Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Diversity in Fashion and Apparel

Weijia Sheng

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2025.NE27738

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Diversity in Fashion and Apparel

Research Article

Open Access

Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Diversity in Fashion and Apparel

Weijia Sheng ^1*

¹ Parsons School of Design

^*Corresponding author: shenw465@newschool.edu

Published on 14 October 2025

LNEP Vol.127

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-331-4

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-332-1

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Abstract

Gender stereotypes have long shaped the way people dress and how the fashion industry operates, limiting individual expression and reinforcing the gender binary. This paper explores how designers and cultural figures have challenged such stereotypes and opened space for new forms of identity in fashion. Using a comparative historical approach, it examines Coco Chanel’s equestrian and menswear-inspired designs, Yves Saint Laurent’s revolutionary Le Smoking suit, Rad Hourani’s unisex collections, and Harry Styles’ public challenges to gender norms. The analysis demonstrates that these figures not only introduced alternative styles but also questioned deep-rooted cultural associations between clothing and gender. While Chanel and Saint Laurent pioneered women’s access to garments coded as masculine, Hourani advanced the idea of neutrality through non-sexist couture, and Harry Styles helped bring gender-fluid fashion into mainstream popular culture. The results highlight that fashion can serve as a medium of resistance against restrictive stereotypes and an arena for diversity and inclusion. The conclusion emphasizes that although gender stereotypes persist, the increasing visibility of unisex and gender-neutral designs signals a continuing shift toward a more equitable and expressive fashion landscape.

Keywords:

Gender stereotypes, fashion, unisex, diversity, gender-neutral clothing

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References

[1]. Nhat, Minh. “Inside Le Smoking, the First Suit for Women from Yves Saint Laurent.” L'Officiel Singapore. L'Officiel, September 12, 2021. https: //www.lofficielsingapore.com/fashion/yves-saint-laurent-le-smoking-the-first-suit-for-women-from

[2]. “Smoking Saint Laurent 2022: The Story of a Couture Icon - Icon.” ICON, August 12, 2022. https: //www.icon-icon.com/en/smoking-saint-laurent-2022-the-story-of-a-couture-icon/.

[3]. Akdemir, Nihan. “Deconstruction of Gender Stereotypes through Fashion.” European Journal of Social Science Education and Research 5 (May 2018): 259–64. https: //revistia.com/files/articles/ejser_v5_i2_18/Akdemir.pdf

[4]. Barry, Ben, Andrew Reilly, and Rebecca Halliday. “The Political of the Neutral: Rad Hourani's Unisex Vision.” Essay. In Crossing Gender Boundaries Fashion to Create, Disrupt and Transcend. Bristol, UK ; Chicago, USA: University of Chicago Press, 2020. https: //ebookcentral-proquest-com.libproxy.newschool.edu/lib/newschool/reader.action?docID=5997459& ppg=100

[5]. Sidell, Misty White. “The Birth of Unisex Couture: Rad Hourani.” The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company, July 12, 2017. https: //www.thedailybeast.com/the-birth-of-unisex-couture-rad-hourani

[6]. Leeuwen, Anouk van. “Modern Men Are Breaking Traditional Gender Norms.” Diggit Magazine, April 12, 2020. https: //www.diggitmagazine.com/articles/modern-men-are-breaking-traditional-gender-norms

[7]. Blatz, Margaret. “Harry Styles Approaches Fashion the Way We All Should.” Elite Daily. Elite Daily, November 13, 2020. https: //www.elitedaily.com/p/harry-styles-quotes-about-fashion-for-his-vogue-cover-are-so-refreshing-43561500

References

[2]. “Smoking Saint Laurent 2022: The Story of a Couture Icon - Icon.” ICON, August 12, 2022. https: //www.icon-icon.com/en/smoking-saint-laurent-2022-the-story-of-a-couture-icon/.

Cite this article

Sheng,W. (2025). Breaking Gender Stereotypes: Diversity in Fashion and Apparel. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,127,9-15.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: Exploring Community Engagement: Identity, (In)equality, and Cultural Representation

ISBN: 978-1-80590-331-4(Print) / 978-1-80590-332-1(Online)

Editor: Enrique Mallen, Nafhesa Ali

Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.html

Conference date: 29 September 2025

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.127

ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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