CONTRIBUTION OF CELEBRITIES IN PROMOTING GENDER NEUTRAL FASHION

Ever since the dawn of the fashion industry, gender is one of the most influential aspects that has implied limitations in the realms of this domain. Most companies use gender-specific attributes of the target product as a significant USP to create a favorable image in their potential clients' eyes. We all know that a person's fashion sense is a direct result of the stereotypes pertaining to gender roles in the present world. But, as fashion is gradually adopting a progressive notion whilst gaining more ground among the masses, the idea of gender-neutral fashion is coming into play and steadily challenging the age-old traditions (especially in the clothing line), freeing individuality from the limiting labels of gender. Many factors have served as a driving force for this revolution. Among these, promotion through celebrities on and off-screen has proved to be a significant kick start, which deserves special recognition because of its noteworthy contribution.

Continuing with this thought, it is no surprise that celebs proactive participation is one of the primary reasons for the growth of gender-neutral fashion. They have served as a fashion guide for a common man for generations now. Almost the entire world communicates with the fashion industry through them, craving for new attires and designs. Be it a big-budget film or a small-time web series on YouTube, the fashion ideas put forth through the cast captivate millions at a time. While the idea remains open to criticism for everyone, the fashion heads never fail to appreciate the work and quickly add it to their collection. These are the people who start a chain reaction, thus creating a new global fashion trend. Today, almost every celebrity is associated with one brand or the other with thousands of followers looking up to them. These brands use the fashion statement of the celebs as a way of sending the message that they are ready for more if people welcome them. Even global juggernauts like H&M and Zara have tried their hand at genderless collections, with the Denim united line and non-gendered collection,respectively.

Many celebs have volunteered for promoting this gender-neutral initiative. After his iconic Met Gala, Billy Porter turned quite a few eyes through his tuxedo with a twist at the 91st annual Academy Awards red carpet, which made him one of the faces of the gender-neutral fashion. Harry Styles is another major icon who showed that gender should not be a constraint as far as fashion is concerned. Through his vogue photoshoot, he won the hearts of his followers and gathered appreciation for his courageous display. Similarly, the two siblings, Willow and Jaden Smith, often promote this trend through their out of the box and bold taste in fashion, inspiring many fashionmongers along the way. Kristen Stewart, Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, Charlize Theron and Kanye West are among many notable personalities that embraced Androgynous Fashion.

Not only Hollywood, but Bollywood is also gaining pace with the affair and cultivating roots for the youth. I think we can all agree that Ranveer Singh is single-handedly holding down the fort for us Indians. Through his charm and confidence, he has been successful in breaking the walls of the gender roles implemented through clothing's and became a sensation in this field. Ayushman Khurana is another person that brings a certain credibility to this idea. His movies have frequently shown how gender-neutral fashion is slowly becoming the new normal, provoking his fans to accept the idea with an open mind.

The fashion industry has taken some long strides in the past decade, touching billions of lives along the way. Gender-neutral fashion is a portrayal of one such step which has proved to be a significant milestone in this endless journey. It is crystal clear that the lines of the gendered fashion are slowly getting blurred, respecting individuality and personal fashion style. The things which were once engraved with a hidden gender tag are now gaining their way in a different gender's

wardrobe. People are now realizing that this is not some random trend that the industry will shake off after a few years, but something that should be accepted with open arms because it is here to stay for a long time. They are more comfortable than ever with who they are, as their gender no longer answers their wardrobe. This is nothing but a testament to the fact that the world is evolving and flourishing even in these unprecedented times.

- Shivam Arora