Fashion

The Femi-man – Is Androgyny Back?

Have you heard of the femiman? In the world of high fashion couture, the androgynous look is back – in a big way. And Australia has produced one of the worlds leading androgynous models – Andrej Pejic, based in Melbourne with Chadwicks Models.

Now usually when I put together a story for Glam, I pace it out for about a week, to gather quotes and content from designers and their publicists. I started writing this story on Monday, but I’ve fast-tracked it, because of a news story released on the Daily Telegraph’s website, brought to my attention by fashion blogger Patty Huntington of ‘frockwriter’ fame. This story has changed considerably overnight.

A story entitled “Hang on – dude looks like a lady” elicited over 100 intolerant and bigoted comments from the Australian public attacking this 19-year-old model and somehow turned it into a hate debate against fem-looking gays rather than what it really is about – a young successful model who embodies the current (or oncoming – depends where you are) androgyny trend.

Andrej walks internationally for John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Raff Simmons and Paul Smith

Androgyny shouldn’t be a shock. Does anyone remember the 80s?

Androgyny is the blending of male and female characteristics within a single individual, we are not talking about hermaphrodites, transvestites or any form of ‘queer’. It became mainstream and trendy in the 1980s and produced some of our greatest pop culture and glam rock icons to date, David Bowie, Boy George, Adam Ant, Annie Lennox – and yes you can even add KISS to that list.

We shouldn’t be surprised the trend is coming back – everything runs in cycles, and as the saying goes ‘everything old is new again’. Lady Gaga is the modern day Bowie, as Adam Lambert could be today’s Adam Ant. While pop stars are all razzle dazzle, the androgynous figure in the fashion realm is much more clean. The femiman is pure, sometimes broody.

I noticed this emerging in menswear shows during RAFW. The walls were being broken down once again – which is a great thing – although rather than it being a pure androgynous look, Oz labels still tend to add a tad bit of gothica into their styling (I currently blame the vampire craze!). Fashion is an art-form, and a model is a vessel of it.

Saint Augustine Academy

So originally, my venture into the femiman story was purely based on fashion. A few labels yet to be stocked in South Australia seemed to be getting passed over (while being stocked everywhere else in the country) because menswear stores here believe that the Adelaide customer wouldn’t go for it, that possibly it was too edgy, or too out there. Is this because we look at and read into promotional images and label styles too literally?

The other question is – are we ready to go that step further with our fashion men? I wholeheartedly believe that Adelaide males do have the balls to be fashion forward in any sense, but they just have to lose a few inhibitions. What are the inhibitions holding you back boys? Are we still blurring the lines between gender roles and sexuality and just cant get over it?

Oh-Jamie’ fashion writer and publicist Jamie Wdziekonski, works with Australian fashion label Trimapee, who have used very strong androgynous styling in both their current Spring/Summer campaign and coming Autumn/Winter campaign. What is the appeal of this form to designers/stylists/visual merchandisers? Jamie explains “I think if you can make a piece of clothing that looks masculine on a male but also feminine on a female then you’ve created something really beautiful. What attracted me to Trimapee was the sense of mystery and charm their clothing creates not because someone was telling me it was a trend. Style to me is about expressing yourself and how you feel – not what others are telling you to feel and wear.”

Casting call sheet for Trimapee – calling for “androgynous, edgy, chissled features”. Behind the scenes of the AW11 Trimapee shoot featuring Chadwicks model James Varley

The sad part is, the Daily telegraph had to close off comments last night on their article, no doubt because the majority were offensive and discriminatory slurs. So is edgy experimental designing wrong? Unisex clothing offensive? Creative styling breaking down the gender barriers incorrect? Why this reaction? Jamie continues “Reason why some Australian’s struggle with that, well that’s just beyond me. Like I mentioned in my tweets they fear anything that’s not considered normal and act out upon anything that is different, which is really sad. Androgyny isn’t about a male dressing to look like a female or a female dressing to look like a male it’s about the characteristics of the two”.

So Adelaide, what’s your stance? Are we progressive enough to embrace such trends, such models? Or should they masquerade in flannies drinking beers at the local pub faux worshipping the next AFL player who embroils himself in a sex scandal. See what I did there? I generalised and put a certain style down. Doesn’t feel great does it?

In the end, I’ll tell you who isn’t afraid to be themselves, and its worked wonders – for their career and their bank account – Andrej Pejic. Kudos to him!

Check out:

Frockwriter: http://frockwriter.blogspot.com/

a.concept’s fashion blog: http://aconceptfashion.blogspot.com/

Saint Augustine Academy’s RAFW collection: http://www.saintaugustineacademy.com.au/

Oh Jamie’s latest blog on Andrej Pejic: http://www.ohjamie.com/

Fashion label Trimapee: http://www.trimapee.com/

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