John Varvatos launches first pride capsule

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, John Varvatos has created a 3-piece capsule collection with proceeds benefitting amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. With over 4 million people expected to attend New York City for WorldPride this year, Varvatos took his opportunity to capitalize on the festivities.

The 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in NYC will be commemorating the rebellious spirit that helped move the LGBTQ community forward over the past 50 years. John Varvatos, founded in NYC and born out of an innate rebel spirit, was a fitting brand for a capsule collection for Pride. The two T-shirts and tank top feature emblems pertinent to John Varvatos ethos, represent peace, equality, and inclusivity for all — key pillars of the Pride March and LGBTQIA+ organizations worldwide.

John Varvatos celebrates pride month with 3-piece capsule

The capsule will be sold online at select John Varvatos locations and online. The two T-shirts will retail at 78 dollars and the single tank retails at 68 dollars with a portion of the proceeds being donated to amfAR.

"Gay men in the U.S. and around the world continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV,” said Kevin Robert Frost, amfAR’s chief executive officer, in a statement. “We’re deeply grateful to John Varvatos for their support of our efforts to develop a cure that could finally bring this epidemic to an end.”

As a partner of Heritage of Pride, John Varvatos will be featuring sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilts in their New York City stores. A powerful visual reminder of the AIDS pandemic. On October 11, 1987, the Quilts made its debut on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., covering a space larger than a football field. There are now more than 48,000 panels that have been made to commemorate individuals who have lost their lives to AIDS.

To celebrate the season John Varvatos has partnered with renowned photographer, Mary Ellen Matthews, best known for her work as the SNL photographer for the past 20 years, to create a visual celebration of Pride. Individual shots of friends of the brand will be released throughout the entire month depicting the subject’s individuality while the pride colors radiating around them. The custom Pride celebration images will promote the Pride capsule collection and amfAR charity partnership along with the John Varvatos Pride hashtag #JVPRIDE.

photo: courtesy of Purple PR