The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066

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The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
ARTD 3066

    The Intensification of Popularity
     Surrounding Gender Fluidity
     within Fashion and How This
    Demand Has Been Ameliorated
            by Generation Z

                                          Maisie Lee
                                 Student no: 30263158
Image 1 - GQ, 2016
                                          Words: 4747

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The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
CONTENTS   Introduction                     3

           Executive Summary                4
                                                      INTRODUCTION
           Representation and Identity: A   6
           fashion overview
                                                  “More than ever, the gender-bending we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on the run-
               Trend Behaviours             8      way is accompanied by a growing awareness of and sensitivity to the experiences
               Influential Figures          10    of trans and gender non-conforming individuals – people for whom the bending of
                                                             gender is not merely a style, but an identity” (Sanders, 2019).

           The Current Disruption of        14
           Gender Norms Within Fashion              In recent years, gender fluidity in fashion has seen exponential growth
                                                  amongst brands and consumers alike. The diminishing of gender restrictions
              Popular Culture               18    around clothing has led to a whole new fashion movement, making room for
                                                  much more creativity and expression. As society is becoming more accepting
           Toxic Masculinity & Men’s        22     of gender and sexuality as a whole, defying the boundaries of fashion is also
                                                 more widely embraced. Consumers are free to browse and shop in any depart-
           Mental Health                                 ment, showing the, now endless, possibilities for style and image.
               Diversity in Marketing       26    With most trends in the industry, runway is the catalyst for newness. In 2018,
                                                 the “organiser of New York Fashion Week, added ‘unisex/non-binary’ as a new
                                                   category” (Mcalpine, 2018) allowing designers, both established and contem-
           The Impact of Generation Z       32      porary, to showcase their take on the group. With an increasing number of
                                                    high-fashion designers adopting a more fluid approach to their collections,
              Buying Behaviours             36     fast-fashion brands are also taking on a similar approach to bring a sense of
                                                 wearability to the masses. This has created a demand from consumers, particu-
           Conclusion                       40    larly those within Generation Z who are arguably the most inclusive genera-
                                                                                      tion yet.
              Innovative Technologies       44
              Gender Neutral Inclusion      48   Fashion provides an opportunity for individuality. A silent expression of one-
                                                 self can be created through the outfits worn to showcase part of a personality
                                                 that can not be articulated through words. The newest generation of consum-
           Appendix                         52   ers are defying stereotypes and breaking boundaries to offer endless opportu-
                                                  nity for expression that isn’t limited by the standard confines of gender con-
                                                                                      ventions.
           Reference List                   53

           Bibliography                     60

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The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
ExecutiveS
                                            This report aims to focus on the rise in popularity of gender fluidity

                                  ummary
                                             within fashion and which consumers this targets most. Generation Z
                                           has introduced an entirely new set of consumer behaviours due to them
                                           being digitally inclined and favouring fast, seamless experiences. More-
                                            over, because of their high level of acceptance, these young consumers
                                           are ditching old labels and finding new ways to express themselves out-
                                                                 side of typical gender norms.

                                           There is evidence towards past and present influences on the industry
                                             and how they have impacted both the direction of fashion and fash-
                                           ion stereotypes throughout history. From David Bowie to Harry Styles,
                                              the landscape of gender and how it is seen in fashion, has drastical-
                                             ly changed. Stereotypes are being eradicated as consumers look past
                                            standard gender labels and adopt a more fluid approach to individual
                                                                         expression.

                                             These topics will also be supported by primary research, indicating
                                            the opinions of current consumers and how they view gender fluidity
                                           in fashion today. There is reference to whether they would buy gender
                                            neutral clothing and the contrast between what is seen as socially ac-
                                                                 ceptable for women vs men.

                                             This report concludes with reference to future shopping behaviours,
                                             potential store layouts and how technology can be used to evolve the
                                           way society consumes fashion. From avatars to virtual reality, brands are
                                            gradually introducing digital formats to target a younger demographic
                                                   and appeal to those that favour innovative technologies.

                                             The ever-changing wants and needs of consumers need to be met by
                                             brands to ensure they stay relevant. Gen Z are choosing to disregard
                                            labels and place more emphasis on the emotional side of fashion and
                                             what this can do for expression. This report gives an insight into the
Image 2 - Glossy, 2017

                                           state of the industry now in terms of fluidity and how the continued ac-
                                           ceptance of gender fluid fashion will impact the industry in its entirety.

                     4                                                                                                  5
The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
REPRESENTATION
      & IDENTITY
    A Fashion Overview

6                        7
The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
Image 3 - Twitter, 2020

                                                  TREND BEHAVIOURS

                              Fashion      trends occur in cycles,       fluence fashion as we know it today.
                                                                         Mainstream media, particularly ce-
                              meaning any ‘current’ styles are sim-
                              ply an evolution or reintroduction         lebrities, have the ability to impact
                              of trends from throughout history. A       how and what consumers buy at an
                              theory posed by historian James La-        alarmingly fast rate. This is support-
                              ver, stated that “a trend does not start   ed by the ‘trickle-down’ theory which
                              to look appealing until 50 years after     was initially introduced by econo-
                              its time” (Winterman, 2009). Howev-        mist Thorstein Veblen in 1899. He
                              er with the introduction of new tech-      suggested that consumer goods were
                              nologies, clothes are being designed       initially sold at a price to target those
                              and manufactured in a completely           in a higher class as “wealth or pow-
                              new and different way. Trends con-         er must be put in evidence” (Banta,
                              tinue to follow a cycle, but it is one     2007) and those in a lower class then
                              that is much more concise and seam-        adopt an altered version to better
                                                 less.                   suit them. This is most accurately
                              Many popular looks today have strong       seen when looking at the influence
                              influences from past decades that          of the Kardashian’s. There was a “45
                              have shaped where fashion is today.        per cent jump in online searches for
                              For example, the Y2K aesthetic is very     compression garments in September
                              prominent in 2021 with many young          2019” (King, 2019) just after the ini-
                              consumers showing influence of this        tial release of Kim’s shapewear brand
                              within their clothing choices. ‘Baby       ‘Skims’. This highlights the direct
                              tees’, which are typically “cropped        influence from celebrities onto con-
                              above the belly button and are high-       sumers and the impact they can have
                              er fit across the chest” (Feiam, 2021),    on buying behaviours. Falling un-
                              low-cut jeans and velour tracksuits        der the bracket of “early adopters”
                              are just some examples of garments         (Rogers, 1995), those that experience
                               that are slowly regaining popularity.     successful fame are typically some of
                              As well as generalised styles from         the first to introduce new trends and
                              certain decades, there are many spe-       popular styles which are then duped
                              cific people that have helped to in-         by the majority of the population.
8                                                                                                                9
The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
Image 4 - Okay Player, 2014
     When looking at those who spe-
     cifically went against the grain in
     terms of what they wore, Amer-
     ican singer Prince provided a lot
     of influence through his daring
     ensembles and unique person-
     al style. Perhaps the most nota-
     ble look was that from the ‘Purple
     Rain’ video in which he sported a
     “slightly peaked shoulder jacket,
     ruffled blouse, and stacked heel
     boots” (Yotka, 2016). His freedom
     to defy gender stereotypes and
     push the boundaries of sexuality
     opened doors for others to follow
     suit and create their own personal                              tic-prone heavy metal and hip hop
     freedom. For his admirers in par-
     ticular, “his difference and willing-
                                                                     in the late 1980s” (Vogel, 2018),
                                                                     it was more than a statement to         INFLUENTIAL FIGURES
     ness to transgress boundaries was                               contrast this norm and break the
     a large part of his appeal” (Vogel,                             boundaries of fashion for men and
     2018). They praised his confidence                              women. Moreover, being one of
     and ability to sport any style and                              the first to do this meant he took
     the androgyny he brought to the                                 the brunt of hate and abuse as this
     music industry. However, it is im-                              was something people were not
     portant to remember the particu-                                used to. But it’s those that rebel
     lar time he was performing in                                   against society’s standards, that re-
     and the views held at this time.                                sult in being the catalyst for major,
     Through the “rise of misogynis-                                          beneficial change.
10                                                                                                                             11
The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
Similarly, and even slightly before-

                                                                                      Image 5 - Who What Wear, 2016
                                           er dubbed as the ‘man dress’. He “re-
 hand, The Rolling Stones used their       peatedly re-wore the “man dress”…
 own rock style to experiment with fash-   throughout his US publicity tour in
 ion and its boundaries, often choosing    early 1971, despite being reportedly
 to wear colourful jumpsuits and ruf-      ridiculed by the general public on the
 fled shirts. Keith Richards specifical-   street” (BoF, 2018) showing his dedica-
 ly was said to be often found “rifling    tion to expressing himself and his per-
 through his girlfriend Anita Pallen-                     sonal style.
 berg’s closet for his groundbreaking      These kinds of figures shaped the
       ensembles” (Williams, 2016).        evolution of fashion rules and ignited
 Equivalently to Prince and The Roll-      a change within the industry. As the
 ing Stones, David Bowie was a seminal     views of society change over the years,
 figure in the introduction of gender      fashion adapts to suit these new ideals
 fluidity within fashion. One deliber-                      whilst
 ate moment being the release of his
 third album cover in which he sport-      “gradually preparing another per-
 ed a long, velvet dress which was lat-
                                           ception of sex, gender and actually
                                           corporeality” (Tormakhova, 2019).

                                           In recent years the acceptance of gen-
                                           der stereotypes has increased, ridding
                                           the view of traditional masculine and
                                           feminine roles and taking on a much
                                           more progressive approach. This has
                                           allowed generations of people to free-
                                           ly express themselves and their identi-
                                           ties, most often seen creatively through
                                             art, music and importantly, fashion.

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The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
THE CURRENT DISRUPTION
OF GENDER NORMS WITHIN
       FASHION

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The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
Many recent collections saw an in-       of visibility at a luxury level ensures
                               crease in brands championing uni-        that other market sectors and levels
                               sex and gender-fluid styles. From        will follow suit. For example, this can
                               Balenciaga’s digital fashion collec-     be seen within the high-street, when
                               tion to Marc Jacobs’s ‘Heaven’ line      John Lewis introduced genderless
                               which aims to celebrate polysexu-        childrenswear to their brand. New
                               ality by representing “the freedom       labels will be added to every garment
                               to be multifaceted and the endless       showing ‘Boys & Girls’ and “will be
                               romance found in mutating forms”         put on all own-brand garments from
                               (Newbold, 2020). There was also an       newborns to age 14” (Newbold, 2017).
                               increase last year, in the variety of    Introducing this kind of progressive-
                               models used for runways. “Models         ness at a high-street level will en-
                               identifying as non-binary, trans men,    courage other similar brands to do
                               and cis men walked alongside cis         the same and eventually create a new
                               women at Valentino’s Fall 2020 wom-                       normal.
                               enswear show” (Cohn, 2020). Creat-       The limitations that once bound the
                               ing garments that cater to all is one    fashion industry are now no longer
                               thing, but ensuring all identities are   relevant, with many younger con-
     Image 6 - Hypebae, 2020
                               showcased and acknowledged brings        sumers favouring individuality and
                               a whole new level of progression to      not restricting themselves to previ-
                               the industry. In addition, this kind             ous gender stereotypes.
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The Intensification of Popularity Surrounding Gender Fluidity within Fashion and How This Demand Has Been Ameliorated by Generation Z - ARTD 3066
Image 7 - Dazed, 2020

                                                   POPULAR CULTURE

                             Similarly to the influences throughout history, there are many poign-
                             ant figures today that continue to break boundaries and defy gender
                             norms. In 2016, actor and musician Jaden Smith participated in a Louis
                             Vuitton campaign showcasing their newest collection. In this campaign
                             he can be seeing wearing a skirt whilst posing with other female mod-
                             els in similar outfits. The controversy came as, at the time, “the idea of
                             men appropriating women’s clothes [was] still largely taboo” (Friedman,
                             2016). Whilst now in 2021 where there is much less appropriation and
                             much more acceptance, men dressing in commonly female clothing
                                                  can still cause somewhat of a stir.
                             This was evident after the release of Harry Styles’ Vogue front cover
                             in 2020 in which he was sporting a pale blue, lace trimmed dress un-
                             derneath a black tuxedo jacket, both by Gucci. Being the first, solo,
                             male artist to grace the cover, this image was already historical, but
                             created even more of a buzz after conservatives were quick to brand
                             the musician as ‘unmanly’. The goal of the photoshoot, and the cause
                             of aggravation, was “precisely how mundane the image was supposed
                             to be” (Dickson, 2020). The mere idea that someone could be so confi-
                             dent and secure was triggering for some who maintain more traditional
                             views. However, this was only a very small majority with most viewers
                             accepting and supportive of Styles’ achievement. With Gen Z being
                             arguably the most inclusive generation yet, they have “rejected the so-
                             cietal restraints previously put upon them and demanded we look be-
                             yond the binary” (Elan, 2020). It is no longer necessary to confine your-
                             self but instead encouraged to see gender signifiers as mere constructs.
                             In a recent Twitter report titled ‘Gender Redefined’, it was found that
                             conversation around gender and gender roles increased by 176% (Twit-
                             ter, 2020) showing the shift in consumer mindset and improvement in
                                                    overall progressiveness today.

18                                                                                                        19
Vogue’s annual Met Gala provides an oppor-
     tunity to take influences and create dramatised
     looks. In 2019 the chosen theme was ‘Camp: Notes
     on Fashion’, with a plethora of celebrities attend-
     ing in costumes based around extravagance and
     drama. This particular year was a chance for the
     celebrities to push the boundaries of the binary
     and try pieces they perhaps would normally shy
     away from. Looking specifically at the male at-
     tendees, many chose to incorporate sequins and
     glitter into their looks, embracing an exaggerated
     version of their typical outfit choices. Over the
     years there has been a notable increase in ex-
     perimentation, with many male stars beginning
     to “adopt a more free-wheeling spirit” (Allaire,
     2020). The idea of men and womenswear is slowly
     eroding, leaving a lot more room for individuality.
     In a recent survey, it was found that “83% of re-
     spondents would buy a garment that was brand-
     ed as gender-neutral” (Lee, 2021). The demand for
     more gender-fluid clothing is growing amongst
     consumers as the need to
     conform to certain stereo-
     types diminishes. People are
     no longer restricting them-
     selves to the clothing limi-
     tations of their own gender
     but instead feeling free to
     express themselves howev-
     er they choose. The notion
     now, is that “masculinity and
     femininity are now treated
     simply as part of a reper-
     toire of ‘looks’ that individu-
     als can adopt irrespective of
     their gender” (Negrin, 2009).
     With “the stereotypical het-
     eronormative macho male
     image…beginning to erode”
     (Gosling, 2018), Millennials
     and Gen Z’s are spearhead-
     ing this movement to a more
     fluid and less confined fu-
     ture and eliminating patriar-
            chal oppression.
20                                    Image 8 - Stuff, 2019   21
TOXIC MASCULINITY
              &
     MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH

22                         23
Image 9 - Instagram, 2019

 Referring to “harmful behaviour        medication” (BBC Sounds, 2018),
 and attitudes commonly associat-       further enforcing the reality that
 ed with some men” (Barr, 2019), the    men are less likely to confide in
 term toxic masculinity has become      others about personal issues. A
 increasingly popularised. In 2018      recent documentary showed that
 it was found that only 1% of society   “three quarters of all suicides in
 in the UK associate respectfulness     the UK are by men” (Kemp, 2021).
 with the word ‘masculine’ (Future      Vulnerability is often neglected
 Men, 2018). Toxic masculinity is       amongst men, typically dismissed,
 also associated with deeming any       therefore resulting in damaged
 particularly ‘feminine’ traits in a    mental health or difficulty em-
 negative light, and favouring typ-              bracing emotion.
 ically ‘masculine’ characteristics
 as a way to assert dominance over      The effects of toxic masculinity
                others.                 are also emphasised by the stere-
 It has also been associated with       otypes between boys and girls and
 issues surrounding men’s mental        what they can or can not do. Young
 health and their own identities.       girls are typically “taught that their
 Historically being told to toughen     identity can be more fluid, [whilst]
 up and suppress emotion, leaves        boys are often told to toughen up
 little room for the acknowledg-        and take things ‘like a man’” (Chi-
 ment of mental wellbeing. It was       trakorn, 2019). Perpetuating this
 found that “25% of women, but          belief reinforces these ideas and
 only 15% of men take psychiatric       inhibits positive change amongst
                                                       society.
24                                                                                                           25
Image 10 - Vogue, 2019
DIVERSITY IN MARKETING
            In another light, balance is vital in out-
            weighing extremes and keeping a sense
            of order. Whilst this isn’t to say all men
            need to be less masculine, it is more
            important to channel certain character-
            istics such as aggression or protective-
            ness, to ensure they do not violate the
                      rights of other people.
            In a bid to lessen the severity of toxic
            masculinity, it is important to educate
            young boys and men on the different
            forms of masculinity, with 12-18 being
            one of the most impressionable age
            gaps (Gwon & Jeong, 2018). It is also im-
            portant to encourage them to consider
            their own behaviours towards others.
            Overcoming this issue will require “the
            participation of men committed to be-
            ing allies in the fight against gender in-
                      equality” (Elliott, 2018).
            The fashion industry also sustains this
            issue through the lack of body diversity
            within menswear marketing. The major-
            ity of male models used in campaigns
            and runways are slim, muscular and tall,
            providing standards that the population
            feel they should reach. Whilst the wom-
            enswear market has dramatically in-
            creased in terms of inclusivity, the same
            cannot be said for menswear. Unfortu-
            nately, profit is typically always at the
            forefront of the industry as it favours
            “what makes the old guard of fashion
            money. Sample sizes and a lack of diver-
            sity up until now have made [the indus-
            try] money” (Jensen, 2020) therefore this
            is the formula that is continuously used.

26                                                                                27
Image 11 - The Gryphon, 2020

                                    However, society has the “ca-         in advertising allows consum-      A significant example of this
                                                                                                             would be when Rihanna show-
                                                                                                                                                The singer has previously been
                                                                                                                                                praised for “reset[ing] the dial
                                    pacity to deconstruct gender bi-      ers to “imagine themselves in
                                    naries and criticize hegemonic        the clothing and… [feel] valued    cased plus-size male models        on size, race and gender inclu-
                                    masculinity” (Connell & Mess-         by the brand” (Barry, 2014). Ex-   for her Savage X Fenty under-      sivity” (Elan, 2020) within her
                                    erschmidt, 2005), in an attempt       posure helps to normalise body     wear collection. This particular   brand, consistently showcas-
                                    to make brands more diverse           shapes and sizes and customers     show inspired viewers to “take     ing models of all sizes, races
                                    and offer a more accurate rep-        want to feel represented by the    ownership of their body and to     and abilities. However this has
                                    resentation of consumers. These              brands they follow.         harness their sexuality” (Henry,   been pushed further by this
                                    binaries are not of importance to                                        2020) by embracing who they        brand now being one of the
                                    the new generation of consum-                                            are, no matter their appear-       first companies to present an
                                    ers and therefore businesses                                                          ance.                 inclusive range of male, as well
                                    need to reflect this ideology. It’s                                                                                as female models.
                                    been shown that a varied and
                                    diverse range of models used

                               28                                                                                                                                                  29
There is a signif-
     icant lack of inclu-
     sivity within mens-
     wear      advertising,
     with most brands
     focusing on embrac-
     ing a diverse range
     of female models
     to target this de-
     mographic. Whilst
     this is equally im-
     portant, with female
     bodies being crit-
     icised much more
     frequently and per-
     vasively, this should
     not disregard the
     notion that mens-
     wear should be just
     as inclusive. Change
     is a result of con-
     sumers using their
     voices with the “re-
     sponsibility [lying]                                                                Image 12 - Tank’s Good News, 2020
     on men to create a demand for inclusive body representa-
     tions” (Mcdonald & Adlman 2015). Without this demand,
     change will not occur however it is also the responsibility
     of brands to recognise these changes needed within the
                    industry and adjust accordingly.

                                                                     “a masculinity of empathy,
     Questioning systems of power will allow society to be able
     to work “towards a masculinity of empathy, alliance, equi-
     ty and justice” (Rios, 2019). Holding necessary people ac-
     countable for their actions will help to provide a more in-
     clusive environment for all, and alter the way masculinity is
                                                                     alliance, equity and justice”
                          viewed within society.
     Inclusivity brings with it acceptance, ensuring the evolve-              (Rios, 2019)
     ment of the fashion industry by “asserting the interlocked
     significance of gender issues and consumption in under-
     standing men’s fashion” (Edwards, 1997). It should also not
     be gender specific, helping to create a more accepting en-
                      vironment for all consumers.

30                                                                                                               31
THE IMPACT
          OF
     GENERATION Z

32                  33
Image 13 - Instagram, 2020

                                  Making up 26% of the global population (Brown,
                                  2020), Generation Z are arguably the most diverse
                                  generation yet, as they are also “far more comfort-
                                  able with shifting views of identity than older gen-
                                  erations have been” (Levin, 2019), adopting a more
                                     accepting approach in all aspects of their lives.
                                  Their digitally native lifestyle means they embrace
                                  technology and favour seamless and digital experi-
                                  ences, with 58% of consumers getting most of their
                                  fashion inspiration from social media (Lee, 2021).
                                  This has created a whole new form of marketing
                                  with one in five of Gen Z making a purchase in-
                                         spired by an influencer (Droesch, 2020).
                                  This need for seamlessness and immediacy has also
                                  given them the “ability to pivot quickly as new cir-
                                  cumstances arise” (Raynor, 2021). Their adaptabil-
                                  ity and open-mindedness has created a generation
                                  built on progression and acceptance, prioritising
                                  “diversity — across race, gender, and orientation”
                                                      (Deloitte, n.d.).
                                  With an estimated spending power of up to “$143
                                  billion in the US alone” (Barkley, 2018), Gen Z are
                                  spearheading consumerism by favouring brands
                                  with clear, ethical values. The decision making pro-
                                  cess for young people is calculated with “a greater
                                  degree of thinking and discipline behind purchas-
                                  es” (McKinsey, 2020). More thought is put into the
                                  consequences of each investment and what impacts
                                  it would have. For example due to the impacts of
                                  Covid-19, 33% of consumers are finding themselves
                                  with less disposable income compared to before the
                                  crisis, and are shopping more cost consciously (Ac-
                                                      centure, 2020).

34                                                                                       35
BUYING BEHAVIOURS

                             This particular generation also has     showing consumers the main values
Image 14 - Instagram, 2021

                             the power to manipulate the image       of the brand and that their actions
                             of brands. In most cases, brand im-     aren’t solely performative. Due to
                             age is established by the business      their disloyalty and ever changing
                             and their marketing tools. However      needs, businesses must ensure they
                             in recent times, “it’s the consumer     accurately target their demograph-
                             using the brand or the product in       ic to ensure devotion as “74 percent
                             whatever ways they want” (Hanbury,      [say] they would switch to buying
                             n.d.), showing their power and abili-   from a different retailer if they re-
                             ty to completely reinvent businesses.   ceived poor customer service” (Busi-
                             Gen Z are extremely environmen-                    ness Wire, 2017).
                             tally conscious, with ethics and sus-   Social media also plays a large role
                             tainability at the forefront of most    in the buying behaviours for those
                             of their purchasing decisions; “54 %    in Gen Z. “With 54% of social brows-
                             state that they are willing to spend    ers us[ing] social media to research
                             an incremental 10 percent or more       products” (Beer, 2018), it’s vital that
                             on sustainable products” (Petro,        brands take advantage of this and
                             2020). Brands must start implement-     establish an online presence. Not
                             ing sustainable practises to ensure     only is social media used for re-
                             they maintain the loyalty of their      search but also to share and discuss
                                      younger consumers.             certain products and opinions, with
                             Generation Z also place great impor-    “93% of consumers say[ing] that on-
                             tance on brands supporting causes       line reviews influenced their pur-
                             they are passionate about. For ex-      chase decisions” (Kaemingk, 2020).
                             ample, many businesses took to so-      As Gen Z themselves are very vocal
                             cial media to share their support for   about their views, this leaves little
                             the Black Lives Matter movement,        room for mistakes, with “over 60
                             with Glossier specifically donating     percent of Gen Zers say they leave a
                             ‘$500K to organisations helping to      review often, if not every time” (Nick-
                             combat racial injustice and a fur-      alls, 2019). Therefore, brands must
                             ther $500K in the form of grants        be transparent with their offerings
                             to Black-owned beauty businesses’       and have strong customer service to
                                        (Glossier, 2020).            ensure they sustain the connection
                             Showing respect for and advocat-                with their consumers.
                             ing for specific movements is key to
36                                                                                                       37
For many young people, “The act of
buying products or services… [is] about
expressing individual identity” (Fontein,
2019).The boundaries within fashion that
were once in place in terms of gender
and social constructs are now no longer
relevant, as consumers are more open
to expressing themselves and defying
these stereotypes. Using “consumption
as an expression of individual identity”
(Francis, 2018) is a main way consumers
experiment with different styles which,
in turn, help them to shape their unique
                 identities.
Gen Z’s view of gender in its entirety
has changed as 59% say forms or online
profiles should include additional gen-
der options (Parker & Igielnik, 2020) to
ensure they are rightfully represented.
There is no longer a need to label your-                                                                                                              Image 15 - Medium, 2019
self or conform to the typical gender bi-
naries in general and within fashion. The majority would rather be viewed by “their personalities, their passions and their values” (Campaign,
2019) rather than superficial traits such as their looks. More emphasis is placed on accurate representation and building relationships based on
                                                             substantial characteristics.
Personalisation is also a factor that affects Gen Z’s buying behaviour. They seek sites that use personalised data to “proactively create an online
experience that predicts what they want to see” (Torlini, 2019). Amongst a generation that favours uniqueness, personalisation ensures loyalty
towards brands and helps to emphasise that sense of individual identity. It has been found that “44% of U.S. internet users would leave a brand
that didn’t personalize content” (Jankowski, 2020) emphasising the importance of this and giving brands an opportunity to differentiate them-
             selves from their competitors. Moreover, this creates a unique selling point for the business to ensure consumer loyalty.
38                                                                                                                                                                 39
CONCLUSION

40                41
Recent years have shown a dramatic
                                                  Image 16 - Vogue, 2019

     evolution in the acceptance of gender
     fluidity within fashion and the ability to
     combat typical stereotypes in terms of
     individual expression. The leading gen-
     eration has shown an increase in de-
     fying the standard gender binaries, in-
     stead choosing to express themselves
     creatively without limitations. This has
     allowed the fashion industry to also de-
     velop, with many designers creating uni-
     sex and fluid collections with high-street
     brands following suit. Whilst many lux-
     ury brands in the past have shown a nod
     towards fluidity within their shows; an
     example of this being Thom Browne’s
     2018 Spring Menswear collection which
     refrained from trousers and embraced
     skirts. This development has transcend-
     ed throughout the market levels and
     helped to eradicate certain boundaries
     that are now no longer relevant. The
     confines of menswear and womenswear
     are no longer of importance, with many
     consumers disregarding these limits and
     embracing a neutral approach to fashion
                   and expression.

42                                                                         43
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

     When looking to the future of fluid fash-
     ion, the advancements in technology have
     echoed this need for neutrality. The introduc-
     tion of online ‘avatars’ has opened up the in-
     dustry to an entirely new marketing format,
     creating the ability to design fashions that
     perhaps could not otherwise be created. Con-
     sumers are able to construct avatars of them-
     selves to develop a digital identity and further
     their expression. For example, avatar creation
     app Genies allows users to generate a clone
     of themselves to use as representation “as the
     lines between the physical and digital worlds
     becomes increasingly blurred” (Genies, n.d.).
     With the importance of technology in the 21st
     century and the new generation of consumers
     being digital natives that spend “more than
     70 hours a week on their devices” (Rapacon,
     2019) , the move for fashion to online is a nat-
                    ural progression.

                                                        Image 17 - Instagram, 2021

44                                                                                   45
Image 18 - Hypebeast, 2018

     Similarly,     Scandinavian retailer       their role in the new service econo-
     Carlings launched an entirely digital      my” (Pantano & Timmermans, 2014),
     collection in 2018, “consisting of 19      also aiding in the development of the
     genderless, sizeless pieces” (Pitcher,     industry and helping to ensure the
     2020) which are then digitally tailored    loyalty of new, digitally inclined con-
     onto images consumers upload. This         sumers. For example, those in Gen Z
     helps to diminish the ‘wear once and       use “new technology, hyperconnec-
     throw away’ mentality, appealing to        tivity, and collaboration to drive in-
     Gen Z’s need for sustainable fashion.      novation and change” (Morgan, n.d.)
     With the rise of sites such as Depop       due to them being early adopters of
     and Vinted, young consumers have           processes or innovations that help to
     developed popularity around buying         improve their existence. They have
     second-hand and helping to reduce          “more power than any previous gen-
     the impacts of fast-fashion. By creating   eration to re-define production and
     demand for digital collections, buyers     consumption” (Priporas, Stylos and
     will be able to constantly update their    Fotiadis, 2017) and change the way
     image and stay up to date with trends      brands manufacture and market en-
     without contributing to the pollu-         tirely. Businesses need to adapt to
     tive nature of clothing development.       new consumer behaviours and look
     Moreover, “firms and consumers use         to innovative technologies to develop
     technology to reinvent and reinforce                    their brand.
46                                                                                    47
GENDER NEUTRAL INCLUSION

Bringing a sense of gender fluidi-            higher sense of progressiveness.
 ty can be done outside of garments        As well as evolving physical stores, the
 themselves. Whilst unisex and fluid       evolution of online needs to echo the
 clothing is on the rise with “fifty-six   same movement. Brands should focus
 percent of Gen-Z consumers already        on optimising their sites and improv-
 shop[ping] outside of their gender”       ing their search engine optimisation
 (BoF, 2019), this should also be re-      to “capitalize on users searching for
 flected within stores. As an exam-        gender-neutral products and surface
 ple, menswear and womenswear do           them relevant results” (Test, 2020).
 not have to be separated but rather       Whilst most top search results show
 display all clothing within the same      niche gender fluid brands or unisex
 physical space. This allows consum-       marketing campaigns, this disregards
 ers to see clothing as “an expression     any mainstream brands that also ca-
 and an extension of who they are and      ter to this demographic. Increasing
 what they stand for” (Maguire, 2020),     exposure will help brands bring in a
 as opposed to labels they feel they       wider consumer base and target those
 need to apply to themselves. Moreo-             outside their main market.
 ver, this strive towards a more inclu-    In addition, websites can adopt a
 sive environment “offers the oppor-       similar style of navigation to physical
 tunity for retail brand values to play    stores in which brands lean more to-
 a positive role in diffusing these con-   wards keywords such as ‘new arrivals’
 cepts through mainstream consumer         and ‘footwear’ etc, rather than group-
 society” (Boyd, Ritch, Dodd & McCo-       ing items under ‘men’ and ‘women’.
 ll, 2020). Further embracing diversi-     Coupling this with gender-neutral
 ty allows businesses to reach a wider     imagery such as using androgynous
 range of customers and defy patriar-      models or showcasing one item on
 chal gender stereotypes. As the ide-      both a male and female model, ena-
 ologies of consumers become more          bles consumers to feel represented
 and more progressive, the industry        and supported by the brands they
 will reflect this by also embracing a                      follow.
                                                                                      Image 19- Harper’s Bazaar, 2020
48                                                                                                                      49
Trends within fashion are con-
     stantly evolving as new consum-
     ers take charge and introduce new
     purchasing behaviours. As ac-
     ceptance is at the forefront of this
     generation, this is then translated
     into the fashion industry causing                     Image 20 - Vanity Fair, 2021
     the deconstruction of gender bi-
     naries and stereotypes. More emphasis is placed
     on the emotional aspects of fashion rather than
     appealing to the masculine or feminine, helping
     to de-value the idea of gender. Fashion is evolving
     towards an environment that transcends stereo-
     types and creates freedom around fluidity as “it
     shouldn’t require bravery to do something as simple
               as being yourself” (Menon, 2019).

50                                                                           51
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