Menswear Revolution : The Transformation of Contemporary Men’s Fashion

Where once uniformity reigned, menswear today offers an arena of choice and possibility, allowing men to experiment with identities, and try on new masculinities for size. Menswear Revolution addresses the transformation of designer and commercial fashion that has reshaped the contemporary menswear scene, in the context of the increasing elasticity, inclusivity and plurality of masculinities at play on the 21st century cultural stage. Looking through the lens of the designer, Menswear Revolution explores the fashion visionaries who have shifted the aesthetic paradigms of menswear design since the turn of the millennium, from the likes of Raf Simons, Hedi Slimane, Riccardo Tisci and Rick Owens, to innovative menswear lines at Lanvin, McQueen, Balenciaga and Dior. How and why did menswear transform so dramatically, and what does this mean for men and masculinity? Illuminating the role of fashion in communicating and creating identities, archetypes and aspirations, the book looks back to fashion and the male body in the 1960s, through the muscular, scantily clad 1980s, the androgynous 2000s, and right up to the present days youthful, lean silhouettes. Combining interviews with fashion professionals with close analyses of garments and advertising, Menswear Revolution builds a complex picture of what is happening now in the world of menswear design and its relationship to changing concept of gender. Providing a much-needed update to scholarship on masculinity, fashion and the body, the book will be essential reading for student and scholars of fashion, cultural and gender studies, as well as menswear and consumption. "In recent years, menswear has moved decisively center stage. Menswear Revolution investigates the transformation of men's fashion through the lens of shifting masculinities, examining how its increasing diversity has created new ways for men to explore and express their identities. Harnessing sustained market growth and creative dynamism on the runway, ground-breaking designers from Raf Simons and Hedi Slimane to Craig Green have revolutionized the discipline with their bold re-imaginings of the male wardrobe. Analysing the role of the media in shaping attitudes to men s fashion, Menswear Revolution studies how competing narratives of masculinity are reflected in popular discourse. Taking us from the mod and peacock revolutions of the 1960s to the new wave aesthetics of the 1980s, the book explores historical precedents for today's menswear scene - and looks at the evolution of the 'ideal' male body, from the muscular to the lean and boyish. Combining interviews with fashion professionals with close analyses of garments and advertising, Menswear Revolution provides an authoritative account of menswear design today. Highlighting its relationship to changing concepts of gender, the book provides a much-needed update to scholarship on masculinity, fashion and the body"--Bloomsbury Fashion Central "In recent years, menswear has moved decisively center stage. Menswear Revolution investigates the transformation of men's fashion through the lens of shifting masculinities, examining how its increasing diversity has created new ways for men to explore and express their identities. Harnessing sustained market growth and creative dynamism on the runway, ground-breaking designers from Raf Simons and Hedi Slimane to Craig Green have revolutionized the discipline with their bold re-imaginings of the male wardrobe. Analysing the role of the media in shaping attitudes to men's fashion, Menswear Revolution studies how competing narratives of masculinity are reflected in popular discourse. Taking us from the mod and peacock revolutions of the 1960s to the new wave aesthetics of the 1980s, the book explores historical precedents for today's menswear scene - and looks at the evolution of the 'ideal' male body, from the muscular to the lean and boyish. Combining interviews with fashion professionals with close analyses of garments and advertising, Menswear Revolution provides an authoritative account of menswear design today. Highlighting its relationship to changing concepts of gender, the book provides a much-needed update to scholarship on masculinity, fashion and the body."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Cover Contents List of Figures Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Disciplinary Discourses New markets (A)historical continuities New men? Hipster hate Performance anxiety Fearing femininity Reverse discourse Contested masculinities Disciplinary discourses 2 Historical Resonances Fashion and modernity The birth of consumer culture The 1980s Suited and booted Authenticity and irony 3 Body Language: Toward a Phenomenology of Masculinity Embodied and disembodied masculinities: The male body in the twentieth century The liberated body Holding out for a hero The 1990s and its legacy The fourth sex: Androgyny and objectification 4 Millennial Men Subculture, music, and fashion Queering men’s fashion Millennial men 5 The Shock of the New The state of the art: Menswear since 2010 Androgyny in contemporary menswear Workers of the world unite Athleisure Deconstructing tailoring The new monasticism The shock of the new Conclusion Notes References Index In recent years, menswear has moved decisively centre stage. 'Menswear Revolution' investigates the transformation of men's fashion through the lens of shifting masculinities, examining how its increasing diversity has created new ways for men to explore and express their identities