Fashion is getting ready for Pride Month 2021!

June is just around the corner, and as you know, a rainbow wave crosses every year this month to honor the LGTBQ+ community. For 30 days: Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals, queers and intersex people demonstrate in the streets of every city, reminding the world of their dignity and rights, but above all the freedom to love who you want and to be what you want. Eccentric personalities, dressed up from head to toe in whimsical costumes and bright make-ups, take to the streets to celebrate, finding the opportunity to live their day to the fullest and do the middle finger to discrimination and prejudice.

Fifty-one years have passed since that famous June 28 1969 when the Stonewall clashes took place; an event that shattered the world by beginning a recurring ritual, a leitmotif to believe in and to fight for. It’s as if it were an international anniversary marked on the calendar, a fixed appointment that, through parades and events of all kinds, knows how to give a colorful welcome to summer.

The more time passes, the stronger the voice of every citizen of every country becomes, even though the battle to raise awareness is still long and it will probably never win the victory it deserves. Yet the Gay Pride continues and does not stop, on the contrary, it becomes a theme that knows how to ramify into every social sphere. The fashion system itself is increasingly involved. Many are now the brands that with special editions and colorful capsule collections, express their solidarity reinforcing the rainbow message.

Here is a review of the most interesting proposals for 2021!

VANS

On the occasion of Pride Month, which will begin in two weeks, Vans has launched a capsule collection consisting of iconic sneakers and clothing, now available on the brand’s online website. The Classic Slip-On, the Era, the SK8-Mid and the latest UltraRange arrivals stand out in particular; all enlivened by colored inserts and glitter applications on the upper. But that’s not all, the streetwear brand has also decided to evolve $200,000 to four different associations promoting the rights of the LGTBQ+ community.

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CONVERSE

Another example of Pride-friendly sports brand is: Converse. Several are the silhouettes that complete this capsule: the Chuck 70, the Chuck Taylor All-Star offered in the high, low and platform version and finally the Run Star Hike. Floral arrangements and rainbow graphics animate the construction of each sneaker. At times it may seem like a landscape designed by a child, but in reality it is the product of a collection designed to express joy and freedom. An appeal for those who identify with this colorful mood, know the online store is at your service for the purchase, whose proceeds will finance the competent non-government organisations.

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LEVI’S

There are also those, like Levi’s, who, in addition to celebrating the pride of the LGTBQ+ community, even promotes a message of respect for the correct use of pronouns. Through a campaign entitled: “All Pronouns. All Love”, the denim brand encourages empathy and inclusiveness. The wide selection includes: classics such as Trucker jackets, jeans, t-shirts, as well as a range of accessories such as hats, shoulder bags, boxers and briefs.

The result is a unisex collection with rainbow accents and words like WE and US that strongly convey a message of unity and collectivity against hypocritical individualistic parameters. You should expect nothing but this from a veteran like Levi’s, the only Californian company that back in 2007 advocated same-sex marriages. The Pride 2021 collection will further support the efforts of OutRight Action International (an organisation committed to defending human rights).

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BALENCIAGA

Since Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia has taken over the creative direction; The French house has often made a name for itself with its slogans with a political and social background. And again this time it did not contradict itself by sending an incisive message through a simple design, easy to wear but also strong impact. Released a month in advance, it is probably the most genderless collection ever presented, as well as being entirely sustainable.

The slogan “Gay Pride Balenciaga” hangs over casual clothing like: sweatshirts, t-shirts and hats, accompanied by daring pieces such as: shoes with five fingers or boots up to the thigh full of details and buckles. As a backdrop to the advertising campaign, there are the most important tourist attractions (added in post-production), first of all: the Tower of Pisa, the first Italian city to host the Gay Pride in 1979.

Demna Gvasalia: “I’m gay. I grew up in a society where I couldn’t wear it, and there are places in the world where you can’t wear it today. It is important to combat homophobia. I’m not one to go out on the street and scream. But this is the political activism of fashion I can do. ”

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REEBOK

To complete the list there is: Reebok, who for the occasion joins the initiative with its brand new capsule “All Types of Love. ” Among the proposals concerning sneakers, there are silhouettes such as: Classic Leather, Instapump Fury OG, Nano X1 and Floatride Energy. Also this time the colours of the Pride flag dominate the white upper in soft or sometimes in canvas. But the most interesting aspect is the detail on the tab of the shoes, a poster about all kinds of love. In matching there are clothing items that include t-shirts, hoodies and shorts with the brand’s 2021 campaign slogan: “Always Classic Always Proud. ”

The entire collection ranges from neutral colors ranging from white to black to pastel pink, and is already available on the Reebok website. Once again, the philanthropic effort of the brand is not lacking, which will pledge $75K to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, an organization that works to ensure that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without suffering harassment, discrimination or violence.

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Posted By

Irene Larussa

Irene è diplomata in fashion styling presso l'Istituto Marangoni. Di origini calabresi, vive attualmente a Milano. E' alla costante ricerca di stimoli nuovi da cui trarre ispirazione per alimentare le sue più grandi passioni: styling, grafica e scrittura. Il suo sogno è infatti lavorare nella redazione di un fashion magazine.