Elle Australia – June 2017

TREND

Bag, $3,495, Burberry,

au.burberry.com

SIMONE ROCHA

Boots, $91.24,Asos

asos.com/au

Jacket, $120,Topshop,

au.topshop.com

acket, $1,555,

exander Wang,

tylebop.com

L

ast September, Burberry replaced

its four-show calendar with two

shows, combining its womenswear

and menswear collections on the

›ž— Š¢˜›‘Žę›œ’–ŽǯŽ–Ž—’—

its position as an industry trailblazer,

Vetements had already married its ready-

to-wear collections for men and women,

showing during Paris couture week. And

it’s a trend that has continued to roll

through houses like Vivienne Westwood,

Gucci and Rag & Bone. While combining

designs for both sexes on the runway

makes good business sense (more time to

design, sell and produce collections), the

move comes at a time when androgynous

and gender-bending fashion is blurring

the line between clothes for women and

ones marked male-only. Which begs the

question: do the old rules even apply?

The short answer is: no. If you’re one for

pinching the odd denim jacket or hoodie

from your partner’s wardrobe, then you’re

already one step ahead when it comes to

‘Ž ”’— ˜ œŠ›˜›’Š• ˜™™˜›ž—’’Žœ Š •’Ĵ•Ž

menswear can introduce to a winter

wardrobe. But the current trend towards

manstyling goes well beyond just swiping

a starched shirt from the dry-cleaning

œŠŒ”ǯ Žœ’—Ž›œ ‘ŠŸŽ Œ˜Ĵ˜—Ž ˜— ˜ ˜ž›

longstanding desire to eradicate the his

and hers mentality and are blending the

HE

FOR SHE

Whenitcomestoequality for the sexes,

fashion’srunwaysareleadingthecharge

s,

Ja

Ale

st

Ž r s g g › s e

VETEMENTS

PREEN BY THORNTON BREGAZZI

ISABEL MARANT

best features of both into some seriously

 ŽŠ›Š‹•Ž ™’ŽŒŽœ ‘Š ̘ž ›Š’’˜— ’— ‘Ž

most tremendous way. That means slouchy

pants reimagined with a corset and

›žĝŽœǰ ™•Š’ œž’’— Œ›˜™™Ž Š‹˜ŸŽ

the ankle and crisp shirting, either of the

business or bedtime variety (pyjamas are

still going strong), cut long and layered

under just about everything – including

Burberry’s pure white tiered lace dresses.

While one camp championed unisex

pieces designed to be worn by men and

women, the most modern treatment of

Ž—Ž›Ȭ̞’ Šœ‘’˜— ŒŠ–Ž ›˜– ˜—˜—Ȭ

based designers. Our favourites: Simone

˜Œ‘Šǰ ‘˜’—œŽ›Ž’Œ˜›’Š—™žěœ•ŽŽŸŽœ

into utilitarian jackets and frills at the knees

and ankles of tailored trousers, and Preen

¢ ‘˜›—˜— ›ŽŠ££’ǰ  ‘Ž›Ž Š  ’Ĵ¢ –’¡

of masculine/feminine saw reworked

polo shirts worn with lace socks. On

the street, the movement translated

’—˜ ›’—ŒŽ ˜ Š•Žœ Œ‘ŽŒ”œ ꗒœ‘Ž

 ’‘ȃ•Š¢•’”ŽȄ‹ŠœŠ—”’ĴŽ—‘ŽŽ•œǰ

or jumbo earrings swinging over

the collar of a military-issue coat,

proving that anyone can buy into the

look with a few clever styling tricks.

Our tip for your smartest winter

investment? An impeccably cut blazer

in a traditionally menswear fabric.

Keep it slung over the back of your

desk chair for weekday meetings, or use it

to extend the life of a feminine summer

blouse on the weekend. Because there’s

Š ’–Ž ˜› ™›ŽĴ¢ Š— Š ’–Ž ˜› ™˜ Ž›ž•ǰ

and we never like our fashion more than

when it combines the best of both.‰

Words: Genevra Leek. Photography: Sevak Babakhani (still-life); Imaxtree; Jason Lloyd-Evans. Styling: Dannielle Cartisano

Top, $460,

Karen Walker,

karenwalker.com

BURBERRY

TOPSHOP UNIQUE