For the sixth year in a row, POPSUGAR is dedicating the month of June to recognising LGBTQIA+ voices, having honest conversations about sexuality and gender, and honouring individuality, through first-person interviews and allyship guidance. The POPSUGAR team is sharing these stories throughout the month, so be sure to find all our pieces here.
Celebrated every June all around the world to honour LGBTQIA+ rights and the 1969 Stonewall riots, Pride Month isn’t just about important conversations and waving the rainbow flag. It’s also about supporting queer stories and brands.
Fashion has always been a space for queer stories to flourish. With fashion, LGBTQIA+ are able to show their creativity and individuality.
This Pride Month, show your support by learning (and buying) from LGBTQIA+ owned global and local brands. Here are a few of our favourites.
Telfar
Designer Telfar Clemens creates the things he wishes existed when he was a kid. “I was always attracted to the conceptual advantages that womenswear had over menswear,” he told Gay Times back in 2018.
Known for their super iconic handbag design with its familiar logo stamped onto the side, Telfar handbags are a total statement piece. They’re also really functional and stylish, which is often quite hard to find with designer handbags.
Telfar is all about queerness, specifically black queerness, and having one of their handbags is a statement of itself.
Not only is Telfar an LGBQTIA+ owned brand, it’s also super environmentally conscious, with many of its products made with vegan leather.
You can even shop them sustainably on Vestiaire, an online hub for pre-loved clothing. You can shop Telfar classics like this Telfar Vegan Travel Bag ($849) or this cute Telfar mint green small shopping crossbody bag ($461).
Verbose the Label
Openly bisexual and all-round inclusive Aussie babe Abbie Chatfield recently launched her own clothing label of size-inclusive, ribbed pieces that look flattering on every body.
She literally always looks fire, so pretty safe to say that you can’t go wrong shopping from this 5-piece collection, ranging sizes from 6-26.
Moschino
Moschino designer Jeremy Scott is a queer icon, need we say more? Furthermore, Scott has always been at the forefront of bringing inclusivity to the high-fashion world, just recently debuting Aaron Rose Philip in Moschino’s SS22 New York Fashion Week show.
We know Moschino is exxy, we know. But there’s nothing wrong with saving your pennies for a special piece of fashion history, and if you’ve got a good eye for style, then shopping on the pre-loved market is seriously where it’s at.
You can get some amazing statement pieces, like this classic Moschino belt ($75) or this vintage black Moschino skirt ($85) in perfect condition, a total bargain!
Gary Bigeni
Gary Bigeni is back in a big way. Having returned after a hiatus due to cancer, Bigeni is only interested in conveying love and celebration through his clothing and by doing this, he has turned to gender-neutral, made-to-order clothes, featuring hand-painted silks. His latest collection is to die for. We always love a local queer fashion moment, too.
Brandon Blackwood
Brandon Blackwood is another representation of queer black excellence in fashion. As the CEO and founder of his brand by the same name, Blackwood gained traction and public praise in 2020, with his mini-tote embroidered with the words ‘End System Racism’ engraved on the front, which came out in support of the Black Lives Matter protests.
Brandon Blackwood focuses on handbags and accessories that act as statement pieces.
You can buy some gorgeous pre-loved bags like this cow print suede handbag ($185) or this silk gold handbag ($207).
