From Balenciaga, to Versace, to Ludovic de Saint Sernin, these are the best collections to come out of Pride month
How do you do fellow queers? Gagging for all those Pride playlists? Have you done already done had your LGBLT meal deal? Did you #tastetherainbow? Are you Boots advantage carding the house down, mama?
It’s a bit of a battle to stave off the cynicism during Pride month when even Pret is rebranding itself as Pride a Manger. But, then again, that’s just what happens when you let Queer Eye run for five seasons. Contrary to contemporary wisdom, representation does not actually need to happen at every level, especially when some Pride collections are, quite frankly, a hate crime.
However, not all Pride campaigns are built equal. Longtime gay icon and Stonewall ambassador Donatella Versace, for example, is more than welcome to “kiki”, and she can do so in a co-branded Lady Gaga and Versace beret, too. With that in mind, here’s a roundup – whether you are a member of the Let's Get This Bread community or not – of the best Pride capsules dropping this month.
VERSACE
Donatella Versace has, of course, done the gayest thing ever and collaborated with Lady Gaga on a Born This Way capsule. The limited edition line, complete with dual logo berets and t-shirts, is raising funds for the singer’s charitable foundation. The designer is also reviving one of Gaga’s legendary Born This Way Ball costumes, which she is auctioning via Omaze. See here for more.
LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN
Collaborating with illustrator Jack Taylor Lovatt, Ludovic de Saint Sernin is releasing a limited line of shrunken t-shirts, etched with Lovatt’s delicate line drawings. One item depicts two men necking off while another has inverted some dick and balls to resemble a cupid love heart. Get your hands on them here.
BALENCIAGA
Balenciaga’s Pride pieces first made an appearance during Demna Gvasalia’s pre-fall 21 collection but they are now available to purchase. This includes a host of GAP hoodies, t-shirts, caps, and sweaters rebranded with GAY. No #loveislove messaging, just gay. The label will donate 15 percent of sales to the Trevor Project. So, gay, click here if you want to see more.
COACH
Rina Sawayama fronts Coach’s new Pride Is Where You Find It collection, which sees the New York label’s double C motif emblazoned in multicolour across sneakers, knitwear, bags, t-shirts, and mini accessories. The campaign also spills into YouTube where Bob the Drag Queen will host a Coach Conversation with Pose’s Jack Mizrahi and TV personality TS Madison. Shop the collection here.
CALVIN KLEIN
Arca, Honey Dijon, King Princess, and others, have all stepped in front of Calvin Klein’s monochromatic lens for a series of intimate portraits to support the brand’s #proudinmycalvins campaign. Slipping into skimpy CK underwear and loose-cut denim, the cast recount and celebrate the defining moments in their own queer and trans journeys. Watch the accompanying interviews here.
LEVI’S
Levi’s are raising money for OutRight Action International with their collection, which focuses on the importance of using someone’s correct pronouns. Alongside some garish suspenders, bucket hats, and bumbags, Levi’s have created customisable pieces, so you can wear your pronouns however you identify. Click here to check those out.
SAVAGE X FENTY
Last year we asked Dazed 100 photographer Quil Lemons what brand he would most like to shoot for – “I want to shoot for FENTY! The legacy of FENTY goes beyond our lifetime. Man whew if they let me get that damn campaign chilleeee!,” Lemons responded. Ten months later and the Philly native has done it, stepping behind the camera for Savage x Fenty’s first ever pride campaign. With Gigi Goode, Jazelle Zanaughtti, Jazzmyne Robbins, and others fronting the label’s size and gender inclusive lingerie, proceeds will circle back to GLAAD, the Audre Lorde Project, The Caribbean Equality Project, INC, Trans Latin@ Coalition and the Trans Wellness Center.
RIMOWA
Luxe luggage label Rimowa has asked three queer artists to express how travel – both past and present – impacts the the queer community. First up is Gerardo Vizmanos, whose intimate black and white photography reflects how travel can often lead to the separation of a couple. Lissa Rivera, a New York based photographer, has curated a selection of historic imagery, a visual record of the risks queer couples have taken to be together. And Huang Jiaqi has looked to the emancipatory role of travel through his documentary photographs of a young Chinese couple leaving home. Rimowa’s Pride series will unfold in the coming weeks on the official RIMOWA Instagram.
BOSS
This Pride, Boss has teamed up with ILGA World – The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association, a worldwide federation of more than 1,700 organisations from over 160 countries. Tommy Dorfman and activist Peter Zurkuhlen star in this year’s campaign, which showcases an array of basics stamped with subtle, multicolour logos. See more of that here.