ingar Husband's fall collection has its own femininity, most are largely informed by masculine tailoring—from a pair of drop-crotch trousers to a deconstructed tuxedo vest. The same can be said of Chronicles of Never, Gareth Moody's unisex clothing and jewelry label. Individual items are fairly neutral (tailored separates, basic tees and knits), but their oversized cuts are designed to accommodate a man's body, giving women the look of having borrowed from their boyfriends' closets. A statement on the website goes on to explain that "[Chronicles of Never's] the jewelry range tends to be very solid, angular and masculine, suited to men, but on the other hand these objects look interesting juxtaposed on a woman's frame."

While most women can see that such androgyny has a specific sex appeal, brands that cater to both sexes realize that their female clients don't want to give up all elements of traditionally feminine dress. Rather than alienate male customers by incorporating feminine elements into their main lines, some of these lines are developing woman-specific capsule collections. Danish brand Jean//phillip, for instance, has incorporated a small line of dresses for the women who also covet their skinny pants and slouchy sweaters, while LA's Endovanera is launching a capsule womenswear line for spring/summer '09. "Endovanera isn't designed for any specific audience—it's about a general idea of silhouette," explains Mitch Moseley, who founded Endovanera with David Hershberger. "But a lot of women wear our clothes, so we wanted to create pieces specifically for them." Ingar Husband and Chronicles of Never also plan to introduce women's pieces in the seasons ahead.

A line that's truly unisex—equally combining the iconography of both men's and women's fashion, or simply creating a language of its own—is still a vision of the future. "When it comes to fashion, men are even more oppressed by society's static attitude towards gender identity," explains Hamilton. "We think a man would be extremely comfortable in a dress, but he could never participate in mainstream society without conforming to traditional men's tailoring."

And yet, there is progress being made. Alexis Mabille's autumn/winter '08 collection is an interesting study in gender-blending, combining elements of men's formalwear with traditionally feminine embellishments (lace, sequins and fur). The elegant result proves that a unisex collection can pay homage to womenswear without veering into camp territory. Though Mabille kept his evening gowns on the female models, it's a promising indication of how the unisex movement may develop in time.

—Erin Magner