Essay: Tactility in Menswear Versus Hegemonic Masculinity

Get a buff actor in nothing but a pair of Calvin Klein briefs, and you'll have caught the internet's attention. A white, tight t-shirt will even do the trick. The American mega brand's depiction of their latest ambassador, The Bear's Jeremy Allen White, with his sculpted abs glistening above the rooftops of New York City, certainly got people talking. When female musician FKA Twigs' ad for the same brand was banned weeks later by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority for objectifying her, despite the premise of the underwear mammoth's ads being 'Calvin Kleins or nothing', it sparked debate about how society sexualises the female nude in comparison to their traditional, gendered counterpart.

What's alarming in this scandal is that Calvin Klein's ads of the actor White simultaneously evoke idealised white male beauty and palatable Renaissance sculptures, Nazi cults of the body, and retro fitness obsessions, but serve the function of hegemonic power by suppressing the female body and reinforcing patriarchal norms through the act of ban of male image over female. While a fit female body is suppressed and cannot be seen, a male body prevails with its strength emphasising the wholeness of the male torso — a symbol of an untouched male power. Following the ban, FKA Twigs delivered a powerful response on Instagram 'I do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have labelled me. I see a beautiful, strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine.'

In the previous century, the body's wholeness played a crucial role in achieving power over others. In his work Male Fantasies (1977), sociologist Klaus Theweleit investigated a group of men central to the rise of Nazism who believed that a deformed body symbolised weakness. This belief motivated them to pursue physical wholeness through violence, suppressing their emotions and fears to maintain it. The pursuit of bodily wholeness persisted after WWII, with governments promoting perfect athletic bodies as an antidote to the post-war realities. The beauty and fashion industries only raised anxiety on how to improve one's appearance while disabled bodies were marginalised. As a result, people experienced physiological and social distress due to their ‘imperfect’ bodies. Today, as the world is awash in blood from wars unleashed by patriarchal regimes, it is ironic that the shock marketing strategy employed by the creators of the Calvin Klein ad was more significant than considering the context in which such a hegemonic image was created. Nevertheless, echoes of the connotations associated with hegemonic wholeness have also emerged on the runways of Menswear A/W 24.

There is a parallel between the concept of bodily wholeness and the symbolism embodied in the men's suit, which keeps the body underneath collected, restrained, and hidden. Despite modifications, men’s suits have always tended to emphasise the power appeal of the wearer. The modern suit, while allowing more freedom of movement, retains the concepts of male strength, which is kept in check by the ‘self-contained’ character of the suit. This season, we have seen many suits from Valentino, Prada, and Gucci, which have returned to classic styles, and more avant-garde interpretations like those from Feng Chen Wang, Sean Suen, or Hed Mayner. But all of them are united in the decision to button up. Neckties compel one to straighten up, the very act of wearing one makes you stand erect. Nothing can penetrate through the layers of clothing, leaving vulnerable male skin unseen and feelings unheard.

This season some designers continued to challenge the untouchable wholeness of manhood. They embraced a more inclusive perspective of masculinity, fostering both emotional and physical openness for men. This perspective is welcoming to feminine and queer experiences, while actively rejecting homophobia and misogyny. Observing Josh O’Connor, featured as one of the icons in the Loewe show captured in a window display, massaging his neck and shoulders through an unbuttoned shirt neckline, evokes reflections not only on 'seduction as a basic human urge' but also on sensory experiences in menswear fashion and the transformative role of touch which could bring the different level of bodily awareness to the wearer — an aspect emphasised by Jonathan Anderson in his latest collection both for Loewe and his namesake brand. In the JW Anderson show, a model wore a dark fuchsia cardigan with a light pink satin lining that seemed like the inside flesh evoked strong tactile perception. It also emphasises that the visceral body, distinct from the outer rigid defences, allows us to soften, unafraid to reveal even the most intimate desires.

Dries Van Noten focused on softening silhouettes, with men draped in large knitted scarves and jumpers resembling cloaks, worn over long slim coats, or leather shirts and turtlenecks resembling protective yet supple armour.

The relationship between delicate fabric and the body also prevailed in the latest Dior Men's collection where artistic director Kim Jones drew inspiration from Rudolf Nureyev, the Russian ballet dancer who escaped the oppressive chains of USSR terror to save himself from imprisonment for being homosexual. Like many other ballet dancers, Nureyev discovered invisible facets of male embodiment that were influential in challenging hegemonic masculinities. His awareness of his own body was reflected in his flamboyant style, and now through cashmere and silk pieces, rounded necklines, cut-outs on tops, and sheer fabrics with playful colourful designs around the torso, creating a sensual ambience reminiscent of Nureyev's passionate self-expression.

And yet, the most heartfelt act emanated from Rick Owens, possessing the ability to transform a sense of vulnerability amid barbaric times into strength with a show in his private Paris home. A soft cloak wrapped around the core of the body is akin to a force emerging from the pressure of gravity upon the heart — inner emotions acquiring an outer shell, becoming a defence. This extends to the viewer, fostering feelings of inclusion and the desire to be in that warm embrace.

The tactile elements in the collections led me to reflect on the metamorphic power of a single touch, which can evoke pain, pleasure or connection with others. Just one touch with yourself can transform you into a movement, a fluid entity free from the constraints of subjectivity and objectivity. Finally, through connection with oneself, you're in touch with reality.