A Winter Olympian and RuPaul’s Drag Race alumna are just some of the models for H&M’s first ever Pride collection of clothes and accessories.
The Swedish retailer with a global presence will launch the collection in time for Pride Month on 31 May.
It is the first time H&M has made clothes and a full collection for the LGBTI community.
The ‘Pride Out Loud’ campaign features pop singer Kim Petras, Olympic freeskier Gus Kenworthy, Drag Race star Aja, models Gabrielle Richardson and Shaun Ross and others.
Gabrielle Richardson, Aja and Shaun Ross model for H&M. | Photo: H&M
Photos of the stars will be on display in store windows across the USA and Canada.
Heavily influence by the 1970s, the collection will include crop tops, shorts, sweatshirts, cut-off jeans, fanny packs and more. Each item comes in a variety of pastel colors and some will feature printed messages like ‘Equality’ or ‘Pride’.
‘H&M believes in everybody’s right to love who they want’ Andreas Lowenstam, H&M’s head of men’s wear design told WWD.
‘We hope people can use H&M’s Pride collection to celebrate their belief in equal love.’
Love is love
H&M will donate 10% the collection’s proceeds to the United Nations Human Rights Office Free & Equal campaign.
The company launched the collection at a party in Brooklyn on Tuesday (22 May). Guests at the party had to enter through a rainbow arch into a room lit up with the rainbow colors. Aja also performed at the event.
The Pride collection is meant to ‘celebrate the diversity’ of H&M’s staff and customers.
‘Equality, diversity and inclusivity have been deeply rooted in our values for a long time,’ said H&M spokesperson, Emily Scarlett.
The Pride collection will go on sale in 148 stores across the USA and globally online.
