If clothes make the man-or the woman- then the clothes, and the mission at The Phluid Project allow you to be whoever you truly are.
There are three objectives that The Phluid Project aims to work towards at their concept retail safe space:
“Freedom to find yourself.
The right to be you.
It starts with self-love.”
According to their website, the concept of a gender-free store is all encompassing. The store aims to find out, and experiment with what retail could look like without gender divisions, allowing for great products that promote self-expression and self-love excel regardless of gender.
While the non-binary category has been recognized by institutions as important in the world of fashion as New York Fashion Week, traditional brick and mortar stores still tend to organize themselves by gender.
The Phluid Project breaks down those barriers as a gender-nonconforming or non-binary space where you can find products ranging from clothing to accessories, to makeup and other trendy goods. Through open minds and dialogues, The Phluid Project hopes to create spaces that all individuals feel comfortable expressing themselves in.
Owner Rob Smith came up with the idea for the store after over 25 years in merchandising and marketing for major brands. In an interview with i-D, Smith explained, “[Phluid] allows a space for young people to be free and have a voice in a real tangible space. As a young person I would have really wanted this space for myself.”
Another important aspect of the space is that it serves as a place for community engagement, gatherings and events.
Address: 684 Broadway
More info: their website.