Bloomingdale’s has come out with “Pride for All” pop-up shops.
They launched Thursday, within the Carousel areas at the Bloomingdale’s 59th Street, SoHo, San Francisco and Century City, Calif., stores. The Pride merchandise is also being sold on bloomingdales.com., just as New York gets ready to host WorldPride next month and simultaneously celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, which occurred June 29, 1969.
“This is not all just about rainbows. This is about unique product that can tell a story and is certainly fashionable,” Frank Berman, Bloomingdale’s chief marketing officer, told WWD.
Berman said the pop-ups showcase brands that “embrace identity, evoke the color and joy of LGBT Pride Month” and include up-and-coming queer design talent. Out Magazine’s editor in chief Phillip Picardi assisted in curating the shop and helped source forward-thinking labels including Chromat, a swim line with body-positive and queer-friendly aesthetics; Phluid Project, an inclusive T-shirt collection for gender-nonconforming customers, and hand-painted jackets by designer and multimedia artist Patrick Church.
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Created in partnership with Housing Works and Opening Ceremony, the Bloomingdale’s Pride shops also have exclusive T-shirts featuring logos from famous gay nightclubs, such as Uncle Charlie’s Downtown, Meow Mix Bar, Paradise Garage and The Saint. There are rainbow headbands, belt bags and bandannas by Echo, an official partner of WorldPride. Bloomingdale’s will participate in the Pride march with its first Bloomingdale’s themed float.
Some best-selling Pride products could wind up graduating from the Carousel pop up to a more extended stay elsewhere on Bloomingdale’s fashion floors. The store has in the past sold some Pride-related product, but the “Pride for All” pop-ups marks the store’s first concentration of product promoting inclusiveness, genderless fashion and Gay Pride. Bloomingdale’s has also previously partnered with organizations such as God’s Love We Deliver and Housing Works to raise awareness and support the LGTBQ community. The Carousel will further support the community with events, experiences and donation opportunities, including conversations on gender equality and empowerment, fitness and beauty classes and Church will paint one of his vintage leather jackets.
Bloomingdale’s Carousel concept shops change their themes and merchandise every two months, and they are being rolled out to additional Bloomingdale’s stores.