In past years any male who showed a degree of interest in fashion was automatically assumed to be a homophobic caricature. Made into a prancing, turtleneck wearing and overly groomed version of himself. Although not appearing substantially harmful on the surface, such generalisations did cause deep-rooted damage. Not only was this damaging to the gay community as people made sweeping assumptions about their demographic, but it also marginalised both fashionable men as well as those who worked in the industry. Fortunately for the former, the gay stereotype is slowly dying. The typecast for the trendy male has been heavily blunted in recent years, primarily due to our consumer habits. Men now invest in more tailored clothing, pay a little extra for their haircuts and spend a lot more time in front of the mirror with their grooming products. Even in pop culture, society’s inclination towards fashion is apparent. GQ is viewed as the epitome of classy and cool whilst models like David Gandy are considered suave, sophisticated and the archetype of ‘manly.’ So, even though we might not be aware of it, we all now indulge in the fashion world one way or another. The stereotype for the sartorially obsessed man is therefore dead.

Unfortunately, society doesn’t like to step out of its comfort zone too much. Whilst the well-dressed male is no longer mocked, a man who makes a living out of fashion journalism is, on the whole, still subject to having his sexuality questioned. It is often a case of his topic of interest. Providing commentary on three-piece suits for Esquire may be considered gentlemanly but doing a feature on LBDs in Vogue is considered to be perpetuating the gay and feminine cliché. As a result, despite the masses having accepted their indulgence in fashion they still continue to degrade those working in the industry. It is clear such standards need to be dismantled and society must realise that gender roles are no longer relevant in today’s world. David Beckham has overcome the pejorative ‘metrosexual’ image. Cracks have appeared in the glass ceiling of the corporate world. It is now time for men in the fashion industry to break their own barriers.

Josh Lee