A selection of clothes that has no gender and campaign that brought LGBTQ+ people to the stage.
Zalando wants to empower people to embrace their own identities through fashion. As an inclusive, socially responsible brand they want to liberate people to feel free to be whatever they want. LGBTQ+ people are very rarely seen in advertising or in media. We decided not only to reject gender stereotypes but also put LGBTQ+ people in the spotlight in the way they wanted to be seen.
We created Zalando Liberation Closet: a collection of clothes that has no gender and a safe space for LGBTQ+ people to try them on. Liberation closet was both physical and digital space during the Helsinki Pride week. A place where you can be whatever and wear whatever and try clothes from our Liberation Closet -selection. Clothes selection was curated by our LGBTQ+ influencers and it was available for purchase at Zalando’s webstore. We also put LGBTQ+ people to the spotlight as our campaign faces, so they could be seen as they want to be seen.
Our influencers hosted small events at the Liberation Closet, where to speak out not only about the clothes but also about human rights: why only clothes belong to the closet, not humans. Events were limited due the Covid-9 epidemic so all the events went live via Helsinki Pride IG tv for everyone to join them. Zalando’s message “Free to be” got a new meaning and in the end it was not only Zalando’s slogan but became the most used phrase in the whole Helsinki Pride week.
