Ahead of Pride Month, South African designer Rich Mnisi is launching a new collection with adidas.
The award-winning designer with a long-standing partnership with adidas is releasing a range of apparel and footwear that spans both lifestyle and performance, featuring signature silhouettes across adidas Originals, football, cycling, Sportswear and swim.
The range is inspired by a love letter Mnisi wrote to his younger self, in which he declares ‘Let Love Be Your Legacy’ – by encouraging people to spread love and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.
“In creating this collection, I had a strong impulse to speak to my inner child and express to the world how LGBTQIA+ allyship can create a legacy of love. Unifying these themes through my own visual language and adidas’ iconic performance and lifestyle pieces is a powerful combination – making the collection a symbol for self-acceptance and LGBTQIA+ advocacy. My hope is this range inspires LGBTQIA+ allies to speak up more for the queer people they love and not let them fight for acceptance alone,” says the designer.
This is not the first Rich Mnisi pride collection. Last year, the designer dropped a limited pride collection titled “OUT,” dedicated to queer bodies for just being.
“As inequality rages on, so does our fight, but within it, we celebrate the small wins. We choose joy wherever it’s found. Beyond struggling and striving, we keep hoping for a better future, one of peace and freedom for every identity. Happy Pride: Here’s to being,” said Mnisi at the time.
The new adidas x RICH MNISI collection for Pride 2023 dropped on May 15 and is available globally. Adidas x Rich Mnisi is part of the ‘Love Letters’ campaign supported by Sports star Tom Daley, activist Jari Jones and Springbok Women’s rugby player Lusanda Dumke.
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