Generation Genderless - Issue #1

Hi - my name is Kris Harrington, CEO and Creative Director of Kris Harring Apparel Group. We specialize in gender-inclusive fashion design and product development.

Generation Genderless is your guide to the top news and insights covering gender equity and society within the fashion industry and beyond.

Among listing oversized, baggy jeans, clashing patterns, and graphic tees/hoodies as a top fashion trend for themselves, GenZ has also stated Gender Neutral attire as a simple style technique and important concept that is more than just a bold fashion statement but a social statement about reducing complexity and rejecting the agreement of two dual genders.

According to a study by Ceros.com, Generation Z is the most racially diverse generation in U.S. history, with 48% of non-white 6-21-year-olds. 62% of GenZ see diversity as good for society. 

Also 1 in 3 GenZer’s know someone who prefers gender-neutral pronouns. This is the first generation in which a majority believes that forms should include gender options beyond “man” or “woman”.

GenZ’s shopping habits also confirm their aversion to labels as they shop mainly by price and avoiding labels altogether - seeking out thrift stores and boutiques to find unique styles.

The fashion industry is still one of the largest industries in the world, generating an estimated $1.5 trillion per year. Unfortunately, the way the fashion industry operates today has changed very little from its ways of designing and producing over the past twenty years. 

Social media and the rise of a digitally savvy consumer have changed the way fashion is consumed and have trained customers to want instant access to the latest trends while younger generations also want to stand out from the crowd and seek products that can be tailored to their preferences and needs. 

As this continues, it forces brands to adapt and become responsive to the needs of their market and adjust to a fast-changing environment. As our lives become more intertwined with the digital world, many designers and brands must embrace new technology to push the limits of manufacturing, production, marketing, and wearability. 

One of the top trends we see influencing gender-inclusive design is Artificial Intelligence and AR/Virtual Reality. Companies such as personalization platform TRUEFIT employs an online fit engine that helps users find an adequate fit with brands and new styles on the market, Another prime user of AR/VR technology is 3D rendering companies EFI Optitex and CLO3D who have greatly improved the expensive and lengthy process of finding an adequate fit. They’ve shown how to take the essential components of a design, like flat sketches and technical patterns, which can then be morphed into simulated 3D renderings. This then allows users to quickly adjust for cutting, loosening the fit, and to make all the necessary adjustments in real-time.

Selling digital clothing is getting more popular too. For example, Louis Vuitton designed “skins” for League of Legends characters and Drest sold digitized versions of Farfetch inventory. Ralph Lauren’s recent collaboration with Bitmoji, where customers can create their own Bitmoji look with the new mix-and-match wardrobe from Polo Ralph Lauren, also demonstrates the irresistible power of the e-wardrobe. (Read More at Techpacker.com)

People usually see HCI/UX design as a freshly developed field that only applies to technological products. In the real world, it’s always been improving and incorporating our daily lives long before the term was verified.

I work in fashion. To be more specific, I am a textile designer but I have been implementing UX ideology into my designs since my junior year of college. During my senior year, I had one runway show of my own, my own showcase at CFDA, and multiple press releases. I was living the fashion dream but something wasn’t right. Only after thorough self-reflection had I found myself feeling uneasy with the creative process and the thinking behind the fashion industry. (Read More at the UX Collective)

Generation Genderless is a free newsletter that I curate on my own time to spread awareness about issues related to gender around the world. If you like what you’ve read and would like to support Generation Genderless, please consider forwarding this newsletter to a friend or colleague or purchasing our merch to support Gender Inclusive design.

Thank you for subscribing!