As jeans become more distressed and dirty, and tops get smaller and grungier, menswear trends have not only become more punk but also more feminine. Gone are the days of exclusively shopping in gender-specific sections, with more men confidently perusing the women’s section to get their fill of tighter, cropped tees and wider bottoms.
Within this push for more femininity, fur has reappeared as an emerging fabrication in menswear. From Playboi Carti donning fur coats by Louis Vuitton and Givenchy in his music videos to Palace's Fur Trucker Jacket to even Our Legacy’s Duluth Jacket that references the vintage N2-B flight jacket, fur outerwear is most definitely in. The trend has even trickled down to accessories with Dries Van Noten’s fur belt and Ushanka hats from streetwear and luxury brands such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Burberry. But it begs the question: why is fur back?
History of fur
The glamorous nature of fur can be traced back to Ancient Egypt and British royals in the thirteenth century when leopard skin was solely reserved for the most noble. This exclusive opulence and social status symbol was kept for several hundred years until the twentieth century when fur became more accessible in the 1920s through cheaper and more efficient production. The material went on to be used in military wear from the 1930s with the most notable fur renditions being the B3 aviation jacket made for high altitudes, the N3-B jacket with a fur hood and the N1 deck jacket worn by sailors.
Fur’s relevance in pop culture
Fur would later make its way into the music scene in the 60s and early 70s with various artists in the Jazz and Rock genre - most notably Mick Jagger shot by Terry O’Neil for “Mick Jagger in Fur Parka” and David Bowie on his Hunky Dory album cover - wearing the fabrication as a way of embracing the femininity of fashion and challenging classist outlooks. But with animal activism movements fighting against animal cruelty during the 1970s and 80s by organisations such as PETA, this catalysed the creation and popularity of faux fur. The alternative would quickly make its way onto runways and pop culture, with designers such as Helmut Lang implementing the material in a minimalistic, utilitarian scope with the highly coveted Astro Jacket from 1999. Rapper Cam’ron made his mark as the king of contemporary fur with his pink ensemble from 2002’s New York Fashion Week amidst the new connotation of fur following the stereotyping of black men wearing the fabrication being seen as pimps or hustlers in blaxploitation movies.
Why men are rocking fur now
As trends from the past two years have moved away from logomania and more towards simplicity and minimalism - much like the quiet luxury trend from last year - men in 2024 seemed to have gotten bored of wearing plain clothes for the sake of versatility. Take Acne Studios, for example, a brand known for its elevated basics with wearability at the forefront. Yet, recent collections from the Swedish label have shown us that intentional deconstruction and wear are more important with their selection of mud-washed, paint-splattered distressed denim being their top movers. This ruggedness is further promoted by other major brands such as Balenciaga, Maison Margiela and Entire Studios.
The deconstructed look serves as a stark contrast to the luxurious and feminine connotations of fur. Through the gateway of proportion experimentation by the modern man, feminine clothing and cuts have not only become more acceptable but celebrated as menswear strives for gender neutrality. The ongoing Menswear Autumn/Winter 2024 collections are a large indicator that fur really is back with powerhouses such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana - especially - implementing fluffy trims in a major manner.
By combining the softness and suppleness of fur with the edginess of well-worn, trending garments, the result is a sense of harmony through the duality of two contrasting aesthetics.
There’s a certain fascination that comes from the juxtaposition of wearing a sumptuous fur coat with faded jeans that look like they’ve been worn by a construction worker. The amalgamation of masculine edge and feminine glamour can also be seen in individual pieces such as the aforementioned Our Legacy Duluth jacket. By reimagining the N2-B jacket in a wool makeover with dramatically bunched, black fur on the hood, the jacket radiates opposing themes of lavishness and virility that give the garment a modern fascination.
Through the offsetting of feminine details with more rugged and ‘macho’ design elements, these conventionally feminine clothing items now seem much more approachable. Especially in a space like menswear that has previously suffered a lot of toxic masculinity issues, these steps into wearing and embracing design connotations from the opposite sex bring us a step closer to a forward-thinking fashion industry. Besides, no matter how masculine you are, who wouldn’t want a little lavish feel, sometimes?
Featured image via @playboicarti ©
More on Culted
See: A$AP Rocky linked with PUMA, Tyler, the Creator was the No. 1 artist, and more good sh*t this week
