Top 5 gender-neutral Clothing Brands
Today, many of us want the freedom to choose clothing based on the styles we love and what we feel good wearing. At Vestiaire Collective, we want everyone to feel great in what they’re wearing, and let their clothes speak as loudly or as quietly as they want. Unisex or gender-neutral clothing has always been available, but more and more brands are seeking to cater to a growing category of people who want to wear whatever they want, regardless of their gender. Here are a few of our favourite brands that are pushing the boundaries on genderless clothing.
Another important step in avoiding unethical clothing and being a more conscious consumer is shopping for clothes in a sustainable way. Vestiaire Collective offers the best vintage clothing online and a wide selection of gender-neutral clothing so you can feel good about what you are shopping and the way that you shop.
Telfar
There is no way to talk about genderless fashion without mentioning Telfar. This Black-owned brand has been the pioneer in gender-neutral fashion for the past few years. At the helm is Telfar Clemens, who rocketed to success after the launch of the Telfar Shopping Bag (aka the Bushwick Birkin) in 2017. The vegan bag made a star out of the Liberian-American designer and was named the accessory of the decade.
Clemens has been an advocate for democratic fashion since the very beginning of his career. The motto of the Telfar brand is “not for you, for everyone.” Not only are his designs gender-neutral but he makes an effort to keep them affordable so that even everyday people can have a well-made luxury bag. While they might be affordable they are also super hard to get because they sell out almost immediately. Luckily, you can find pre-loved options on Vestiaire Collective and discover why they are so loved. We bet you won’t ever want to let it go but if you do the resale value is high.
But the Shopping Bag isn’t the only thing Telfar creates. All of Telfar’s unisex styles have the same emphasis on functionality, fashion and price, and if the speed of selling out is any indication, they are all fan favourites. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Jeremy O. Harris and Solange Knowles adore Telfar and it seems every star these days is rocking the Telfar.
We don’t anticipate seeing this brand slow down anytime soon. Telfar is riding the wave of the new generation — those who insist that their clothing reflects their values.
Eckhaus Latta
Eckhaus Latta is a young brand based out of New York City and Los Angeles. We love a good success story and that is exactly the case with the two best friends who met in design school and started this brand in 2011.
They have made waves with their unisex designs and gender-neutral models of all sizes, shapes and ages in their runway shows. As a dynamic, young, underground brand, their shows are known for incorporating audiovisual elements and art installations.
But their success isn’t because of their shows. The clothes and footwear collaborations are the epitome of cool. They design for a “liberated audience” and create clothing to support, instead of define, the wearer. Signature looks from Eckhaus Latta are painted denim, printed jerseys and graphic knitwear. While it may seem like subversive fashion, the world is quickly catching on to this duo.
Just like how the company does not identify their clothing with labels like gender, they don’t call themselves a sustainable company. Despite this, Eckhaus Latta quietly focuses on using deadstock and recycled materials in their production and in 2015 estimated that ninety percent of their line was sourced from these materials. They just keep their message quiet and understated, like their clothes. We love the companies that do the good environmental work simply because it’s the right thing to do. To make your Eckhaus Latta even more sustainable, we recommend shopping for this brand second-hand on Vestiaire so that you can give new life to an already loved item.
Toogood
Toogood is a London-based design studio founded by sisters Faye and Erica Toogood. Finding unique clothing has never been easier when you shop Toogood, especially on Vestiaire where we have a fast-moving selection. Toogood takes fashion and turns it into wearable art. The sisters take inspiration from their artistic backgrounds — one in interior design, one in theatre — and collaborate with architects, painters and other makers to create an entire lifestyle brand.
Bringing an interesting perspective to fashion from their unique backgrounds, they have cemented their place as free thinkers with fresh ideas. Their clothing line is inspired by workwear and has wide silhouettes that are instantly recognisable and extremely wearable. Who doesn’t want to have a practical yet comfortable shirt made of calico cotton or a dress in silk and cotton for the most luxurious summer evening you can imagine? All the fabrics are natural textiles like linen and cotton — so they are breathable and perfect for the summer.
While their collection isn’t completely unisex like it was at the beginning, the sisters know that blurring boundaries in life and art is the way of the future. They will continue to create beautifully structured and conceptual pieces for those seeking a gender-neutral look.
Besides the exquisite thought that goes into each design, this is yet another gender-neutral brand that quietly chooses to make production decisions that consider the impact on the environment as well. They want their clothing to be as long lasting and functional as any other object in the home.
Wales Bonner
Wales Bonner is the eponymous brand of Grace Wales Bonner, an award-winning London-based designer. She is a designer with a literary approach, who carefully considers things like place and history when creating her lines. She brings a Black cultural perspective to European luxury, thanks to her Jamaican roots. Her work explores the themes of identity, race, Black masculinity and sexuality.
Wales Bonner was originally a menswear brand though it has transitioned to be wearable for all. The tailoring skills that she learned through working in menswear have been retained; androgynous silhouettes and sporty details are her hallmarks. While blurring the lines between men’s and women’s clothing, she has also challenged runway tradition by casting both male and female models to present her collections.
Her intellectual rigour is working. After winning the LVMH Prize for Young Designers in 2016, she went on to be invited by Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri to remake the iconic Bar jacket last year. It was the first time that Dior had ever had a guest designer work on the classic piece that’s been around since 1947. She was also invited by Dior to create a capsule collection for the house. It’s not only Dior that is paying attention. For SS21, the designer reimagined the iconic Samba trainers for Adidas Originals alongside an ‘80s inspired unisex sportswear collection. Anna Wintour is a fan that is notoriously hard to please, and Meghan Markle chose Wales Bonner for her first official portrait with Prince Harry and their son.
What really ties together all of Wales Bonner’s clothing is its sense of community. Crafting a clothing line that is inclusive is not just about fashion, it’s about creating a more conscious world.
Tibi
You might be saying “But Tibi is a womenswear brand!” But if you’ve gotten this far in the article you should know by now that the response to that is, says who? Yes, Tibi has presented during women’s fashion weeks but the brand’s owner Amy Smilovic has also cast male models to wear her looks from as far back as 2006. For her spring/summer 2019 show she specifically put male models in pink to challenge the commonly held misconception that pink is a feminine colour.
Amy Smilovic is inspired by her two Gen Z sons. Observing that this generation isn’t interested in whether an item is labeled male or female, she is happy to make clothes that everyone can wear. She has an exclusive collection for the major department store Nordstrom’s called The Drop and her goal is for one of the Drops in the near future to become completely gender-fluid.
The goal of Tibi is functional clothing so even their power suits are relaxed and comfortable. If you are interested in trying out some of Tibi’s refined looks that will put you in a good mood, check out our options on Vestiaire Collective. We help you find looks that you’ll wear and love for many seasons to come. Choosing pre-loved pieces instead of new is a sustainable way to buy clothing that won’t hurt the planet.
Fashion is becoming more fluid and that’s something we promote whole-heartedly at Vestiaire Collective. Having more options instead of less is going to open up the world for more people to express themselves in a way that feels true and honest. Plus, it’s super fun to not be restricted by arbitrary labels! Imagine the possibilities when every style from retro clothing to chic night out outfits can be yours simply because you like it and feel great in it, regardless of any gender labeling.
This generation is challenging the notion of gendered clothing so no matter how you identify and what clothes you like, you can wear it. Being confident in your skin and confident in your clothing go hand in hand.
Fashion can reflect the world we want, and we want a future that is inclusive and sustainable. Vestiaire is already on the path to making buying fashion a more sustainable activity. Thanks to our global community of Fashion Activists, buying and selling pre-loved clothes has never been easier. We carry all the top designer brands in a range of styles. That means you can grab your favourite gender-neutral clothing brands in a way that doesn’t harm the planet. Buying gender-neutral clothing second-hand goes a long way in minimising the destructive practices that the fashion industry unfortunately participates in. Because no additional resources are needed to produce an already existing article of clothing, pre-loved clothes are a super way to ensure that what’s in your closet has the smallest environmental impact.