Keywords
image
nomadic discourse
reflection
visual narrative
How to Cite
Abstract
This study explores the intersection of fashion, gender identity, and postmodern nomadism by representing the image of the nomad in contemporary men’s fashion. The aim is to examine how nomadic aesthetics shape new visual narratives of masculinity, particularly within the framework of postmodern values such as hybridity, mobility, agender style, and sustainability. The research employs a qualitative visual analysis of selected fashion collections, advertisements, and subcultural imagery, drawing from global case studies. The results demonstrate how clothing becomes a key tool for expressing fragmented, adaptive identities and how urban nomadism reshapes the concept of masculinity through modular, layered, and multifunctional fashion design.
References
Alexander, Susan M. (2003): Stylish Hard Bodies: Branded Masculinity in Men’s Health Magazine. Sociological Perspectives, 46, 4, 535–554.
Barry, Ben, Nesbitt, Philippa, De Villa, Alexis, McMullin, Kristina & Jonathan Dumitra (2023): Remaking Clothing, Re-making Worlds: On Crip Fashion Hacking. Social Sciences, 12, 9, 500.
Brajato, Nicola (2023): Questioning Masculinity and the Gender Binary in Fashion: The Case of Glenn Martens at Y/Project. Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities, 4, 1, 100–124.
Budyak, Viktoriia V. (2018): Glamor in a Designer Costume of the Late 19th–Early 21st Century. Kharkiv, Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Art.
Cardini, Tiziana (2023): Brunello Cucinelli Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2023-ready-to-wear/brunello-cucinelli (last access: 2025-04-11).
Carter, Dom (2019): Shutterstock Predicts 11 Creative Trends for 2019. https://www.creativebloq.com/news/shutterstock-predicts-11-creative-trendsfor-2019 (last access: 2025-03-23).
Chatoupis, Panagiotis (2021): The Meta-Suit; De-Re-Constructing The Ultimate Masculine Attire. Espoo, Aalto University. Chouak, Wassim (2020): Urban Clothing. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-black-and-white-longsleeve-shirt-and-brown-pants-standing-near-whiteand-red-C2zhxKYNxTE (last access: 2025-10-21).
Connell, Raewyn W. (2020): Masculinities. London – New York, Routledge.
de Medeiros Dantas, Ítalo José, Curth, Marcelo, Pires Teixeira, Débora, Soares Junior, Glauber, Atílio Batista & Fabiano Eloy (2025): Is there a Color for Sustainability in Fashion Products? A Case Study with Brazilian Slow Fashion Footwear. Cultura e Scienza del Colore – Color Culture and Science, 17, 1, 45–56.
Dychkovsky, Stepan I. (2020): Global Transformations of Tourism Practices and Technology in the Context of the Formation of a Digital Society (Digital Society). Kyiv, Lira-K.
Gardelle, Linda & Zhenzhou Zhao (2019): Being a Herder in Contemporary Mongolia: Nomadic Identity and Nationhood Building at School. Asian Ethnicity, 20, 3, 364–385.
Gilligan, Sarah (2023): Fashioning Masculinities: Critical Reflections on Curation and Future Directions in Masculinity Studies. Critical Studies in Fashion & Beauty, 14, 1, 87–104.
Iwara, Ben (2024): A man in an orange outfit walking down a runway. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-in-an-orange-outfit-walking-down-arunway-EN92lmRd_fw (last access: 2025-10-21).
Jäger, Sandra (2023): Gender and Creativity in Fashion Practices. Clothing Cultures, 10, 2, 163–175.
Kaiser, Susan B. & Denise N. Green (2021): Fashion and Cultural Studies. London – New York, Bloomsbury Publishing.
Khellaf, Kyle (2020): Classical Nomadologies. Ramus, 49, 1–2, 1–40.
Knysh, Inna V. (2020): Nomadism in Social and Discursive Practices: History and Contemporary Actualization. Kyiv, Borys Grinchenko University of Kyiv.
Kolinko, Marina (2019): Nomadism as a Way of Being of the Immigrants and Internally Displaced Persons. EUREKA: Social and Humanities, 2, 56–62.
Korpela, Mari (2020): Searching for a Countercultural Life Abroad: Neo-nomadism, Lifestyle Mobility or Bohemian Lifestyle Migration?. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 46, 15, 3352–3369.
Krasnoselska, Kateryna M. (2020): Transculturality as a Vector of Human Rxistence: The Phenomenon of “New Identity” in the Intertextual Strategies of Contemporary Art. In: Petrenko, Olena (Ed.): Ways of Science Development in Modern Crisis Conditions. Dnipro, WayScience, 535–537.
Lahoda, Oksana M. (2018): Costume Design. Practice of Representation. Cherkasy, Tretyakov OV Publisher.
Lahoda, Oksana & Yanwen Lin (2021): Men’s Costume and “Masculine Shaping” in Design. In: Krotova, Tetiana (Ed.): Current Issues in Contemporary Design. Kyiv, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, 17–19.
Lang, Natalie (2024): Urban Religion and Gendered Bodies. City, Culture and Society, 39, 100609.
Leitch, Luke (2020): Balmain Fall 2020 Menswear Collection. https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2020-menswear/balmain (last access: 2025-04-29).
Lin, Yanwen & Oksana Lahoda (2023): Clothing in the Modern Nomadic Discourse. Kyiv, Kyiv National University of Technology and Design.
Lunde, Christian (2018): My dear friend David in Oslo [Photo]. https://unsplash.com/photos/mancarrying-bag-outdoors-v-dd__G7g7k (last access: 2025-04-29).
Maddison, Paddy (2025): The North Face’s Urban Exploration Spring/Summer 2025 Collection. https://www.opumo.com/magazine/the-north-face-urbanexploration-ss25/ (last access: 2025-03-31).
Mercer, John & Clarissa Smith (2025): Sexualised Masculinity: Men’s Bodies in 21st Century Media Culture. London–New York, Routledge.
Mida, Ingrid E. (2024): Men’s Fashion and Satirical Prints in 1799: James Gillray and Elegance Democratique. Costume, 58, 2, 159–179.
Mullen-Buick, Ged (2025): Couple holds hands while walking down a path [Photo]. https://unsplash.com/photos/couple-holds-hands-whilewalking-down-a-path-OTELLziRE6M (last access: 2025-11-05).
Norman, Don A. (2020): Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) the Things Around Us. Kyiv, ArtHuss. Pixabay (2024): Gesichtslose figur, Mode [Photo]. https://pixabay.com/de/illustrations/bild-gesichtslosefigur-mode-9275490/ (last access: 2025-11-05).
Pixabay (2025): Man, Fashion [Photo]. https://pixabay.com/photos/man-fashion-preppy-malemodel-9386087/ (last access: 2025-11-05).
Pxhere. (2017): Traditional Mongolian Men [Photo]. https://pxhere.com/en/photo/819894 (last access: 2025-11-05).
Siles, José (2025): Cultural Industries and the Ideological Evolution of Postmodernism: From Post-truth and Wokism to Transhumanism and Post-humanism. Their Impact on Cultures of Care. Cultura de los Cuidados, 29, 70, 1–18.
Smith, Thomas (2020): Balmain: Olivier Rousteing Brings His Modern Day Nomads to Paris. https://saywho.co.uk/events/balmain-mens-fw20-olivier-rousteing/ (last access: 2025-04-07).
Sparke, Penny (2013): An Introduction to Design and Culture: 1900 to the Present. London – New York, Routledge.
Sümmer, Rodrigo (2021a): Man in blue denim jeans and black leather jacket standing on brown staircase [Photo]. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-blue-denim-jeans-and-black-leather-jacketstanding-on-brown-staircase-rPcqyM6xI5k (last access: 2025-10-07).
Sümmer, Rodrigo (2021b): Man in brown button up shirt standing near green plant [Photo]. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-in-brown-button-up-shirtstanding-near-green-plant-tBDwxspVp7A (last access: 2025-10-07).
Tidball, Derek (2021): The Pilgrim and the Tourist: Zygmunt Bauman and Postmodern Identity. In: Bartholomew, Craig & Fred Hughes (eds.): Explorations in a Christian Theology of Pilgrimage. London – New York, Routledge, 184–200.
Trento, Daniel Ricardo (2021): João Vítor Duarte [Photo]. https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-browncoat-standing-under-white-clouds-during-daytime-WJrZKYR8Qv8 (last access: 2025-04-07)
Twigg, Julia (2020): Dress, Gender and the Embodiment of Age: Men and Masculinities. Ageing & Society, 40, 1, 105–125.
Vitiuk, Liliia (2023): Who are Nomads and How do They Live? https://journal.maudau.com.ua/svidomitrendu/hto-taki-nomady/ (last access: 2025-04-25).
Weir, Robert M. (2023): Attracted to the Adventure of a ‘Houseless’ Life on the Road. https://encorekalamazoo.com/modern-day-nomads/ (last access: 2025-03-20).
Zero Waste Lifestyle (2022): What is “zero waste”? The Philosophy of the Zero-waste Trend. https://www.zerowaste.com/blog/what-is-zero-waste-a-guide-to-resource-recovery-and-conservation/ (last access: 2025-04-19).
Zhao, Yang (2024): Dressing Masculinities: Muted Colours, Aesthetic Citizenship and Nation-building in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Citizenship Studies, 28, 1, 84–99.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yanwen Lin, Oksana Lahoda