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.
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
