Sneaker company Reebok has unveiled their new Pride collection for 2021, and it’s understandably fierce.
This year, Reebok’s collection was designed entirely by Colorful Soles, the out LGBTQ worker group within the company. They are using the new collection as an opportunity to highlight ballroom culture, and have partnered with the Iconic House of Ninja to promote the collection.
Related: Burger King changes logo to “Burger Queer” to honor Pride month
“Colorful Soles wanted to pay homage to ballroom culture and what it has brought to not only the LGBTQIA+ community, but humanity on a global scale,” Reebok announced in a statement this week.
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
“The culture has inspired so many trends of colloquialisms, fashion, art, music, and most importantly advocacy, which is why Willi Ninja created House of Ninja in the 1980s to be a safe-house for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Archie Burnett, Javier Madrid, Aisha Murray, and Elizabeth Rivera of the House of Ninja star in the ad for the collection’s 2021 campaign. The House is known for its “stellar contributions to the creation of Vogue Dance,” according to Reebok’s statement.
“It is easy to walk on the dark side, you have to fight for the light. And that takes work. Fierceness isn’t born, it’s made,” Burnett narrates in the 60-second spot.
Introducing the iconic House of Ninja, founded by Willi Ninja in 1983/84. Through community, movement, and vogueing, the Legendary House of Ninja shows that Fierceness Isn’t Born. It’s Made. https://t.co/eOUSYPSM9j #ReebokPride pic.twitter.com/dR9lOSRizD
— Reebok (@Reebok) May 15, 2021
Burnett, who is straight, talked about becoming a straight man “who became enveloped in queer culture” through Willi Ninja, his mentor and closest friend in a Reebok diary blog.
“Ballroom is the platform to highlight one’s talent, commitment, belief system, personal discovery, transformation, etc. In these arenas one can shine, show out, whatever,” he said.
Each shoe in the collection has the All Types of Love “manifesto” printed on the shoe’s tongue or sock liner, and each shirt has it on the tag. The “manifesto” was first incorporated in last year’s collection.
Colorful Soles also used the Progress Pride flag on product tags, in addition to the already Pride color-incorporating products.
Graphic designer Daniel Quasar created the Progress Pride flag, which includes a five-colored chevron to the classic Rainbow Flag to place a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression,” featuring the trans flag colors and black and brown stripes.
Reebok is introducing six new shoes with the collection, three new tops, and a new pair of shorts as well. The collection products range in price from $35 to $170 suggested retail price. All products are unisex and also come in children’s unisex sizes for the first time as well.
Additionally, Reebok donated $75,000 to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project in honor of the collection in order to “honor, uplift, and affirm the TGNCI [trans, gender non-conforming, and intersex] community.”
The Boston-based shoe company also recently released a separate collection with out bisexual entertainer Cardi B.
All the products are available for purchase now.
