Gender is a fraught concept: the term, and its metonyms, comes with seemingly endless bounds of connotations. There’s the preconceived notion of difference, or a binary; the idea of something stagnant, of a fixed identity; the presupposed inferiority of the feminine as the ‘other’. These convictions are all just that—convictions. Yet, they come with a variety of social apparatuses embedded within. 

“Let’s start with the idea that the power tries to define sexual identity”—the latest Gucci platform prompts us to reconsider those apparatuses. Or rather, it directly interrogates them.

“Gucci’s collections set out to deconstruct preconceived binaries and question how these concepts relate to our bodies,” the introductory statement reads. “Celebrating self-expression in the name of all gender equality, the House presents MX.”

Certainly, there’s no means of completely deconstructing the more rigid constraints of gender (and all it encompasses). What Gucci offers, instead, is a mere chance of subverting them. Our clothing is, after all, a performance: it’s self-expression, a bodily architecture, the armour with which we face realities. It continually provides a means of speaking to the world, and seeing who responds. The very existence of a ‘normative’ mode of dressing implies the possibility of deviance, to indulge the siren song of transgression. 

Tldr; there’s something to say for a more anarchist approach to clothing. Alessandro Michele, the brand’s creative director, knows all too well: he’s repeatedly touted ‘fluidity’ and ‘inclusivity’, refusing to conform to an overly restricting industry. The MX project is just the most recent example of much-needed disruptions. 

Pieces in the MX section are shown on non-binary models offer four categories: Ready to Wear, Handbags and Luggage, Shoes, and Accessories. They’re all equally exuberant. The pieces almost seem tongue-in-cheek, a playful response to gendered norms, noting their frivolity. 

Hopefully, other luxury brands follow suit. In the meantime, check out a few of the pieces from the MX project below: 

Image via Gucci

Image via Gucci

Image via Gucci

Image via Gucci

Image via Gucci