
In recent years, fashion has attempted to grapple with a vastly changing industry, ushered in by the popularity of social media and influencer culture.
Another area where the industry is attempting to keep up with changes is addressing its gender binary. Currently, most brands release menswear and womanswear collections separately. Though some are attempting to produce unisex clothing.
Sports giant Nike are the latest big brand to produce “gender neutral” clothing.
Nike’s website states that its gender neutral clothing range features “comfortable and iconic looks without gender distinctions. Including a wide selection of gender neutral jackets, trousers, t-shirts and hoodies”.
But eagle-eyed shoppers noticed one glaring problem.
The website for Nike’s “gender neutral” styles still labels garments from the range as “men’s” and “women’s”.
So "gender neutral styles" are the "men's" clothes I wear already, just marketed specifically to androgynous, youn… https://t.co/VCPcSfDKoA— Dana White (@Dana White) 1556714741
Twitter user @DanaVivianWhite, who noticed the error, wasn't impressed with the gaffe.
The rush for brands to profit from gender neutral products has outpaced companies actually adopting policies or equ… https://t.co/s8V168pRQn— Dana White (@Dana White) 1556715218
What if I told you that as non-binary or genderqueer people we can wear anything we want and anything we wear is a… https://t.co/YmUhV5hRJH— Dana White (@Dana White) 1556715452
Other Twitter users had little sympathy.
@DanaVivianWhite It infuriates me that “gender neutral” cloths are literally always just men’s clothes— 🦊Claire🦊 (@🦊Claire🦊) 1556768011
@DanaVivianWhite ah yes "gender neutral" but still gender coded https://t.co/6vHwZ7sWDg— femboy kermit (@femboy kermit) 1556755315
So Nike, the message is clear: Just Do It better next time.
indy100 has contacted Nike for comment.
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