Leslie Cheung: a Fashion Pioneer, a Dandy and an Androgynous Fashion Icon

Abstract

Leslie Cheung is one of the most well-known queer actors in Asia. He played in lots of LGBTQ+ films and created non-binary images in his music works and performances. Cheung is also a fashion pioneer, who has created many important fashion moments. By studying some academic research (especially those produced by Natalia Chan), reports, and articles in fashion and lifestyle media, as well as some video resources on the Internet, I will first introduce the public images of Cheung’s dressing style and some of his classic outfits for stage performance. Through the works of scholars in cultural studies and sociology such as Adam Geczy, Vicki Karaminas and Daniel-Salvatore Schiffer, we can identify a close relationship between Leslie Cheung and the mythological figure of the Dandy. They have a mindset which is ahead of their time and both demonstrate a revolt to the gender binary and traditional masculinity. Finally, we can also find that Cheung’s style of dressing has showcased the same approaches to menswear of some contemporary fashion designers. It all goes to show Cheung’s vision in fashion and gender fluidity.

Keywords

• fashion
• dandy
• androgyny
• queer identity
• gender