In celebration of pride month, H&M comes out with a special capsule collection in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. A true realization of their fashion for everyone credo, this release is truly a statement worth wearing, sharing, and most importantly, living.
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There is no greater time to feel the infectious spirit and warmth of the LGBTQ+ than in the month of June where pride is at the front and center of every stage, heavily plastered and communicated on all sorts of branded content, and well, on the lips of just about everyone. It is literally everywhere, and it seems that now more than ever, whether it is an act of tolerance or hopefully, acceptance, the sense of community from considerable fronts is slowly coalescing to a unified whole.
Right about now, your social media timelines are heavily peppered with the rest of the world coming together in various touch points celebrating pride with marches, political and social activism, drag shows and every creative manifestation of this significant time for the community that we are either part of or one that we have come to embrace and love. While it is a swelling of palpable energy, it is also very humbling and touching to see the world come together for something so meaningful as pride month. There is no other word for it, but it really is, heartwarming.
Continuously breaking barriers and making history, retail giant, H&M has joined the movement in solidarity by crafting, Love For All, a collection that evokes the spirit of the LGBTQ+ community with a selection of retro-inspired cropped tops, hoodies, glittery short shorts, and statement shirts. Love, equality and self-expression in diversity are sewn into the seams of the collection that helps propel the message and movement further.
“H&M believes in everybody’s right to love who they want,” says Andreas Löwenstam, H&M’s men’s head of design. “We hope people can use H&M’s Love For All collection to celebrate Pride and their belief in equal love.” With the freedom of choice and liberty of expression, there is all the more reason to wear your pride on your sleeves with this cohesive, out-of-the-closet staples that stirs as it serves its primary function.
More than just riding on the current of the global movement, H&M takes a step further by ensuring that 10% of the sales price from the Love For All collection will be donated to UN Free & Equal, the United Nations Human Rights Office campaign dedicated to build a world where fear of being who one truly is, as is the case of sexual orientation or gender identity, will be unheard of. “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people have the same right as everyone else to be protected from violence and discrimination,” says Peggy Hicks, Director of thematic work at the UN Human Rights Office. “The support we receive from H&M will help the UN Free & Equal campaign work together with activists and equality champions to raise public awareness and mobilise for positive changes in laws and attitudes.”
In a time where the very foundation of humanity is being challenged by bigotry and misogyny, we will need all the help we can get to keep pushing forward. Whether or not one subscribes to the community isn’t an issue; everyone is welcome to join in and continue to tip the tides of history to a point where clarity and acceptance of equality will reign, truly changing the way the world operates—sans the preconceived and truthfully, archaic binaries. And as H&M bravely displays, there is nothing wrong with being who you are, wearing what you want or living the way you choose to be. The underlying message is clear, that love is for all—most especially, yourself.
The #HMLoveForAll collection that is set to drop locally in select stores such as SM Megamall, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Mall of Asia, UP Town Center, SM Makati, Robinsons Place Magnolia, Sm North Edsa, Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Clark, Festival Mall Alabang, and Greenbelt 4 on June 15.
