Guess's New Genderless Fashion Line Has the Best Baby Pink Jacket for Fall
Gender fluid fashion has quickly become the latest movement to take a stand in the fashion industry. It makes sense, as this trend reflects what younger generations believe in: diversity and the freedom of self expression. However, when most big brands take on the task of creating gender fluid designs, they focus on mostly masculine-of-center looks. This can be frustrating for those who feel that gender fluidity is about the freedom of expression, and not simply for those who would like to present more masculine looks.
GUESS is the latest brand to get on board with their genderless line HIS+HERS. This line offers beautiful and timeless pieces like oversized denim and solid tees with clean lines. However, HIS+HERS is also breaking the mold by offering some feminine looks for all body types. Our favorite piece of the line, a baby pink suede motto jacket, included. Whether you identify as male, female or gender-nonconforming, anyone can rock it flawlessly.
The excitement behind this line has been building as influencers and models Shaun Ross and Shamari Maurice partner with GUESS for the store launch. Hear from Shaun and Shamari about how GUESS is pushing fashion forward with this new line, and of course, get your first look at the must-have pieces.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS1/14Teen Vogue: What does it mean to be a part of this line, HIS+HERS?
Shaun: I’m so excited because I’ve always wanted to work with GUESS. They have a very particular aesthetic that they’ve followed for a long time, their look is very extraverted and sexy. So, it’s amazing to see them be ready to create something new that is for the consumer and really, for a community [LGBTQ] which is so often silenced.
Shamari: It’s so dope. They’ve been around for a long time and I see this line as a really coming of age. It’s incredible to see GUESS reflect that our generation stands for diversity and self expression with this new line.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS2/14TV: What does your street style say about you?
Shaun: It’s interesting because my style totally changes depending on how I feel in the moment. Whatever I’m wearing, it definitely is expressing how I’m feeling that day. Sometimes I want to feel very calm and defined, others I want to feel regal. Clothes can express all of that for me.
Shamari: At the end of the day, it really depends on my mood for the day. Sometimes I want to express my boyish side in sweatpants and other days I want to feel extra cute in my crop top. The gender binary isn’t a factor in my street style.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS3/14TV: Do you see style and design as political?
Shaun: Absolutely, style and design have been political since the beginning of time. Even since the colonial days, I don’t think everyone understands that things like makeup and heels weren’t traditionally for women. They were made for men to distinguish themselves as taller and more regal than less wealthy men or women.
This all ties back to the gay community as well, with ballroom culture. The ball was really a speakeasy party where people could come and express their gender and sexuality however they wanted to. It was safe space to be free and fluid. I think that fashion and design is meant to be political. Designers can say something about our culture, our times and our people with what they put out on the runway.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS4/14TV: What difficulties are there in the fashion industry when resisting the confinements of the gender binary in design?
Shamari: When I think about this question, for me it’s very personal. When I developed and grew into my sense of style I left the gender binary in the dust. People would judge me but I didn’t care. I’d walk into a store and first go to the women’s side and then the men’s side, purchasing clothes from every part of the store. Once I decided that I din’t see gender, that I din’t care, I didn’t feel uncomfortable doing this. I think it’s starting to be like for everyone, really. People buy the clothes they want to buy, regardless of gender. I’m waiting for the day when stores will reflect the consumer shopping habits by getting rid of these gender binary departments.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS5/14TV: What is number one piece of advice to any of our readers who are looking to get into the fashion world?
Shaun: If I could give any advice, really to get into any industry and not just fashion, is that it takes ambition. You can’t tackle anything without the ambition to see the whole thing through. It’s so important to stand by what you believe in. I’ve gotten where I am today because I’ve stood by what I believe in, even when it wasn’t the cool thing to do. There’s always going to be someone who feels like what you’re doing isn’t good enough. I would say, push though that and never give up. Don’t listen to the people around you. It’s about what you believe in, so follow that path.
Shamari: Wow, yes to everything Shaun just said. The only thing I would add is don’t feel any negative type of way about being truly authentic. Other people are going to try to break you or bring you down, just do you. Because a week, month, year from now — that same person is going to be wearing what they were making fun of you for. Set those trends!
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS6/14TV: How do you hope to see the gender fluid movement grow in the fashion industry?
Shamari: Lately, I’ve been loving how the rap community is getting more into gender fluid fashion. Young Thug just came out with a new album and his cover art is beautiful; completely against the gender binary. It’s about seeing fluidity as more of the norm. I hope to see this movement grow by people wearing whatever they want to and not feeling a type of way about it.
Shaun: I think if the world was more comfortable with sexuality, they would be able to accept gender fluidity easily. We’re making amazing progress, with people like Young Thug and Jaden Smith. The thing is, gays rule the world. That style you’re wearing? Someone LGBTQ created it. Queers are the ones who made you even think you’re fashionable. Sexuality and gender expression don’t have to be controlled, once we see that, more people will grow in this movement.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS7/14TV: Gender fluid fashion is often marketed with more masculine presenting designs. Can you speak to how GUESS is working past that with HIS+HERS?
Shaun: Sometimes this can be done with something as simple as casting, to be honest. The models cast for HIS+HERS fit this fluidity. The male model has very soft and feminine facial features while the female model has a more traditionally masculine look. It's funny because when I first started modeling, my agents wanted me to carry around a skateboard to look more "manly" but I didn't want to. My feminine features can model just as well as any other guy. I love the way GUESS brought that out with this campaign.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS8/14TV: The gender fluid fashion trend is definitely growing as of late. Do you feel it started as a queer movement that has now grown to being for everyone?
Shamari: It all started with the gays, but fluidity in fashion is for everyone. We have to take the approach of being a blank canvas and just throw on whatever you desire. I love celebrities that give their children that freedom like Gwen Stefani’s son wearing amazing tutu’s and Shilo, Angelina and Brad’s child, going tomboy at such a young age. When we allow for that freedom early on, we can grow into.
Shaun: I think gender fluidity is about more than a queer movement, it’s for the girl who isn’t gay but is a tomboy. It’s for the young boy who wants to play with barbies instead of trucks. Just letting people exist outside the gender binary without connecting it to sexuality. Freedom.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS9/14TV: How will your market this line in your stores? Will it live in the mens or women’s department?
Victor Herrero, Chief Executive Officer of GUESS: For this collection, we carved out a section for GUESS His & Hers in the stores. It’s important for our customer to know that this collection welcomes both the male and female and by creating its own section, we’re able to blend together the two sexes with a unique shopping experience that speaks to our evolution in society.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS10/14TV: How does this line speak to the growth of GUESS? Victor Herrero, Chief Executive Officer of GUESS: GUESS will be speaking more relevantly to today’s consumer so that we continue be a pioneer in the fashion industry and mold with the trends. It’s vital that GUESS listens and offers options that defy some of the standard definitions so that we are able to satisfy all of our consumers and develop the growth of GUESS even further.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS11/14TV: Do you feel the regular GUESS customer is ready for this movement of gender fluid fashion?
Victor Herrero, Chief Executive Officer of GUESS: A lot of our regular GUESS customers are the young adults that invented Facebook, rejected cable TV to stream online, have helped elect a black president and legalize gay marriage. These same individuals have spoken and they want more freedom to express themselves and I’m excited to see how they react to such an evolution in our society.
Photo: Courtesy of GUESS12/14TV: How do you see HISHERS growing within GUESS?
Victor Herrero, Chief Executive Officer of GUESS: Another His & Hers collection is definitely a consideration for the future. GUESS has already broken boundaries and pushed the envelope to make jeans a fashion staple in the 80s and 90s. GUESS wants to continue to challenge the norm in ways that we have not yet even imagined.
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