‘Christian Wilkins’s style should be celebrated, not mocked’

If he were a cis woman, he’d be considered a fashion icon. Instead his fashion moments are more likely to be mocked than celebrated.

OPINION

If Christian Wilkins were a cis woman, he’d be considered a fashion icon, but instead, his fashion moments are more likely to be mocked than celebrated, and I’m furious about it.

Wilkins has been making a name for himself on the red carpet and via the tabloids. His street fashion is something to be admired and is often captured by the paparazzi. (Anyone that can pull off a cowboy hat in the inner city deserves a round of applause.)

Meanwhile, his red-carpet fashion should be studied. He effortlessly blends textiles, fabrics, and colours. He creates trends or elevates them instead of just following them. His sheer dress at the Logies was a modern twist on 1950s glamour, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it has been everywhere since.

Even though his fashion is notable, he isn’t being dubbed the next Australian fashion icon.

Christian Wilkins at Penfolds Victoria Derby Day on the weekend. Picture: Matrix Pictures

Instead, he is labelled an “attention seeker!”. Imagine if someone had the guts to call Lady Gaga’s fashion looks attention-seeking or fobbed Victoria Beckham’s fashion off as a cry for attention rather than as simply gorgeous.

I’m so annoyed that he isn’t getting the fashion accolades he deserves because I’m certain things would be different if he was a straight woman.

Think about it. Wilkins’s public profile has absolutely been eclipsed by his fashion. Usually, when celebrities become known for their fashion, it cements them as chic, cool and aspirational.

Mary Madigan says Wilkins should be a fashion icon. Picture: Instagram

We’ve seen this happen a bunch of times. Lara Bingle practically revamped her entire image when she started embracing black and cut her hair into a bob. Suddenly she went from a tabloid joke to a chic fashion woman. Internationally, you can look at the way a few boho dresses sent Nicole Richie from trashy reality star to bona fide high fashion queen.

So, I expected the same when Wilkins started making a name for himself because of his chic fashion looks. I figured he’d turn into our version of Hailey Bieber, a younger, cooler, aspirational fashion person we’d all try to emulate with varying degrees of success. However, that simply hasn’t happened.

Instead of fielding questions about what designer he was wearing, he took to his Instagram to denounce a gross meme. Picture: Instagram

Every time Wilkins kills it on the red carpets, he must take to his Instagram to address the backlash.

Recently at Penfolds Derby Day in Melbourne, Wilkins stole the show when he turned up wearing sheer gloves, a corset, and a showstopping headpiece. It was a look. Seriously, he even managed to outshine Chris Hemsworth’s wife, Elsa Pataky, and she didn’t look too shabby herself!

However, instead of fielding questions about what designer he was wearing, he took to his Instagram to denounce a gross meme that called him an “attention seeking ret*rd”. Wilkins hit back and wrote, “But as a sibling of someone with a disability, I find this term extremely offensive.”

Wilkins, pictured with his dad Richard Wilkins. Picture: Tim Hunter

Wilkins is easily the most interesting person to see on the red carpet. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Interesting, isn’t it? When straight women make being fashionable their brand, they are applauded for it. It becomes their selling point; it can even enhance their careers and open doors for them.

But because Wilkins is out and proud, his fashion is treated like a political statement or a joke. As if anything a queer man does automatically becomes camp instead of chic.

Wilkins is easily the most interesting person to see on the fashion red carpet now. He is bold, brazen and unafraid to take risks. I think this should be landing him the cover of Vogue, not having to respond to headlines that describe him as, “Dude looks like a lady!”

Wilkins should be seen as the definition of chic and cool, and we need to start treating him with more respect. He should be celebrated, not denigrated. It’s time!

Mary Madigan is a freelance writer.

Originally published as ‘Christian Wilkins’s style should be celebrated, not mocked’