Models walk the runway at 2016 Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer on June 22. Photo: CFP

Models walk the runway at 2016 Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer on June 22. Photo: CFP

Models walk the runway at 2016 Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer on June 22. Photo: CFP

Models walk the runway at 2016 Milan Men's Fashion Week Spring/Summer on June 22. Photo: CFP

Male models walking out onto the catwalk draped in lace while female models wear trousers meant to show off muscular legs may still seem unusual, but can still provide hints as to the future of fashion. In the increasingly gender neutral world of fashion, maybe, in the near future, you and your lover will share the same wardrobe.

His is hers

At many of this year's menswear fashion weeks, we saw an increasing number of female models wearing men's suits and more and more men sporting lace and see-through shirts and even pleated skirts. This raises the question: As social roles for women and men become increasingly blurred, should the concept of gender equality also be imported into the fashion world?

Louis XIV of France may have been one of the earliest men to put on a pair of red high heels. His choice had nothing to do with his sexual orientation or any personality quirk, it was simply to increase his height. Today, women everywhere yearn for a pair of red high heels that they can show off with pride.

In addition to high heels, many other fashion elements regarded as mainly for women today originally came from men's wardrobes. For example, the uniform collar, which is widely seen as part of women's shirts, were once an important part of gentlemen shirts from Eton College in Britain.

The broad lace collars from Channel's 2015 Spring/ Summer were named after Anthony van Dyck, an imperial painter for the Dutch royal family during the 16th century. In many of this painter's works, upper-class gentlemen are seen wearing the same collar.

Of course society and fashion change over time. While men were once able to lead the fashion trends of their time, they seem to have lost their dominant position in the closet today. While women can put on almost any men's clothing so long as it fits, it still isn't as acceptable for men to bare their legs in a skirt and walk down the street. 

Power represented

China during the late 1980s and early 1990s, was a time when the entire nation faced tremendous social and political changes. Women, led by concepts such as "revolution" "democracy" and "gender equality," began to dress themselves like men.

Elsewhere around the world, the trend of women wearing what was traditionally seen as men's clothing began to pick up during the 1970s. It was during this time when woman's rights movements were reaching their peak around the world. Led by fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurent, women invaded men's closets. Tired of the elegant housewife style which was so popular after World War II and loathing pin-up girls, women began to challenge the old esthetic standards that existed in male dominated society.

As an increasing number of women entered the job market, suits with shoulder pads, army uniform styled coats and Oxford shoes - once the property of men - became new favorites among women.

As time passed on, instead of "dressing up like a man," women began to mix masculine and neutral styles with small romantic details. For example, some lace may peak out from a suit's cuffs. One example this year was Jean Paul Gualtier's Spring/Summer collection in which the designer split his clothes right down the middle with a dress on one side and a suit on the other.

Dresses for men

So will men just give up their fashion sovereignty? Or will they fight for equality like women did decades ago?

A general look at the catwalk over the past few years reveals that men are also exploring what women's clothing can offer.

Alessandro Michele, the new creative director for Gucci, mixed elements from traditional men's and women's clothing for the Gucci Spring/ Summer 2016 Menswear Fashion Show. His concepts closely followed figures from ancient Greek mythology and the aestheticism represented by that culture. According to Michele, Dionysus, the god of wine, is his muse.

Led by Michele, Gucci's mix of men's and women's clothing has entered new territory: Male models in see-through laces tops, necks decorated with long ribbons and various flower prints were no small shock to audiences.

Michele is not the only designer walking this road. Brands like Givenchy and No.21 have all added skirts to their 2016 menswear collection. Actually, back in 2013, Jonathan Anderson sparked major discussion with one item in his menswear collection that year - shorts/skirt hybrid.

As the world is becoming more and more tolerant and open, fashion should be a way to set free one's ego. If Elle DeGeneres can walk onto the stage in men's trousers and become a cultural idol, why can't men follow their own way without being judged?