Do clothing items have a gender? It’s a provoking question.
What was once seen as a fashion fad, appears to be leading a movement. The movement may have been inspired by the catwalk, but those leading the charge are a generation that not only consumes different, but that is redefining the rules of consumption: Generation Z.
According to NielsenIQ, Generation Z could reach a global purchasing power of around USD $12 trillion by 2030, making it one of the most influential generations in the consumer market.
But it is not just about how much they consume, but rather, how they consume.
Studies —including reports by McKinsey & Company and Business of Fashion— agree that Gen Z prioritizes brands that represent their identity, values, and individuality. Their purchases are not just transactional, but rather an extension of who they are.
Fashion is changing its own rules. More and more brands are eliminating traditional gender lines of “man” and “woman,” while concepts like “genderless” or “unisex” are becoming more mainstream, with oversize silhouettes, neutral cuts, and gender-fluid aesthetics. This change is also reflected in campaigns that incorporate identity and body shape diversity.
This phenomenon started long before social networks.
Its roots go back to the 1960s, when movements such as feminism, sexual liberation, and civil rights struggles began to question traditional gender norms.
Fashion has long functioned as a cultural language that breaks down patriarchal structures. The difference, is that, today, speed and scale are on their side.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram not only amplify these expressions, they make them the norm. What was once counterculture, has become a global aesthetic reference.
More than an fashion revolution, we are witnessing a transformation in the way new generations understand identity, inclusion, and consumption.
For this reason, the question posed at the beginning of this article has stopped being rhetorical. It is not about whether clothing has a gender, but rather, whether it ever really had a gender… or whether it was a social construction that’s now out-of-fashion.
Sources:
- NielsenIQ — Global Gen Z spending projections and consumer trends
- McKinsey & Company — State of Fashion / Gen Z consumer insights
- Business of Fashion — The State of Fashion reports and analysis on genderless fashion
- Deloitte — Global Millennial & Gen Z Survey (Consumer Habits and Identity)
Tomilli