The Future of Genderless Fashion in South Asian Culture

Posted on August 10, 2021 | by Aqleema Anwar

Gender fluidity. This is an aesthetic that has easily fused itself within the fashion culture -- unless you are talking about South Asian fashion.

In recent years, large fashion houses such as Gucci and Burberry have blurred the lines of gender definition style by presenting male models walking runways in flowy dresses and female models in boxy neutral suits and jackets.

However, Indian designers have been slower to the gate with gender-fluid fashion. Some well-established designers like Rohit Bal are almost “playing it safe”; weaving, literal floral prints, and colours onto men’s jackets and vests. A tease of design formerly only reserved for women’s bridal and party wear.

Sabyasachi whose eagerly anticipated collaboration with H&M releases August 12, chose a bolder introduction to a gender agnostic line. His February Instagram ad campaign showcased a male model wearing a sequined slip dress, heels, and jewellery alongside his female counterpart. The post went viral and it seems the general public had very different opinions.

Comments included phrases such as “disgusted”, “publicity stunt” and “an underestimation of masculinity”.
But others came to the designer’s defence with many people agreeing that this was “one of the best things I’ve seen” and how this was “refreshing in Indian fashion”.

image: @sabyasachiofficial

It’s a reminder that androgynous style in mainstream South Asian fashion is something that is perhaps going to be more of an uphill battle.

Inclusivitee, a Pakistani unisex apparel brand created by sisters Rabeeya and Aisha Latif, not only offers genderless fashion but also limits sizing to short and long; proving they stand by their name of being completely inclusive.

The brand spoke to Fusia about their “why”.

“We wanted to create products that would be an extension of our truth-to be inclusive of shapes/sizes/gender because clothing has a tendency of putting you in a box. Gender-based clothing, specific size, and that idea that people need to fit the profile of clothing to wear it when really it should be the other way around. That’s why we created a unisex brand with minimal sizing of just short/long. It speaks to the brand’s vision to not be “exclusive”- to not have clothes define us but us to define what sizes and clothing should be like.”

A message collectively shared amongst other designers including London-based Amesh Wijesekera who takes inspiration from his Sri Lankan roots to create inclusive fashion with a recent foray into mixing and creating new fabrics that go beyond traditional “neutrals”.

Sometimes, as is the case of Toronto designer and stylist Sandy Gill, the clothes attract a gender-bending audience. Her Sandy suit was born from “an idea to create a power suit for women in a powerful fabric”. Since its debut in 2015, the suit, in various colours and styles has been worn by women and men including Humble the Poet and even on the Oscars 2020 stage by Utkarsh Ambudkar.

images: @thesandylion

And although Abmudkar’s line during his Oscar’s rap, "… what you’re seeing right in front of you is a sign of the times”, referred to himself on the Oscars stage, we’re hopeful it’s also a shoutout to the future of South Asian fashion.