Ah, Pride Month. That magical time of year when LGBTQ+ folks in the United States and around the world come together to march, party, celebrate one another … and suddenly become a priority for corporations with stuff to sell. It’s ironic, it’s funny and sometimes — sometimes — a company comes out with a rainbow-themed item or Pride collection so delightful that we find ourselves giving in.
But first, let’s make something clear: We are always going to prefer supporting small, LGBTQ-owned businesses where we can find them. And doing so during Pride Month isn’t just a suggestion; it’s an obligation!
Still, it’s fun to browse a 2021 Pride collection and see what corporate America has to offer. Expect the occasional “hit” and a whole lotta “miss.”
Here’s our roundup and rating of every big-name 2021 Pride collection on our radar:
Apple
The new Apple Watch Pride Edition band has included more colors into the rainbow: black and brown to represent Black and Latinx communities, and blue, pink and white to represent trans and non-binary folks. The addition of these colors to fully represent our community is great, but the price tag ($99)? Not so much. 4/10
Balenciaga
Balenciaga’s June capsule collection features a range of items including hoodies, sports bras and a jockstrap. Some of the items say GAY with a rainbow flag, while others say GAY Pride Balenciaga 2021. Not incredibly exciting, but 15% of the proceeds will go to The Trevor Project. 4/10
Christina Aguilera
Xtina has teamed up with TransLash and TransTech Social Enterprises for her Pride collection, which features a sweatshirt with her face on it, a rainbow mesh tank, rainbow briefs and a face mask. A portion of the sales from each item will go to support TransLash and TransTech. 6/10
Coach
In addition to rainbow versions of its signature canvas bags, Coach’s 2021 Pride collection features shirts, shoes, slides,and a scarf. To celebrate Pride they’ve also made donations to the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the Albert Kennedy Trust, Point Foundation and CenterLink. Lastly they’ve featured LGBTQ+ Coach store associates online on how they’re celebrating Pride, and have made some of our favorite LGBTQ personalities (Bob the Drag Queen, Miles Heizer, Rina Sawayama) brand ambassadors this year. 7/10
Converse
You really can’t go wrong with Converse, a brand that has been around since 1908. This year marks the company’s sixth Pride collection, having donated over $1.3 million to LGBTQ+ organizations over the past five years. 7/10
Dr. Martens
Not only has Dr. Martens teamed up with The Trevor Project — a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention efforts for LGBTQ+ folks — for the fifth year, the brand is also donating $100,000 and committing to a year-round partnership. The 1461 For Pride Oxfords are versatile and timeless. 10/10
Hot Topic
Hot Topic has launched HERE tees and pins in collaboration with the Trevor Project. All net proceeds from this collection will be going to support the organization. Simple and to the point, these shirts come in a wide range of colors and sizes. 5/10
Jean Paul Gaultier
Le Male Pride Eau de Toilette is a collector’s edition of the iconic, original fragrance with key notes of mint, lavender and vanilla. The brand has also made a Pride playlist on Spotify. 5/10
Lego
Everyone is awesome, and Lego’s 2021 Pride collection strives to prove it. This new set features 346 pieces and 11 figures that display the colors of the rainbow flag, including black, brown, white, blue and pink. Matthew Ashton, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Lego’s Vice President of Design and creator of this set, says, “I am fortunate to be a part of a proud, supportive and passionate community of colleagues and fans. We share love for creativity and self-expression through LEGO bricks, and this set is a way to show my gratitude for all the love and inspiration that is constantly shared.” 10/10
Levi’s
In a genuinely impressive move, this year’s Levi’s 2021 Pride collection has a special focus on pronouns. A number of the items are customizable with the rainbow or trans flag, as well as a space for your pronouns (or whatever else you want to include!). Each piece is modeled by an actual LGBTQ+ person. 10/10
Mariah Carey
It’s Mariah Carey. 10/10
PUMA
PUMA and the OUT Foundation partnered up to launch the brand’s 2021 Pride collection. OUT’s mission is centered around ensuring LGBTQ+ folks have equal access, participation and success in the areas of health and fitness — a fitting partnership to have with a leading sportswear brand. PUMA and OUT will be launching FUSE, PUMA’s new strength trainer, later this summer. 6/10
Reebok
The iconic House of Ninja and Reebok have teamed up this year to celebrate the fight for acceptance, inclusion and recognition. The All Types of Love Pride collection and the 2021 Pride campaign film “Fierceness Isn’t Born. It’s Made.” were released together and honor ballroom culture. 10/10
Target
On the one hand, it’s cool that Target seems to have Pride items all year round. The company also has been working with GLSEN, an incredible organization working to support LGBTQ+ youth, for over 10 years. On the other hand, some of these products are just so abysmally bad that it feels like an insult. 5/10
Teletubbies
This is unironically the most delightful 2021 Pride collection so far. There’s a bucket hat, there are masks, the shorts are cute, and you can even have a custom suit made for nearly $5K. 12/10
Is there a 2021 Pride collection you really love? One that you really hate? Let us know.
