How genderless fashion empowers women through the assignment of androgyny: an analysis of the gender duality in the works of Miu Miu.
Androgyny in fashion plays a crucial role in dismantling the restricting connotations that the binary view of gender creates. Androgyny can hold both a physical and psychological presence. It is where the duality of stereotypical masculine and feminine qualities, abilities and curiosities co-exist within the individual. Androgyny acts as a vessel in destroying false gender stereotypes created by society. The idea of females wearing masculine pieces, it projects the bastion of male chauvinism upon the female figure, detesting the imposition of gender stereotypes. The image this creates is one of significance in terms of power dressing as the bias attached to gendered garments is questioned. A discussion of Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer 22 ready-to-wear collection and historical works of Chanel’s Spring/Summer (1963) women’s suit and YSL’s “le smoking” tuxedo (1966) challenges societal views on fashion as a binary. Disrupting the fashion binary system gives space for genderless fashion. Cross-dressing can then be used as a tool to explore androgyny and the empowerment of individuals by way of shifting stereotypes that are attached to binary fashion pieces. This a result of androgyny being able to pose male and female attributes, and in accordance challenges fashion as a binary concept. One may be able to use “fashion to embody a kind of power that might be understood to threaten conventional masculinity by in turn signifying masculinity through fashion and in relation to the female body” (Miller, 2015, pp.53). It is of the upmost importance to dismantle these two-dimensional definitions, as gender stereotypes limit individuals in all aspects of society.
The state of gender stereotyping affairs is an important factor to be noted when discussing the relevance of androgyny in society and fashion. Gender stereotyping has positioned women beneath men, consequently, the bias has limited women within their place in society. The stereotype of the patriarchy associate’s femininity with incompetency, weakness and submission when compared to that of masculinity. Outdated views state that it is the man’s role to make intellectual decisions while the female’s purpose lies within taking care of the household – only being good for cooking, cleaning and looking after the children. Outdated gender roles associate women with gentleness and fragility while men are connotated with seriousness, power and dignity. This view implies that woman are fragile beings, only good for soft and frivolous lifestyles. Furthermore, these connotations of femininity have paved way for bias that limits women in various aspects of society (Heilman, 2012, pp.113). Women are undermined as the societal standard is normally set by men and for men, thus, implying that women are a “poor fit” (Heilman, 2012, pp.129). These gender stereotypes affect the way women act, how they are perceived and their identity within society by confining them to fit a passive mould and encouraging masculinity as the default for success. The glorification of masculine traits introduces the idea of androgyny in women’s dress.
Fashion aids as signifier of androgyny as certain clothing holds feminine and masculine connotations, allowing for gender and its stereotypes to be challenged (Reilly, 2020). “We understand fashion as both material culture and as a symbolic system” (Rocamora & Smelik, 2015, pp.2). Fashion can speak concepts and themes through physical elements and their relationship can therefore be referred to as a system of semiotics. The definitions that dress holds is rooted in the power imbalances that are imbedded in our cultural and societal norms. In other words, the meaning of clothing can signify binaries such as male and female, strong and weak, authoritative, and incompetent. Clothing, whether referring to certain colours, fabrics, or silhouettes – form, textures and shapes have feminine and masculine features. “There are a number of ways that androgyny can be incorporated into fashion: feminine fabrics…could be paired with masculine fabrics…” (Reilly, 2020, pp.7). Therefore, it can be said that clothing can be used to achieve androgyny as items of clothing can signify certain gender qualities.
One must consider the role of women’s suits when taking specific reference to the power imbalance that is created by the biases and stereotypes of binary dress. When women dress in suits, they sustain a sense of formal power. The duality of feminine bodies wearing masculine garments suggests “the consequence that man and masculine might just as easily signify a female body as a male one, and a woman and feminine a male body as easily a female one” (Butler, 1999, pp.10). Hence, this act of power dressing deconstructs the preconceived judgements of the structures that reward manliness through appropriation of masculine dress by females. Unisex clothing is a pivotal tool within appropriation of cross-gender dress as it discloses the willingness of younger generational women to reach a state of equality within societal positions. The act of appropriation achieves the look of androgyny and reinforces fashion’s function in “deliberate resistance to destructive forces” (Inkpen, 2020, pp.90) such as degrading gender stereotypes.
Fig. 1. Fior, F. (2021) Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2022 Look 15 [Photograph/Image]. New York: Go Fashion.
Miuccia Prada’s subsidiary fashion house, Miu Miu, embodies a demeanour of pure androgyny. It is within the nature of Miu Miu to perplex the binary definition of gender, and consequently, dispute the imposed bias that is attached to the connotations of feminine and masculine clothing. Their campaigns dictate dominance, assertiveness and force, muting the outdated view of women playing submissive roles in society. Miuccia Prada’s view on clothing and symbolism can be explained through this quote; “what you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language” (Polan & Tredre, 2020, pp.305). One can sate that dress is a form of language, and the clothes one wears will have an impact on the judgements made of individuals. Gender bias emphasises the idea that women are less able and are inferior in nature to men. This has given popularity to females dressing more masculine in the workplace as they are more likely to achieve a favourable position. This reality inspires many of Miu Miu’s collections as the fashion house’s genderless suits quite evidently overthrow traditional fashion exemplars. They often participate in hazing the undertones of femininity, allowing for the female to embody the power induced by the mystic and unknown. Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection of 2022 “examines fundamental realities of dress, the needs and wants of people from their clothes”, through which garments alter “their relationship with the body” (Miu Miu, 2021). Hence, Miu Miu’s direct rebellion to binary fashion and its limitations is reflected through their style of androgyny.
A visual analysis of look 15 of Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection 2022 reinforces the duality of gender through colour, thus, achieving androgyny and confronting gender norms. Colour can have the ability to influence the perceptions of identities through its meanings that are conveyed by the associations attached to certain hues. The greyness of the suit set creates a mysterious “smoky palette” (Madsen, 2021) that adds to the ambivalence of gender on top of the already ambiguous nature of the women’s suit style. The psychologically of the colour grey reveals that it possesses competitive, assertive, and combative traits. This signification of the grey suit represents a sense of dark masculinity. However, alternative interpretations reveal something quite opposite; the colour grey can tend to be submissive and can correlate to a dilute nature. The opposing connotations relates grey to a more light-hearted description that can be linked to femininity. This evidence of dichotomy between the connotations of the grey suit ads to the nature of ambivalence found in androgynous clothing. On that account, Miu Miu’s selection of colour is deliberate as their 2022 Spring/Summer collection strives to represent the Miu Miu woman breaking “up all of those preordained rules” (Madsen, 2021) that is limited by the gender bias. Therefore, one could state that the challenging of gender norms is made clear through Miu Miu’s approach to colour theory as the theme of androgyny strives to reach a state of equality between men and women.
Fig. 2. Chanel, G. (1963) Suit: Spring/Summer 1963, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Coco Chanel’s women’s suit challenges imposed gender stereotypes as the physical elements featured carry a dual nature. It represents both masculine and feminine signifiers, thus achieving androgyny. Chanel is known for creating ambivalence of male and female attributes. The inspiration of menswear is made clear within the women’s suit and thus creates a new perspective for uniform in the realm of women. In Djurdja Bartlett’s essay, Coco Chanel and Socialist Fashion Magazines, she highlights the contrasts that Chanel creates as feminine attributes are embellished upon the suit; “ribbons sewn on the edges of the jackets, discreet collars, delicate silk blouses and feminine waistcoats lurking under them,” thus the dualism of the two genders is evident (Bartlett, 2013, pp.53). A suit is a symbol of trustworthiness, power and success – signifiers of a strong male (Hancock & Peirson-Smith, 2019, pp.423). Hence, it is plain to see why women would appropriate the attire for themselves to advance their place in society. “I put on a slim-cut, pale-pink men’s suit, and challenge the world to embrace my androgyny” (Inkpen, 2020, pp.90). The co-existence of frivolousness alongside the robust elements of the suit fulfils the undertaking of male chauvinism.
Further visual analysis of the physical element of ivory wool fabric used in Chanel’s women’s suit provides a deepening of the androgyny associated with the outfit. Wool is a fabric that can be kind, sympathetic and comforting while simultaneously having the ability to be robust, resilient, and strong. Thus, the connotative nature of the fabric allows for feminisation of silhouettes that connotate manly features. The ivory colour of the fabric is symbolic of light-hearted connotations such as tranquillity, softness and innocence – adjectives that are normally assigned to femininity. The fabrics colour can therefore be related to the idea of weakness and delicacy. Consequently, the ivory fabric can be said to be associated with the old-fashioned views of a woman, representing fragility, where their purpose could never be to have any meaningful societal roles. When paired with the sternness of the blazer silhouette, the suit becomes a symbol of effeminacy, undermining the out-dated view of masculinity being defined as strong, stern and dispassionate. The connotations of the ivory wool fabric deepen the contrast of femininity and masculinity, thus achieving androgyny that can be utilised to continue fashion’s interrogation of existing confinements within gender.
Similarly, in look 15 of Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer collection, ambiguity is created through the combination of the microskirt and the chino fabric. Microskirts are symbolic of hyper-sexuality. A garment specifically made to flatter the female body. In contrast, the chino fabric carries much more masculine traits. Originally, chino was used in the manufacturing of army uniform and is now a common place in the creation of men’s trousers. Considering the original purpose of the fabric, chino is a symbol of toughness and authority. This contrasts to the hyper femininity that is associated with the microskirt. When paired with masculinity of the chino fabric, this combination represents the epitome of androgyny. Thus, when compared to the nature of Chanel’s women’s suit, both the fashion houses achieve a hybrid of male and female energy that challenges traditional gender norms.
Fig. 3. YSL. (1966) Le Smoking Tuxedo: Haute Couture.
Yves Saint Laurant’s ability to make people uncomfortable is attributed to his conspicuous transvestism. Cross-dressing in the 60s was a non-accepted phenomenon that received backlash from society at the time. However, the overthrow of the social construct of gender was prompted by women realising their limitations and power imbalance in society. Henceforth, Yves Saint Laurant’s disruption of two-dimensional gendered dress created an identity, free from the shackles of toxic stereotyping. The fashion houses’ deliberate designs of cross-dress addresses the issue of how “female sex becomes restricted to its body, and the male body…the incorporeal instrument of an ostensibly radical freedom” (Butler, 1999, pp.16). The tuxedo is a signifier of male aristocracy, representing social authority. Since the patriarchy attaches such great importance to male dress, it is clear to see why Yves Saint Laurant would dress the female figure in such a power piece, creating the shock factor he desired. The ambiguity that cross-dressing creates empowers the protest movement against the limiting gender bias. This is due to a women’s value being increased when she carries herself with an authority of masculine energy. Henceforth, the cross-dressing adopted by the fashion house can be said to empower women through the assignment of androgyny.
A visual analysis of the co-existence of both feminine and masculine shapes within Yves Saint Laurant’s “le smoking” tuxedo grounds the notion of empowerment through androgyny. “Saint Laurant’s technique was to soften the tailoring while retaining the angularity of the cut which, when accessorized with stiletto heels and dramatic makeup, formed a contradictory image of femininity” (O'Neill, 2010, pp.696). Firstly, one should take note of the sinched waistline that gives the suit a feminine silhouette. A smaller waist signifies a womanly figure as it enhances the curves associated with early historical representations of the female body such as the Venus of Willendorf. Furthermore, the delicacy of the ribbon bow-tie nods to the idea of soft femininity in contrast to the typical bow-tie that is normally paired with the tuxedo. In contrast, the stern silhouette of the shoulders relates back to dominant masculinity. Dichotomy of both feminal and lady-like shapes with strong and robust shapes threatens the conventional clothing of gender. The duality of both genders suggested by the silhouette supports the argument of androgyny empowering women by confusing the assignment of gendered clothing connotations.
Correspondingly, Miu Miu’s silhouette embraces a concurrency of male and female personalities through the silhouette of the suit. The shoulder pads of the blazer create a stark figure. A form that holds strong masculine energy. In addition, the blazer appears to be rigid in movement and generates a blocky shape. However, the combination of the micro-skirt imbalances the masculine energy present within the outfit. The softness and fluidity of the form is a direct contrast to that of the rugged blazer. It is tantalizing, seductive and represents a hyper-feminine energy. Similarly to how Yves Saint Laurant allocated androgyny by bewildering traditional forms of gender, Miu Miu’s contrasting silhouette represents the duality of male and female attributes. Henceforth, Miu Miu is able to contradict gender-based prejudice in the pursuit of androgynous silhouettes.
The ambivalent nature of women’s suits allows for a challenging of stereotypical gender norms and in consequence a challenging of the typical gender bias. A disruption of typical binary clothing gives space to a disruption of the limiting prejudice that is instituted by the patriarchy. Women are historically positioned below men in societal hierarchies. This limits them in many aspects of culture and society as they are viewed as less than and inferior to males. It is essential to confront these preconceived ideas of how men and women should act to empower females that are at the short end of the power imbalance. This is possible through clothing as certain pieces can be related to more feminine or more masculine qualities. Throughout this essay, androgyny in women’s suits is analysed to explain and overcome these said power imbalances within gender. Look 15 from Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection is an exemplar of how the choice of colour within women’s suits can create a freer definition of binary clothing. Moreover, the historical works of Coco Chanel’s women’s suits support the crossing of gender dress and its connotations through fabric choice. Lastly, Yves Saint Laurant’s “le smoking” tuxedo silhouette design encompasses a polarity of feminine and masculine elements that create an androgynous figure. As a result, a women’s declaration of freedom and authority can be materialised through their dress and fashion choices. In essence, it is undoubtable that through the assignment of androgyny, the limiting gender prejudices symbolised by feminine and masculine qualities in clothing can be challenged to empower women.
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