Guys Just Wanna Have Fun Too: Exploring the Feminine Side of Male Models

In a departure from traditional men’s fashion styling—you know, the abs and square jaw line in high contrast black and white—, we sought to create a bit more versatility and fluidity in the styling and in the makeup, which was not only more interesting for the creative team, but also allowed the models more freedom of expression.

If we look at icons like Jim Morrison, Prince, Bowie and Mick Jagger, to name but a few, we find that a touch of androgyny actually enhances a sense of masculinity, so it was interesting to play on these blurred boundaries in order to evoke something more frail, ephemeral, and, dare we say, personal. Because, let’s face it, the hackneyed strong and silent type often depicted as the commercial image of masculinity doesn’t exactly convey a ton of personality and individuality.

Together with Creative Director Kara Grin, we set out to test how far we could push these gender boundaries with our lovely models—and the answer was, to our delight, quite far! Which just goes to show that the cultural landscape is already well underway in changing things up, making way for a new generation less concerned with traditional roles—or to whom such roles are much less relevant.

Though we chose a mix of men’s and women’s clothing for these model tests, the idea was not just to take a male model and put him in a dress. The idea was to apply some of the styling components that are de rigueur for women’s fashion onto men: bold makeup with heavy eye shadow and mascara, painted fingernails, jewelry and accessories were used to play with contrasts and create—hopefully—thought-provoking juxtapositions.

One of my personal favorites is the flower wreath combined with wardrobe (or lack thereof) that could be seen in a sports ad, giving an editorial twist to an otherwise more commercial image. But I also loved the combination of edgier clothing with smoky eyes and creative makeup.

Overall, an experiment worth of being repeated and refined! I’d love to see how we could shoot a male model in couture in a way that lacks irony. A hint of kitsch, perhaps, for now, an earnest fashion statement just around the corner!

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