Remember eyeing a piece of clothing under the men’s section? Or being told that you shouldn’t wear something because it’s “too boyish”? Well, gender distinctions are getting increasingly blurred in the realm of fashion now.
You’re probably familiar with the terms “unisex clothing” or “androgynous dressing”, with some bigger fashion brands incorporating styles that aren’t gender-specific. For instance, Zara’s ‘Ungendered’ collection introduced in 2016, featuring hoodies and t-shirts, which was met with mixed reviews. But in recent years, there’s been a palpable shift in the fashion industry towards genderless fashion, partly thanks to the younger generation which has given new meaning to unisex fashion, and taken the concept of androgyny another step further.
Think: Harry Styles, who famously incorporates womenswear into his concert attire and everyday wear.
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That said, genderless fashion is more than just about men wearing skirts or women wearing suits. The growing desire for authenticity and disinterest in distinguishing one’s gender has paved the way for smaller, independent labels to supply that demand, creating clothes with the ethos of having the freedom to wear whatever you want.
Nowadays, many genderless fashion brands go beyond everyday basics. Instead, they offer unique pieces and prints that push the boundaries of unisex fashion, challenging the way you think about “male” and “female”. Keep scrolling for the genderless brands you should know about.
These Fashion Brands Are Introducing Genderless Clothing To Their Lines
GRAYE (Singapore)
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Founded in 2016 by NAFA alumni Xie QianQian, GRAYE is a ready-to-wear unisex label that offers pieces influenced by both eastern and western elements, using colours like olive green and navy blue in their creations. Their zen-inducing pieces, which include casualwear and workwear, are designed in-house and made with eco-friendly materials.
They even have an accessories line — aptly named Artefact — made using leftover materials from their other productions. Besides clothes, Artefact also carries accessories such as sling bags, bucket hats and paracord holders.
Shop here.
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Nomcore (Singapore)
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What started off as an online vintage business has turned into a label offering T-shirts with street style-inspired designs and messenger bags (which was actually their first product), all of which are made in Singapore. Derived from the words “normal” and “hardcore”, Nomcore’s goal is for their genderless pieces to not only be comfortable, but also to be seen as normal by all. And it’s not just us humans they’ve thought about.
Their World Animal Day collection was created to spread awareness on the importance of lending animals a voice, with 20 per cent of their sales going to the Singapore Local Animal Organisation to improve living conditions for animals. Other collections include their Peace & Love line — designs inspired by raw emotions many of us go through — and the most recent Halloween collection, with a nod to the pandemic.
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Youths in Balaclava (Singapore)
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In case you haven’t heard of Youths in Balaclava (also known as YIB), it’s about time you did. They’ve gone from having self-organised fashion shows on rooftops to having their collections presented at Paris Fashion Week, and are one of the few homegrown labels that have reached international recognition. Shinee’s Taemin, BTS’ J-hope and ITZY’s Yuna, just to name a few, have sported their goods.
YIB is helmed by youths from an array of backgrounds, so it’s no surprise that their pieces are as unique as they are. Drawing inspiration from cleaners you’d often see around void decks to rock bands like Nirvana, their pieces come in a smorgasbord of styles, and are all unisex. Their success within and beyond Singapore (they retail in Japan and New York) have made them a beacon of hope for young creatives, showing that with hard work, anything is possible.
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Seeker Retriever (Thailand)
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Realising the negative impacts of the fast fashion industry, Seeker x Retriever sought to do their part in supporting ethical fashion by working closely with sustainable communities such as Nammorn Design, a small-scale weaving collective in Northern Thailand, and even family businesses. By making use of plants to dye their clothes and keeping the entire clothes-making process natural (meaning zero chemicals!), they’ve obtained a certification from One Tambon One Product, a Thai government-endorsed initiative given to small enterprises that sell items of the highest quality.
Like all the brands on this list, their items are genderless and season-less, meaning you can wear their pieces any time of the year. Feel the love and effort in each piece that’s made by the artisans.
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UNITED HART (Indonesia)
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Indonesia-based label, UNITED HART, is one of the pioneer streetwear brands in the nation. Established in 2012 amongst Bandung’s subculture scene, UNITED HART was born from the skating and music culture, cultures that are often associated with creativity and individuality. Their focus is on delivering quality pieces that make use of premium materials, all whilst “ensuring an ecstatic mix of function and freedom of expression”.
Shop here.
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Interescent (Indonesia)
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This genderless brand from Indonesia was launched in October 2021, though it was started in September 2020. The people behind Interescent spent that time building the brand DNA, carefully crafting collections and design styles. Their designs are inspired by things around us: nature, people, art and history. Their website has no men’s or women’s section, just vintage-inspired products such as their Piano Tiles Vest made with a unique piano tiles tweed pattern.
Shop here.
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Official Rebrand (New York)
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New York fashion label, Official Rebrand, is one of those brands we can’t take our eyes (and mind) off. Started by MI Leggett, a nonbinary designer, it began with an interest on how sustainability and fashion intersect one another, by breathing new life into donated or discarded clothes with head-turning prints, drawings and paintings. The founder describes the “rebranding” process as one that “proposes an anti-waste alternative to today’s industrial and social norms”.
Official Rebrand has been recognised for their gender-fluid pieces that go against traditional social constructs, and has appeared in New York Fashion Week and Art Basel in Miami. This label definitely has something to suit anyone’s fancy.
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Older Brother (Oregon)
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Older Brother is a genderless clothing brand founded in 2014 by Bobby Bonaparte and Max Kingery that seeks to evoke the comforting feeling of having someone in your life that supports you through their clothes. Their universal, gender-free garments are made from organic Japanese cottons, a blend of wool and woven rice paper, and linen from the flax fields in Japan.
See the whimsical colours on their T-shirts? Well, they’re made from ingredients you might find in your kitchen, such as turmeric, coffee grounds and beets. Of course, all of this comes from years of experimentation and testing on various materials.
Older Brother products have been worn by celebrities like supermodel Gisele Bündchen, and we can see how their loose-fitting pieces would work in Singapore’s heat.
Shop here.
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Lane Fortyfive (London)
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Another gender-free, equalist brand to know is Lane Fortyfive, a handmade clothing label with garments influenced by human stories, poetry and nature. Founded by Tanmay Saxena, a filmmaker and photographer, the label places emphasis on how the wearer feels in and connects with the garments, describing the label as a “poetic, conceptual and story-based clothing brand”. Natural or recycled materials and non-toxic dyes are used to design each garment, with each one being made to order and packed in plastic-free recycled and recyclable materials.
Their Fabula Nebula collection features jackets and trousers made with fabrics inspired by a town in India, where the craftsmen hand-printed each block of pattern on a piece of cotton.
Shop here.
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Bethnals (London)
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Finding a solid pair of jeans that fits you perfectly is tough, we know. Enter Bethnals, a London-based label that offers unisex denim jeans for all. Calling themselves “denim perfectionists”, they’ve merged the cultural diversity of the city and the closet staple into a modern, well-made pair of jeans that requires no need for frills or fuss in terms of styling.
Shop here.
Text: Khong Yawen/HerWorld
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