Who Said Women in Men’s Clothes Aren’t Feminine?

Saint Laurent SS25 Paris Fashion Show: Style, Gender, Patriarchy and Feminism


Who said women in men’s clothes aren’t feminine? We find it puzzling that there remains one dominant, traditional, patriarchal, and commercial idea of how women should look. Despite designers over the years presenting broader visions, one specific image continues to dominate.

Yesterday, we had the chance to view the Spring-Summer 25 Saint Laurent fashion show at Paris Fashion Week (watch it here). With a certain pleasure, we noticed how, unlike former designers who removed Yves from the brand name, Anthony Vaccarello revisited the original designer and creator of the brand. Specifically, he brought Mr. Yves Saint Laurent back onto the runway. So, elongated, refined figures walked down the runway in oversized suits that evoked the iconic designer himself. And it was remarkable.

This collection challenged the rigid idea of femininity that women themselves often can’t escape. So we ask again: who said women in men’s clothes aren’t feminine? It’s precisely the opposite – and it’s nothing new.

Yves Saint Laurent – 1967: First Pantsuit


“A year after the tuxedo, Yves Saint Laurent proposed his first pantsuit in his Spring-Summer 1967 collection. It was an unusual design for a suit, which was traditionally worn with a skirt. Just as he did for the tuxedo, Saint Laurent adapted the traditionally masculine suit for the female body. The sleeves were fitted and the waist belted, while the wide pants were flattering for the legs. He added typically female accessories, such as heels and jewelry, but still had his model wear a necktie and felt hat.” (source)

Fast-forward to 2025: Anthony Vaccarello pays homage to the original vision of Mr. Saint Laurent, reviving a look that challenged gender norms in its time and still does today.

In fact, this concept expresses a powerful challenge to traditional notions of gender in fashion. It demonstrates that femininity is not defined by wearing clothes traditionally associated with women. A woman can embody femininity while wearing what is considered “masculine” garments – and look incredibly refined doing so.

This shift reflects a broader cultural movement. Designers, fashion icons, and feminists have long argued that fashion should not be confined by gender. Figures like Coco Chanel, who popularised trousers for women, and Yves Saint Laurent, who introduced the women’s tuxedo (Le Smoking), played pivotal roles in reshaping this narrative.

What happened next?


So, from a cultural perspective, what happened after Chanel? What happened after Yves Saint Laurent? And what happened to feminism? If designers like Saint Laurent showed us that femininity transcends garments, why does contemporary feminism seem to lean more toward the image of Marilyn Monroe rather than the elegance of Saint Laurent? Why has this nuanced view of style and gender been overshadowed by more commercialised, sexualized aesthetics?


🖤 Dive into our latest post, and don’t hesitate to reach out. You can comment here below (just register first), or drop us an email or WhatsApp. We’d love to hear from you! Whether you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello, we’re all ears. 

Let’s start a conversation!  

#formodernhumans

Who Said Women in Men’s Clothes Aren’t Feminine? Read More »