Pride Month Round-Up: This Year's Best Pride Sneakers
Bust out your glitter and your dancing shoes, it's time to celebrate Pride Month. And 2019 is a big one, honouring 50 years since the watershed Stonewall Riots.
As celebrations kick off around the world, the titans of sportswear are getting in on the action, joining the annual celebration of LBGTQ+ communities with a slew of commemorative releases and community initiatives. Rainbows are omnipresent, and the fun has been dialled up to 11. These are our favourite of a very bright bunch.
Todd Snyder x New Balance 997 'Love'
A rainbow palette is standard issue for Pride releases, but the Todd Snyder x New Balance 997 take on the colour spectrum is a more muted affair. And, might we add, it is also one of the sleekest celebratory drops we've seen. The hues are dialled back to pastel, and the premium suedes scream quality.
To spread the shoe's message of love, the New York designer teamed up with the Lesbian and Gay Big Apple Corp, celebrating their hometown Pride parade with respect, music and a whole lot of marching.
If you missed out on top notch 997s, keep an eye on our IG for a Pride Month treat.
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Nike 'BETRUE' 2019
Nike have delved back to the beginning of the movement for their 2019 'BETRUE' Collection, honouring Gilbert Baker's original eight-colour Pride flag. Designed in 1979, the first Pride rainbow featured two colours – pink and turquoise – that aren't included in today's version.
The Swoosh have teamed up with the Gilbert Baker Estate to honour his work, stretching the rainbow across Air Max 90s, Tailwinds, Pegasus Turbos, Air Max 720s, and a similarly colourful apparel collection.
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Converse Pride
Converse have gone all out this year, plying an array of Chuck 70s and All Stars with glitter and all the colours of the rainbow. Championing self-expression, the collection taps both the gay pride and trans pride flags for inspiration. The details also ramp up the celebration: aglets and heel badges sport the flag's colours, while '1969-2019' printed behind the tongue honours the 50 years since Stonewall.
The collection sees the brand champion queer youth, continuing their longstanding partnerships with OUT MetroWest and the It Gets Better Project, both of which support LGBTQ+ youth.
Reebok Pride
The 'Bok's Pride offering takes a subtle turn this year, adding rainbow touches to a trio of classic silhouettes. The Classic Leather, Club C, and Freestyle Hi have all been washed in white, set atop a gum sole, while rainbow stitching adds a pop of colour. The final flourish comes via the flag, which takes pride of place (pun intended) on the badge.
To top it off, they've partnered with Fenway Health for the collection to continue their support of the LGBTQ+ community.
