The annual Met Gala is essentially the Super Bowl of the fashion industry. Only the best celebrities are invited to extravagantly dress up according to a theme that changes every year. The fashion is definitely over-the-top and for the fashion-lover that I am, the Met Gala is one of my favourite events of the entire year.

Founding the high-end streetwear brand Undercover while still studying at Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo, Takahashi's first boutique, 'Nowehere' opened in Ura-Harajuku in 1993. Showing his first collection at Japan Fashion Week just a year later in 1994, it was clear that Undercover was a brand to keep an eye on.

Wanting to rebel against ‘common’ ways of thought, the poor British youth were completely helpless in their fight to change reality. Therefore, the only way to initiate change in society was to “transform themselves into directly offensive and threatening beings.” But what was punk all about and how did it reach the runway?

As a fashion marketing student, the threat of counterfeit fashion is legitimate. It’s not just about you being able to buy the latest Louis Vuitton handbag, it’s about you supporting unethical working environments, illegal businesses and threatening the luxury brands that design and create the luxury products that you want so badly. This is a serious subject that’s plaguing the fashion industry, so get ready to read a serious report about its effects.

Harris Glenn Milstead; perhaps better known by his drag/stage name; Divine, was an American drag queen, singer and actor. Becoming a cult LGBT+ icon in the past 20 years, Divine; and her roles in iconic John Waters films; has become widely renowned for her gorgeously grotesque, over-the-top and rule-breaking performances.

Glasgow-born and now London-based club kid Charles Jeffrey is an emerging fashion designer you should know about. His experience; studying at Central Saint Martins, interning at Christian Dior and hosting a weekly club night at the Vogue Fabrics Dalston club; is incredibly apparent in his work for his brand 'Loverboy'.

Between 1982 and 1987, the power suit took the focus off a woman’s gender and on to what she could achieve; a ‘uniform’ to demand respect, authority and power in a corporate setting. The power suit is now considered synonymous with feminism, equality and the breaking of gender roles. 

From a fashion influence point of view, Blade Runner has become a major inspiration for neo-noir/cyberpunk looks and garments. Two of my favourite collections; McQueen's Givenchy Fall 1998 Couture Collection and Gareth Pugh's Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection; references neo-noir fashion and the character Rachael. The 1940s silhouette, use of latex and leather-look fabric, opulent fur and structured 1980s shoulders create vibes of a powerful and futuristic femme fatale.

It's not always known, but the link between gender and fashion hasn’t always existed. It's only been around for about 400 years. Even the concept of dressing baby girls in pink and baby boys in blue, a concept so widely known and overused today, originated in the 1940s by marketers and advertisers. So how did this link start? Get ready for a quick-fire lesson in the history of gender and fashion.

Leigh Bowery wasn't your average Melbourne-born, London-based designer. Every new look he created was dripping in excess; silhouettes drawn out beyond recognition, overdrawn eyes and lips surrounded by a matching facemask, outlandish fabrics turned into tailored masterpieces.

At its core, Billy Elliot tells the tale of two different stories. A story of a boy fighting for his right to dance and the story of a town fighting for its right to work. It's only when these two stories collide that a raw and endearing tale of identity and acceptance between a father and son is revealed.

With Cardi B's recent outing to the 2019 Grammys in his archived 1995 Fall Collection 'Birth of Venus' gown, it seems like the French designer Thierry Mugler has been brought back into the spotlight.

They protested against mainstream gender norms and feminine expectations in a male-dominated society. The idea of a woman 'behaving badly' went against the gender norms of how a woman is supposed to act, and provided a thrilling way to challenge society. In addition, the expectations of how a woman dressed were restricting and sexist, and the sukeban weren't going to accept this anymore.

They created a space in which the disenfranchised youth of 1980's New York; gay, queer, transgender, non-binary and different could experience a feeling possibly unfelt during the day; freedom. So, how did this fabulous scene start? Well get ready to get schooled on club kid history.

Think about this; why do we care so much more about what we wear when surrounded by strangers, and so little when surrounded by good friends and family?