ABOVE: A series of photos from Calvin Klein’s #PROUDINMYCALVINS collection (Credit: Instagram (amyjoycreative), Originally shot by Ryan McGinley)
Fashion brand Calvin Klein is supporting onePULSE Foundation’s mission of LGBTQ+ equality this Pride season with the unveiling of their latest collection, according to a press release from the onePULSE Foundation.
#PROUDINMYCALVINS features an assortment of Pride-themed apparel, underwear, swimwear and accessories for customers to choose from and is branded as “a celebration of self-love and the full spectrum of identity.”
Calvin Klein and its parent company PVH Corp. donated funds to the onePULSE Foundation, including a $1 million grant by the PVH Foundation, according to a Calvin Klein spokesperson.
The money from the PVH grant, announced in June of last year, supports the construction of the National Pulse Memorial & Museum, as well as a scholarship that honors the life of Pulse victim and former Calvin Klein manager Frank Hernandez. The desire of fellow Calvin Klein associates to “celebrate the memory and legacy” of Hernandez prompted the fashion brand to reach out and offer support to the onePULSE Foundation.
Calvin Klein is no stranger to LGBTQ+ advocacy. Its parent company PVH Corp. received a score of 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index this year, an annual report that evaluates the LGBTQ+ inclusivity of various corporations.
The clothing brand has also partnered up with the LGBTQ+ human rights organization OutRight Action International on a COVID-19 LGBTIQ Global Emergency Fund, which offers “emergency financial resources to LGBTQ+ organizations around the world who are serving people impacted by COVID-19,” Calvin Klein’s spokesperson stated.
In addition to fashion, the #PROUDINMYCALVINS collection showcases queer visibility by telling the “the powerful narratives” of LGBTQ+ public figures through a series of interviews. Such individuals include British model Reece King, American singer Gia Woods and Brazilian singer Pabllo Vittar, who performed at last year’s Come Out With Pride festival.
The representation provided by #PROUDINMYCALVINS is already resonating with members of the LGBTQ+ community, with Twitter users like queer visual artist Clementine Morel calling the collection “EVERYTHING WE NEED.”
#PROUDINMYCALVINS campaing this year is EVERYTHING WE NEED. #pride
— clementine morel (@somefreesoul) May 15, 2020
The fact that I just got an email from Calvin Klein for #PROUDINMYCALVINS and saw @chellamanart and MaryV makes me so unbelievably happy😭😭
— Blake Jackman (@BlakeJackman26) May 14, 2020
The content series accompanying the collection aims to celebrate “shared themes of love, family, coming out, allyship and identity” and will run throughout the year. The series can be found across Calvin Klein’s digital platforms, including YouTube.
