Cover Johnny Li, Aaron Safir, Denise Ho and Kieran Ho at Tatler's House Stories on October 20
No longer solely bound by traditional perceptions of masculinity, designers are challenging gender stereotypes to create fluid, avant-garde looks that defy convention. But is this a temporary fad or does it signal a more permanent shift in mindset? Find out what our panellists had to say on October 20
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 13 Tatler's House Stories on October 20
Photo 2 of 13 Peter Cheung and Denise Ho
Photo 3 of 13 Adam Bires
Photo 4 of 13 Anais Barclay and Ifat Kafry Hindes
Photo 5 of 13 David Lin and Denise Ho
Photo 6 of 13 Jonathan Jones
Photo 7 of 13 Greg Pearce
Photo 8 of 13 Matthieu Amelin
Photo 9 of 13 Luca Lo Sicco
Photo 10 of 13 Elizabeth Euinton and Rebecca Bailey
Photo 11 of 13 Mae Wang
Photo 12 of 13 Lee Williamson and Tommy Lo
Photo 13 of 13 Johnny Li, Aaron Safir, Denise Ho and Kieran Ho

When? October 20, 2021

Where? The Sky Lounge at The Upper House

Who? Denise Ho, Kieran Ho, Johnny Li

Here’s what you missed: On October 20, Tatler’s multimedia editor Aaron Safir went on a quest to find out about the direction of men's fashion in Asia for October’s edition of Tatler House Stories at The Upper House. On the panel was Denise Ho, stylist and founder of accessories brand Kitdo; Johnny Li, menswear buying manager at Lane Crawford; and Kieran Ho, senior vice president for Purple PR Hong Kong.

“I don’t like the labels of men versus women. If we look at history, wigs, make-up, high heels and perfume were originally designed for male aristocrats. Why can’t men reclaim heels?” said Kieran. Celebrities like Harry Styles, Jaden Smith, Ezra Miller and Wang Yibo have all been celebrated for breaking gender norms by incorporating stereotypically feminine silhouettes, colours and accessories into their looks. What’s clear is that the boundaries of menswear are expanding, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still a controversial choice to don a dress.

“If a woman wears a pair of trousers, we don’t bat an eyelid. So can gender-neutral clothing crack that inequality of judgement that we cast on men?” asked Safir. Li gave the men’s suit as an example of the challenges of introducing new styles to the market: “The silhouette of a man’s suit hasn’t changed for centuries. That’s how slowly the trends in menswear change.” It started a debate about the business of fashion. “Lane Crawford has been trying to incorporate a lot more experimental and gender-fluid clothes [into our stores],” Li said. “We stock Dion Lee, who designs unisex clothes. The products are very interesting, but for other brands, we can’t just look at clothes creatively; we have to look at them financially and see how many men are willing to buy from them.”

Though Denise said she believed luxury brands and magazines still play a role in guiding trends, she underlined that the movement stems from individuals looking for ways to express themselves outside the parameters of mainstream fashion. “Fashion is constantly evolving. My good friend Peter Cheung told me he isn’t afraid to buy women’s clothes because he finds them more interesting. He restyles them to fit his aesthetic, which is great. It may not be for everybody but it’s a very interesting direction.”

Local brands that are challenging gender stereotypes include DEMO by Derek Chan, which has built a cult following around its approach of “soft masculinity”, which employs handmade embellishments and embroidery, rich textiles, and contemporary styling. And this panel of experts was fully onboard.

“I’m excited for this period of change. It’s time for men to finally have some fun,” said Kieran. While Denise added, “If the clothes are good, consumers will buy it.”

Credits

Photography  

Affa Chan/Tatler Hong Kong

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