The association between homosexuality and fashion is multifaceted,
ranging from the role of clothes as signifiers of
sexual orientation to the immense contributions gay men have made at
all levels of the fashion industry.
The green carnation was a signifier
of homosexuality during the
time of
Oscar Wilde's
trial.
Sir Hardy Amies
(1909-2003) was official dress maker to the Queen of England for 48
years. He was known for his restrained, conservative, but beautifully
tailored suits and dresses.
Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972) is the best known Spanish
fashion designer and is regarded as a master of twentieth century
fashion.
Ossie Clark
(1942-1996) helped define the fashion mood of 1960s London.
French designer Christian Dior (1905-1957) revitalized haute
couture after World War II, creating luxurious designs characterized by
a feminine classic elegance.
Erté (1892-1990),
one of the most innovative designers of the twentieth century, created
striking Art Deco fashion designs.
American-born fashion
designer Tom Ford
(b. 1961) was creative director at both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.
Designer Jean-Paul Gaultier (b. 1952) incorporates elements of
gay style into his clothes that typically fuse classic
fashion with unconventional elements and challenge traditional notions
of masculinity.
Rudi Gernreich (1922-1985) is associated particularly with the
1960s fashion revolution, and was one of the great modernists of
fashion design, making his clothes futuristic both technically and
stylistically.
Halston (1932-1990), the first international fashion superstar,
was a master of cut, detail, and finish. He dressed and befriended some
of America's most glamorous women including Jackie Kennedy Onassis,
Elizabeth Taylor, and Bianca Jagger.
Norman Hartnell (1901-1979) served as official dress maker to
Queen Elizabeth II, the late Queen Mother, and
occasionally, Queen Mary. He is best know for the intricately and
lavishly decorated gowns he created for the royal
family.
American designer Calvin Klein (b. 1942) has created an
extraordinarily successful fashion empire through his simple and
elegant designs and his skilful employment of provocative advertising
campaigns that are saturated with homoeroticism.
Yves Saint Laurent (b. 1936) is one of the seminal fashion
designers of our era. He not only created a venerable fashion empire,
but has also inspired many other designers.
Alexander McQueen
(b. 1969), the youngest designer to achieve the coveted award "British
Designer of the Year," is a fashion innovator and provocateur.
Willi Smith
(1948-1987) has been called "the most successful black designer in
fashion history."
Gianni Versace (1946-1997) was renowned not only for his lavish
tailoring and tight body-hugging garments but also for his exuberant
personal taste. The openly homosexual designer's style uses striking
colors, materials, and cuts, and has a reputation for ostentation.
Photo Credits:
Photograph by Stefan Knapp; courtesy Pettersen Associates. |
