Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John Partner with Macy’s to Help Make the World a Kinder Place with New Limited-Edition Line: Love Bravery
25% of the purchase price of Love Bravery will benefit Born This Way
Foundation and Elton John AIDS Foundation
The limited-edition line launches this spring as part of Macy’s
American Icons campaign
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Macy’s has partnered with Grammy® and Golden Globe®-winning
icon Lady Gaga, as well as Grammy, Tony® and Academy Award®-winning
legend Sir Elton John to create Love Bravery, a high-spirited,
limited-edition line of clothing and accessories that inspire compassion
and combat prejudice. Available as part of Macy’s American Icons
campaign, Love Bravery spans several categories, including shirts,
sweats, outerwear, clutches, backpacks, scarves, beanies, keychains,
pins, and even speakers, water bottles and skateboards, all rendered in
vibrant graphic prints and designs that fuse both artists’ renowned
musical talent and revered inimitable style.
“It’s an honor to team up with Sir Elton John to create this line with
Macy’s,” said Lady Gaga. “We need to make the world a kinder and braver
place where men and women everywhere are empowered to live with
compassion. That’s what Born This Way Foundation is all about, that’s
what the Elton John AIDS Foundation is all about, and that’s what Love
Bravery is all about.”
“I love the idea of fusing who you are on the inside – your passions and
dreams – with what you wear on the outside,” said Sir Elton John. “Love
Bravery is about the compassion on the inside to understand someone’s
fears, and the bravery on the outside to stand up for them, and for
yourself: to accept others for who they are and to be who you want to
be. It’s what I’ve tried to do in my life, my career and with the Elton
John AIDS Foundation, and it’s a passion Lady Gaga and I share. So I’m
thrilled we are collaborating on this project and delighted Macy’s
understood our dream to connect with people this way.”
Created in collaboration with Lady Gaga’s sister, Natali Germanotta, and
designer Brandon Maxwell, the limited line boasts fresh crop tops and
sleeveless tees in stark black-and-white, while heather sweatshirts with
tonal graphics and tops with metallic lettering are edgy updates to the
athleisure trend. Oversized scarves with piano key prints and artistic
interpretations of Lady Gaga’s face are stylishly offbeat, and neoprene
backpacks that say “LOVE” and also have piano key prints are super cool
must-haves. With enamel pins and patches in the shape of moto jackets,
electric guitars, microphones, platform shoes and Lady Gaga’s infamous
claw, the options to show off your inner little monster are endless.
Clutches in the shape of sunglasses, pianos and hearts are
unapologetically fun and sassy.
“In addition to being deeply talented musical artists, Lady Gaga and Sir
Elton John are champions of self-love, courage, empathy and kindness,
and Love Bravery represents all of those tenets,” said Martine Reardon,
Macy’s chief marketing officer. “We are so proud to present a line that
is not only fun and bold, but also stands for something so meaningful
and important. The work they do through Born This Way Foundation and the
Elton John AIDS Foundation is invaluable and truly changes lives, and
Macy’s is honored to partner with them to spread the message of love and
acceptance.”
Born This Way Foundation is committed to supporting the wellness of
young people and empowering them to create a kinder and braver world by
shining a light on real people, supporting quality research, and
fostering meaningful partnerships focused on social emotional learning
(SEL) and mental health awareness and resources. The Elton John AIDS
Foundation raises much-needed funds for evidence-based programs that
give people the information and tools to protect and care for themselves
and those they love – challenging stigma, reducing the spread of HIV and
preventing people from getting sick or dying of AIDS.
The foundations brought together a diverse array of young people to
showcase the Love Bravery apparel and will be sharing content from that
campaign this spring. The limited-edition line with Macy’s is the first
in a series of activations which are planned for the coming months to
make people feel proud of who they are.
Love Bravery will be sold exclusively at Macy’s this spring, with 25
percent of the purchase price benefitting Born This Way Foundation and
the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and will be available globally later
this year. All donations from the limited-edition line, on sale through
Aug. 30, 2016, will be made to Born This Way Foundation, which will use
50 percent to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers
fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 730
locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam,
as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international
destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its
stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers
distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive
and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic
events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower
shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including
Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State
Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in
southern California — are known internationally and are leading
destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition,
and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps
strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving
more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives
of our customers.
For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit
our online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.
About Elton John AIDS Foundation
The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is dedicated to reducing the
spread of HIV/AIDS through innovative HIV prevention programs,
eliminating the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS and
supporting direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Sir Elton John created EJAF over twenty years ago, first in the United
States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Since then, the
two organizations have raised nearly £220m (over $350m) and reached over
150 million people across four continents. We work with local, national
and international organizations to provide non-discriminatory HIV
information, testing and treatment services that stop people becoming
infected with HIV or getting sick and dying of AIDS. This has meant
funding some 1,500 programs including providing HIV tests to over 20
million people, and treatment prevention for more than 800,000 pregnant
woman living with HIV so that they could protect their babies from the
HIV virus. The Foundation also prioritizes those who are highly
vulnerable to HIV and the stigma that surrounds it in many parts of the
world such as men who engage in male-to-male sex, people who use drugs
and people who sell sex. Our work with Love Bravery will go towards
prevention and treatment programs for adolescents living with HIV. AIDS
is the second leading cause of death for 10-19 year olds worldwide.
About Born This Way Foundation
Led by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta, Born This Way
Foundation was founded in 2012 to support the wellness of young people
and empower them to create a kinder and braver world. Born This Way
Foundation achieves this by shining a light on real people, quality
research, and authentic partnerships. Working with more than 50
non-profit organizations, Born This Way Foundation has connected more
than 150,000 young people with services and programing in their
communities. The Foundation has also partnered with the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Council for Behavioral Health, and the
National Association of School Psychologists to collect data from more
than 2,500 young people. This research, presented before the American
Psychological Association, improved our understanding of young people’s
views of mental-health services and delivery methods.
Visit us at bornthisway.foundation.
Contacts
Macy’s
Holly Thomas, 646-429-5250
holly.thomas@macys.com
or
Macy’s
Julie
Strider Fukami, 646-429-5213
julie.striderfukami@macys.com
