Both&, a pioneering transmasc fashion brand, has just launched its campaign for Trans Day of Visibility (31 March) with a photoshoot inspired by the iconic 1990s Calvin Klein adverts featuring Mark Wahlberg paired with Kate Moss, Sasha Mitchell and Marcus Schenkenberg.
Front and centre of the campaign are transgender men in a state of undress. The poster series runs across New York, London and Paris and is designed to break taboos around what defines modern masculinity, sex appeal and empowerment.
Launched in 2020, Both& was founded by Finnegan Shepard after research found that 99% of the transmasculine community said they could never find clothing that fit them properly. Both& developed a range of high-quality, stylish essentials in proportions that fit transmasculine bodies, designed to create a masculine silhouette while empowering gender identity and representation for trans men and masc identifying non-binary people.
The photo series moves the conversation on 30 years, from the Calvin Klein campaign which celebrated and empowered cis men to show off their bodies to Both& now doing the same for trans men, showcasing the three models as icons in their own right.
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The campaign was creatively directed by trans actor and icon Daniel Sea, who is known for his groundbreaking role as Max, the first recurring trans masculine character on a series, in Showtime’s queer drama The L Word – which he revised this year on the show’s new iteration, Generation Q.
“I feel proud to be involved in this campaign”, he said. “By innovating stylish and well-crafted clothes made specifically by and for our transmasculine, non-binary and gender non-conforming/expansive communities, Both& is doing an incredible job, helping us feel seen, valued, stylish and debonair.”
Behind the camera was acclaimed London photographer Lydia Garnett, whose work centres on exploring new queer narratives. Lydia and her predominantly queer crew have worked with the likes of Nike, Adidas, Stonewall, England’s Lionesses and have created the culture defining art exhibition ‘Close Shave’.
“This campaign signals our entry onto the global stage as the transmasc brand,” said Finnegan Shepard, founder of Both&.
He continued: “It perfectly encapsulates our core ideals: to move beyond an era of pride, which so often presupposes there is something to be ashamed about, into the era we live in now, where gender non-conforming people all over the world are ready to be truly seen for the gorgeous, creative, and ever so cool trend setters we are.”
The campaign launched in New York, London and Paris on 27 March in the run up to Trans Day of Visibility on 31 March. To shop the campaign, visit Both&’s website here.
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