At a moment in fashion history increasingly characterised by non-binary and gender-fluid approaches to dress, menswear offers a critical historical and methodological lens through which to reconsider the concept of the universal garment.

For more than a century, women’s clothing has progressively moved towards restraint, functionality and shared systems of dress, drawing heavily on tailoring, uniform and workwear traditions originating in the male wardrobe. Today, we witness a renewed movement in the opposite direction, prompting a re-examination of menswear’s enduring influence.

This webinar examines menswear as a design language grounded in heritage, construction and use. It explores how the formal discipline of tailoring, the symbolic authority of uniform, and the functional logic of workwear have shaped a pragmatic and transferable approach to clothing. These frameworks prioritise proportion, structure, material intelligence and detail — qualities that have enabled menswear to operate beyond the male body, beyond gender, while maintaining clarity of purpose.
By shifting analysis from a gendered reading of menswear towards a universal mode of design, this session considers how male-coded garments and methodologies continue to inform contemporary fashion research and practice. It argues that menswear’s value lies not in masculinity as identity, but in masculinity as methodology: a system of thinking rooted in function, durability and legibility.
​​​​​​​
The discussion offers an academically grounded reflection on menswear’s ongoing relevance within contemporary debates on gender, utility and design authorship.


Stay until the end for an exciting Q&A session and scholarship details.​​​​​​​