By Kashika Malhotra

Fashion is expression - as cliche as it sounds, designers since years have been using colors, styles and fabrics to portray their thoughts, opinions and notions. With ongoing movements about gender and sexuality, with controversial opinions surfacing the internet, American designer Marc Jacobs launched a polysexual collection, titled “Heaven,” on 9th September 2020.

The collection invokes a sense of inclusivity and togetherness, as the items are not divided into men-women sections (like generally any other fashion house would do) but rather leave it up to the consumer to pick what they would like to wear, regardless of gender.

The items are an ode to filmmaker Gregg Araki, photographer Cindy Sherman and artist Mike Kelley through inspiration from “subversion, teenage daydreams, alienation nation, queer youth, toxic shock valley girls...suburban euphoria and the multifaceted characters who have made up the Marc Jacobs universe for the past 30 years” as the designer posted on Instagram.

These garments are in line with the messages Marc Jacobs has presented to his audience throughout his fashion history - celebration of individuality. Throughout his career, the designer has been an open book. He has come out with opinions about gender fluidity in the fashion and beauty industry, spoken about his love for drag and even about his sobriety experience and coping. Not just this, but Marc Jacobs’ is also a proud feminist and has spoken about labels and groups formed by society.

The collection is harmonious with the designer’s personal history as well. Marc Jacobs proposed to his now husband at a Chipotle with a flash mob! This depicts how the designer has never hesitated to portray his love through creativity.

The apparel takes you right back to the 90s. Pleated skirts, mesh tops, striped polos - the collection is absolutely full of life. Not just that, the designer has used grunge pop-culture references throughout the items - from the Doom Generation CD to the Aphex Twin Window Licker. These allusions further highlight the celebration of inclusivity and openness that this collection and our generation represents.

As we strive for inclusive fashion, designers today are doing their part through inclusive gender, color and sizes. From Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer ‘19 collection that portrayed gender-neutral looks and featured both transgender and androgynous models on the runway, to Heaven, Marc Jacobs gender inclusive collection now, this is just a start to gender fluidity in the fashion industry. Whether this interest is genuine or just an attempt to capitalize on a hot-button topic still remains to be seen.

ST.ART does not own the rights to any images used in this article.