The Current State of Genderless: How the Boundary Between Feminine and Masculine Has Changed
The phenomenon now known as "genderless" is not simply a matter of clothing itself becoming gender-neutral. More precisely, it is a change in which the cues that previously distinguished between feminine and masculine can now coexist within the same garment. Button placement, length standards, choice of materials, and acceptable levels of decoration... These "languages of clothing" have been rewritten with each era.
Clarifying the term: Unisex and genderless are slightly different
The term "unisex," which became popular in the 1970s, was a concept of clothing that shared the same shape for both men and women. Rudi Gernreich's 1970 "Unisex Collection" is often cited as a symbol of this trend, and it is recorded that it was featured prominently in magazines at the time.
On the other hand, modern "genderless" is closer to mixing codes than conforming to the same shape. For example, while maintaining the structure of a tailored garment, the color, decoration, and silhouette make it difficult to interpret gender. Rather than erasing boundaries, it is a movement to "multiply" them.
1960s: Suits transformed ladies' night
In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent presented the tuxedo for women, known as "Le Smoking." The tuxedo was originally formal wear for smoking rooms to protect clothes from the smell of cigars, and had long been a man's domain. The YSL Museum clearly explains the background to this.
What's significant about this event is not just the fact that people started wearing pants, but the fact that it marked a shift in the right to dress formally. Masculine forms were adapted to fit the female body and re-entered the social sphere. This is where the classification of "men's clothes" and "women's clothes" began to quietly shake up.
1970s: Unisex emerges as an idea
The unisex of the 1970s was not so much a style fad as it was a parallel change in social values. Gernreich's "unisex" symbolized a vision of the future that included freedom of movement and physical freedom, an era when fashion went beyond design and was spoken of as an attitude.
2010s: Luxury redefines its boundaries as an aesthetic
The changes in luxury that occurred in the 2010s are often cited as a turning point in the modern era. For example, Gucci has reportedly begun reconsidering the traditional division between men's and women's fashion shows, and has presented integrated shows since 2017.
What happened here was not just an expansion of gender expression. The presentation calendar, sales methods, and image creation methods all changed at the same time, and boundaries were redrawn not by the "shape of the clothes" but by the "use of the brand's worldview."
Around the same time, Burberry was also reported to have moved into a model of presenting men's and women's collections simultaneously, with sales taking place immediately after the show.
In other words, the 2010s was a time when gender blurring progressed not only in culture but also in industrial structures.
2020s to present: Hyper-proliferation and backlash occurring simultaneously
The influence of social media and celebrity culture is behind this further shift in boundaries. The trend of K-pop idols being appointed as ambassadors for luxury brands has been summarized in a Reuters report, and it has become easier for who wears what to wear to determine how it is perceived.
On the other hand, the atmosphere surrounding gender and bodily expression is not linear. In the context of 2025, there is criticism of the trend toward the re-commodification of "femininity," and the line between feminine and masculine is expanding, yet still fraught with tension.
In other words, it's not that boundaries have disappeared, but rather that multiple values are running simultaneously. This is why I think genderless isn't a "trend for gender-neutral clothing," but rather a process in which society continues to update its "way of interpreting clothing."
A word from MOOD
The boundary between feminine and masculine has not disappeared, but has quietly become thinner, or in some places, thicker. MOOD is attracted to clothes that are not afraid of this fluctuation, but have embraced it with honesty in their tailoring and materials. We believe that the strength of clothes lies not in forcing someone into a mold, but in their ability to transcend molds and still be beautiful.
