LOVE UNITES: Meet Pabllo Vittar, our Co-creator for Pride 24
The PRIDE 24 collection celebrates individuality and feeling powerful in your skin.
Over 6 years ago, adidas embarked on a groundbreaking partnership with the Brazilian star Pabllo Vittar, now a global icon as one of the most renowned drag queens. For those outside of Brazil or the pop music scene, her name might have only gained recognition two years ago, in 2022, when she became the first drag queen to ever perform in a live music festival (Coachella, United States). However, in her home country, Pabllo has been an icon of the *LGBTQIA2S+ culture for over a decade, representing and empowering the community through her art and activism.
* LGBTQIA2S+ is an acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit (a pan-Indigenous American identity), Plus the gender identities and sexual orientations that are not specifically covered by the letters in the acronym.
And talking about breaking barriers, Pabllo is also the first Latin American artist to co-create a global collection with adidas. The adidas x Pabllo Vittar Pride collaboration is not just about fashion, it’s a statement of inclusivity and empowerment.
Inspired by Brazilian swimwear, the collection was designed to adjust to diverse body shapes, celebrating the power of individuality and the strength of unity.
It’s all about feeling powerful in your skin, bringing your whole and authentic self, and celebrating individuality. It’s all about realizing that LOVE UNITES.
"LIFE CAN ONLY BE LIVED ONCE. HAVE NO FEAR OF SHOWING WHO YOU TRULY ARE"
In the initial meetings with the creative team, Pabllo took the lead in shaping the collection. She expressed, “Designing a PRIDE collection is not simply getting existing products and adding the PRIDE flag. It’s about the shapes, the fabric, the graphism. It’s about envisioning how people will use these products to express themselves.”
As adidas is a brand of sports and its culture born from it, the collection mixes classic adidas silhouettes inspired by sportswear (such as Superstar and Gazelle) with the artist’s unique view. In the United States, Major League Soccer (MLS) teams are elevating PRIDE month celebration with a special pre-match top.
In mid-June, we talked briefly to Pabllo about the new collection, here’s what she shared:
inside3stripes: Pabllo, what inspired the collection? What motivated you to create each of the pieces we see now on the market?
Pabllo Vittar: My greatest inspiration for this collection was the members of our community, LGBTQIA2S+, because we are diverse, and we are not afraid. I wanted people to see us more beyond the rainbow – to highlight our potential, power and plurality. When I received adidas' invitation (to co-create the collection), I felt very emotional, obviously, because I had already designed the PV Low (Forum Low Pabllo Vittar), the beautiful shoe I created on my 30th birthday. But then we had the challenge to bring a whole collection of footwear and clothing. So, I turned myself entirely to the community and to the ‘child Pabllo’ who once dreamed about having an adidas shoe but couldn’t afford it – now here leading a global PRIDE collection.
I3S: This collection brings the best of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. You are a music star and super connected to the fashion industry when creating a collection that also embraces sportswear. How do you feel about these intersections between music, fashion, and sports? Tell about this version of Pabllo that is off-stage creating this collection.
PV: Fashion is very important for me as a performance artist. When you choose your clothing, you send a message and how you are feeling. When I’m off the stage, I’m very shy, so I love using fashion to empower and boost myself – when I’m dressed up as Pabllo Vittar, I’m beautiful and powerful. But I think it’s very important whenever we dress up to share an impactful message.
I felt great when we also designed sportswear because, although we have a fair presence of LGBTQIA2S+ community members, there’s clearly room for improvement. So, it was important to shine a light on the LGBTQIA2S+ athletes out there who often suffer discrimination for playing one sport or another. It’s lovely to know they will be wearing a piece of clothing I made.
I3S: You’ve recently launched a new album and performed with Madonna in her historic show in Rio de Janeiro, two important milestones in your career. Do you also see this collaboration as a milestone?
PV: For sure! I believe this collaboration will kick off several important milestones both for me and adidas. It’s touching and emotional to know I’m “at home” - at a brand that has always believed in me and in my potential and that can see beyond gender and sexuality barriers.
It is touching to have been able to show to all my fans and everyone who might not even dream about “getting there”, just as I did in the past, that yes, you can dream, and you will get there. I am showing all kids and teens worldwide that they can dream and believe in it.
IS3: There’s a famous quote of yours – “life can only be lived once. Have no fear of showing who you truly are.” How much of this is in the collection?
PV: I always say that because since my early years, I have never been afraid of being myself. I always knew we only have one life to live, and we need to live all versions of ourselves that we can. I wanted to bring that to the collection in a gradient of colors creating a unique print in the typography. I turned myself to streetwear, to what people are wearing at LGBTQIA2S+ parties, in the underground scene… I wanted to bring much of what I learned in the past years as Pabllo Vittar and as Phabullo Rodrigues (Pabllo’s birth name).
