Marquis Spann, famous at the Savannah College of Art and Design, for wearing what we’ve considered for hundreds of years to be a women-only garment. He is a proud skirt wearing man. Spann who is now a senior has been wearing skirts since his freshman year, when men who wore skirts were branded as cross dressers. A fashion marketing major, Spann is in the process of creating his own clothing line, Young Black Ninja, which will feature an array of all-black man skirts in various lengths and styles. He plans to launch YBN as an online store with iPhone cases, screen printed tee-shirts, and graphic design pieces. Spann took time out of his busy schedule to share his forecast of the gender fluid market.
SM: How long have you been into fashion?
MS: I’ve always been into fashion, I knew what went together and what didn’t. My mom would drag me into department stores to help her pick out dresses for church.
SM: Who influences your style?
MS: I influence style, not the other way around.
SM: If you had to choose a fashion favorite who would it be and why?
MS: Marc Jacobs, he’s my fashion father. I tried to skip school to see him at his Savannah store closing. My mom found out and that was the end of that. Marc Jacobs made wearing skirts possible for men.
SM: What makes you want to wear a skirt?
MS: Why do women only get to be comfortable? I want to be free. One day I want to put on underwear and throw on a skirt.
SM: You’re comfortable wearing skirts in public. Do you believe other men shy away from the idea because of hypermasculinity?
MS: Hypermasculinity is the most detrimental thing to a male…people can’t live their lives like they want or express themselves the way they want.
SM: Stars such as Jaden Smith, who recently modeled for Louis Vuitton’s womenswear campaign in a skirt, Kanye West, and Jared Leto are all embracing the man skirt trend. Do you expect men to pick up this trend?
MS: I think whenever a musical artist or a rapper that has a mass appeal or following steps outside of the box, like Kid Cudi with crop tops, anytime something like that happens there’s always people it appeals to. I think in 2016-2018 man skirts might pick up. I’m sure they will.
SM: What advice do you have for men wearing skirts for the first time?
MS: Wear it with all black, you can’t go wrong with that. Black is my favorite color, you’ll never catch me in another color.