More and more, gender is becoming a fluid form of expression. Andre Pejic is walking in Gaultier couture. Kayne West has been spotted sporting French womenswear label Celine on stage while performing. Trans* supermodel Leah T is modelling for Givenchy. And Lady Gaga makes out with herself dressed as a boy in her latest music video.
Everywhere you look, the new androgyny is here to stay.
This month, OUTinPerth has taken the theme of Genderfuck, two local artists, a Vivienne Westwood and a brand new hair salon to present a cover shoot that’s all kinds of outrageous.
Local artists Tom Penney and Elizabeth Marpole are both known for creating work that pushes gender and identity boundaries. Penney’s mash-up YouTube videos take his DIY aesthetic and push it through the realms of drag and gender. Marpole, on the other hand, emphasises the masculine in giant hand knitted balaclava suits, created out of recycled materials like paper.
As individuals, Penney and Marpole are two of the hottest queer emerging artists in Perth.
Throw them in Vivienne Westwood, get them to swap gender roles, and you have the front cover of the latest issue of OUTinPerth, WA’s GLBTIQ newspaper.
Over at Dilettante Pour Homme et Femme they are proudly presenting The Present Moment Of The Past – A Retrospective of Westwood Gold Label, a showcase of Vivienne Westwood’s Gold, Red, Anglomania and Westwood Man labels, plus archival pieces dating back from SS07, with a sneak peak of AW11.
‘She’s always exaggerating gender,’ said Diana Paolucci-Kulski, owner and head buyer of Dilettante, of Vivienne Westwood.
‘Westwood always has her models coming down the runway overtly sexual or painted up as little boys. It’s the same with men. They either appear as very dapper and very well-to-do, she’ll strip them right back sent down the catwalk in g-strings and painted faces.
‘She’s very open about pushing boundaries and crossing gender boundaries. She’s seen a lot, and she’s constantly bringing that to the catwalk and into all of her parades and collections.
‘Our exhibition is just a celebration of her and her vision.’
Over at Sorossi Salon Boutique, and the emphasis is on providing the best service possible. Here, Liliana Sorossi and her creative team provide a complete service that covers hair and make-up. Located on Bulwer Street in Northbridge, this beautiful salon mixes Parisian chic with heavy industrial lines.
Beautifully framed mirrors are set in elegant easels while the building itself is an ode to the modern age. The second level is a workshop space where Sorossi and her team hold workshops that place an emphasis on make-up and style.
For our cover shoot, Sorossi excelled in creating hair that paid homage to the eccentric over-the-top flair of Westwood herself while, more subtely, giving Marpole a slight Portobello Road rocker look, one reminiscent of Westwood long term and now deceased partner-in-crime, Malcolm MacLaren.
But, perhaps the ultimate genderfuck belongs to Dame Westwood herself, who once said ‘It is not possible for a man to be elegant without a touch of femininity.’
Undoubtedly, the opposite rings true too!
It’s Genderqueer, Dear! is proudly brought to you by
Photographer: Mikey James Parkinson
Stylist: Scott-Patrick Mitchell
Make-up & Hair: Liliana & Brad @ Sorossi Salon Boutique
Models: Tom Penney & Elizabeth Marpole
Location: Mira Studios
Special Thanks to Dilettante Pour Homme Et Femme
Tom wears Gage Dress ($1700), Coat Fairy 700 ($4659), Black Belt ($385) and Suede Pirate Boots ($849) all by Vivienne Westwood from Dilettante Pour Homme Et Femme.
Elizabeth wears Sleeveless Squiggle Muscle Top ($499), Panel Pants ($490) and Pirate Boots ($1025) all by Westwood Man by Vivienne Westwood from Dilettante Pour Homme Et Femme.
// STOCKISTS // Dilettante Pour Homme Et Femme // 575 Wellington Street, Perth // 9322 2717 // // Sorossi Salon Boutique // 213 Bulwer Street, Nortbridge // 6162 0214 // //
Scott Patrick-Mitchell
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