Non-binary adornments: can asexual fashion go beyond a label?

'Genderless' has become a buzzword in fashion, especially at queer festivities when brands are particularly keen to introduce themselves to LGBTIQ+ communities.

On August 26, businesses ranging from Dangerfield department store to Booking.com joined the charity Australian youth gay Minus18 to pull out non-binary adornments for Wear It Purple Day. Even the malls in Westfield have a curated Wear It Purple collection.

But what does the genderless label actually mean, other than that brands can double their market for each item ?

Sometimes it's not very clear. Often the genderless collections from brands like Bonds and Uniqlo are just unisex tracksuits and streetwear, rebranded as if it's radical for women to wear pants in 2022. They rarely include gender-affirming gear like belts. breast forms and pleated lingerie.

< p class="dcr-3jlghf">So when it comes to wooing trans and non-binary customers, there is a danger that the inclusive label of the kind could be empty pinkwashing - a brand that lulls shoppers into a false sense of security without offering anything material such as fit, function and competent customer service.

In 2021, Afterpay - naming rights sponsor of Australian Fashion Week - launched a "