For a masterclass in masculinity, look no further than the red carpet, an international circuit of events charting the good, the bad and the ugly of manhood today. A stage for fashion designers to present their vision of the male zeitgeist, the red carpet is more than an exercise in mass marketing, but also an opportunity to chime in on gender identity – nowadays, to the point of exhaustion. Whether it’s Harry Styles in a Gucci diamante-studded jumpsuit, Billy Porter in a Christian Siriano gowned tuxedo or Timothée Chalamet in an Haider Ackermann backless crimson suit, looks that brush against gender are now par for the course alongside a brand’s more classic displays of elegance.
While we might have reached camp fatigue, it’s worth noting that the abundance of kitsch and dandy looks on the red carpet are a relatively new phenomenon. Indeed, before 2017, you would be hard-pressed finding anything wilder than a scooping lapel or – clutches pearls – a choice hue on a guest’s dinner jacket. Yes, the likes of David Bowie, Little Richard and Boy George were pushing their luck yonks ago, but their scrapes with femininity were exceptions to the rule. Today, it’s a whole different game.
