Is Palomo Spain making gender neutral fashion really happen?

The idea that gender is over sounds like a Ph.D thesis for a gender studies
major at some liberal university in a coastal city. However, Palomo Spain,
who made a triumphant return to New York Fashion Week: Men’s this season,
continuously works this thesis into their very brand DNA. The gender
neutral clothing line from Spain and the artistic child of designer
Alejandro Gómez Palomo continues to be a force to be reckoned with.

It has earned quite the celebrity following as well. Music superstar
Beyoncé Knowles wore a Palomo Spain gown when she was photographed with her
then newborn twins for the first time. “American Horror Story” and
“American Crime Story” star Cody Fern recently earned the attention of the
paparazzi for wearing a Palomo Spain suit to a red carpet appearance for
G’Day USA in Los Angeles. Celebrities might not be an instant formula for
brand success like they were once, but they certainly can get your brand
the press and the beginnings of a small following.

Palomo Spain is part of a growing sector in retail

Titled “1916” Palomo Spain’s fall/winter 2019 collection was inspired by
Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and the rural Spain of the early 20th century.
The basis of the collection was in classical, masculine tailoring, and
focused on two main silhouettes — both concerned with the distance between
the wearer’s skin and the garment itself.

As brands like ASOS and H&M have introduced gender netural lines, Palomo
Spain has shown the fashion industry how to approach this in a way where it
doesn’t look like women’s clothes borrowed from the boys or just men in
dresses. There was artistry here, from the Victorian era ruffles to the
finely draped silks.

Going into their ninth season, Palomo Spain has proven to consumers and
investors alike that there is a market for gender neutral fashion. While it
is unlikely that these designs will be mass market, like most high-fashion
brands, they have a niche audience, which has not only remained committed
to the brand, but also grown.

In the past, buyers seemed slow to respond to the idea of genderless
clothing out of fear of alienating their older, often more conservative
customers who had the deeper pockets floating the business. However, sites
like Ssense.com and Farfetch are now proud stockists of Palomo Spain,
showing a slow, but steady shift in the market. Gender neutral is a brand
new slice of the retail sector pie, and Palomo Spain is the luxury whip
cream on top of the pie. What was once a taboo idea has managed to find its
home among Fashion Week and consumers alike.

photos: courtesy of Pelonio Press