& Other Stories to celebrate Pride with LGBTQIA+ artist residencies

& Other Stories is celebrating Pride 2022 by lending its platform to five creatives from the LGBTQIA+ community to amplify underrepresented voices within its stores, including London and New York.

The retailer is teaming up with LGBTQIA+ artists including Yasha Lelonek, Djamila Imani, ShayShay Konno, Stella Zekri and Hanna Kisch throughout the summer to share their unique perspectives on style and identity.

The Pride initiative will launch at the end of June in Paris and New York and end in Stockholm at the beginning of August, which each holding an artist residency in-store.

In June, New York-based actress, filmmaker and fine artist Yasha Lelonek will be at the & Other Stories Soho store in New York, while multidisciplinary artist, model and performer Djamila Imani will be in residence at the Le Marais store in Paris, both will be in-store until June 27.

This will be followed up in July with ShayShay Konno, a writer, director and co-founder of the Pan-Asian cabaret collective The Bitten Peach, taking over the Regent Street store in London from July 11 to 18. In Berlin, French DJ and singer, based in the German city, known for her genre-defying and wide-ranging sets will be at the Kurfürstendamm store from July 25 to August 1.

The Pride artist residencies will conclude with costume designer, artist, and stylist Hanna Kisch at the Biblioteksgatan store in Stockholm from August 1 to 8.

Roma Bracey, area manager and inclusion and diversity project lead at & Other Stories, said in a statement: “At & Other Stories, we believe that sharing stories from diverse perspectives helps us grow and learn. We’re proud to celebrate Pride together with five amazing artists from the LGBTQIA+ community who, with their unique expressions, share their work with us.

“We’re constantly aiming to evolve as a company and expand our work in inclusion and diversity. Following our I&D plan, we keep on working with the community, listening, learning, and collaborating all year round, so everyone always feels safe and welcome at & Other Stories.”

In addition, & Other Stories is donating to the UN Free and Equal campaign, UN Human Rights’ global public information campaign for LGBTIQ+ equality.