By Cheyenne Chia

QUICK LOOK:

1. Where to buy the adidas x Kris Andrew Small Pride Pack 2022

2. Where to buy the Vans Off The Wall Pride Gallery Collection 2022

With June right around the corner, many brands have started releasing their contributions to the yearly LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Beyond celebration and parties, Pride Month serves as a commemoration of the start of change for the community since the 1969 Stonewall Riots, often seen as the watershed event for gay liberation movements.

In support of this, adidas and Vans are pushing the message of inclusivity and political awareness by uplifting marginalised voices through collaborative projects with queer artists. In two expansive collections, a range of artists treat adidas and Vans’ classics as their canvas to depict self-expression, community, and the beautifully diverse spectrum of individuals in our society.

1. [Release May 2022] adidas x Kris Andrew Small Pride Pack 2022

“Our goal for the collection was to bring visibility to the many voices of the LGBTQIA+ community, honoring those who continue to push society forward. — adidas“

adidas acknowledges that though similarities of pushing past boundaries run between athletes and members of the LGBTQ+ community, exclusion and discrimination are still faced by queer athletes. In an effort to promote a more inclusive space, adidas continues to donate to Athlete Ally and Stonewall while simultaneously co-creating programmes that encourage inclusivity in the sports space. Alongside these systemic approaches, adidas is partnering with queer artists like Kris Andrew Small for a Pride 2022 collection.

Based in Sydney, Small’s work “often takes societal issues and channels them through loud and abstract visuals”, bringing messages of empowerment for the LGBTQ+ community in an exuberant manner. Such a vision is clear as day in Small’s adidas pack for Pride, as we see adidas Originals silhouettes — Stan Smith, Superstar, Forum Triple Platform Lo, Campus 80 and Gamemode Knit — invigorated with lively prints and vibrant colours.

The prints of bold, abstract patterns is reminiscent of 70s and 80s pop art — an homage to the era of art that inspires the Sydney artist to create art about acceptance and self-love. The use of vibrant colours as separate entities, rather than infused into a rainbow gradient, is Small’s way of reworking the traditional visual language attached to Pride. Reinvention and challenging of boundaries is the theme here within his work, aligning nicely with the political movements that Pride Month champion. Complementing these kicks is a range of apparel, such as tees, dresses, hats and jackets, with similar striking designs.

Where to buy the adidas x Kris Andrew Small Pride Pack 2022

Adidas Official Store [May 2022]

2. [Release May 2022] Vans Off The Wall Pride Gallery Collection 2022

Pride month brings visibility to the inequities and inequalities that the LGBTQ+ community is continually fighting for, and Vans has teamed up with incredible artists to showcase the creative voices influencing social change and encouraging acceptance in communities around the world. — Vans 

It is crucial that brands with platforms shine their spotlight into the often overshadowed area of marginalised artists so that opportunities become more fairly distributed towards the community. And Vans is one such brand that recognises the importance of highlighting voices! In their 2022 Pride Month efforts, Vans goes global by enlisting the creative energies of queer artists around the world to redesign their classic looks.

The Classic Slip-On receives a smattering of (printed) kisses from Italy-based photographer Sara Lorusso. The lipstick marks were taken from the photographer’s friends and associates, symbolising the community that uplifts her. In line with the romantic motifs of kisses, “Love Can Save Us” is written across the sidewall. The final touches is the inclusion of Lorusso’s photography on the out-and-insole, allowing her art to be viewed beyond studios or social media, and in the very streets that our steps take us.

The Authentic™ sneaker also sees a new look through the efforts of Hong Kong artist Kaitlin Chan and LA-based Ashley Lukashevsky.

Under Chan’s creative direction, traditional Chinese imagery of dragons are mixed with splashes of vibrant colour not typically associated with conventional dragon paintings. A break from the norm here is a nod of thanks towards the Chinese queer community that has embraced her since her coming out. The words “Chosen Family” also feature in her apparel designs and are significant as they represent the selected people that forms a much needed support system through difficult times.

Lukashevsky presents a more understated take of sexuality and cultural identity. Beyond imagery and design elements, the artist conveys the multiplicity of selfhood through the blending of embroidery and print atop a white upper.

Where to buy the Vans Off The Wall Pride Gallery Collection 2022

Vans Official Store [May 2022]

In other sneaker-related news, check out a pink-themed adidas Forum Low that calls to mind Bad Bunny’s “Easter Egg”, sans the high price point.

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