Loewe X Divine is the 2020 Capsule Collection You Didn’t Know You Needed

Divine Inspiration

Celebrating Pride this year has been a roller coaster to say the least. Social media feeds that would typically be overloaded with rainbow-clad products ready for one-tap checkout are (rightly) barren. But Loewe, the Spanish-born luxury fashion house, has dropped a Pride month collab to end all collabs. Loewe X Divine.

Divine was the ultimate drag queen of the 70s and 80s. A gloriously raunchy and seriously fabulous queen, he was one of the first drag stars. His shock-inducing role in Pink Flamingos practically made him a household name, and his performance in 1988’s Hairspray (his last film to be released before his death) remains iconic.

Setting Divine center stage as the inspiration for one of 2020’s best Pride month collections seems apt. Divine pushed boundaries and made the uncomfortable feel strangely comfortable. He made people stand up and pay attention. So, if you needed a reminder – it’s time to pay attention to present-day LGBTQIA community members whose voices deserve to shine in the spotlight.

The words ‘iconic’ and ‘inspired’ don’t do Divine justice, but they definitely work for Loewe’s limited-edition collection that pays homage to the original queen. Loewe is the standard in classic yet funky handbags and apparel. The house artfully weaves together classic colors with geometric details, and occasionally mix it up (check out Paula’s Ibiza Collection) with splashes of color dancing across staple pieces. And they have fully embraced the funk in this capsule collection.

Featuring three t-shirts and a handbag, it’s a retro dream come true. Plastered with images and quotes (the funk), the t-shirts are accessible to almost all (the classic). It’s a shame that the size run doesn’t go above a large, because everyone deserves to brand themselves as the filthiest woman alive. That being said, the bag – canvas & calfskin – is the epitome of funky yet classic. Brandishing primary colors and oozing vintage-chic vibes, it’s a bag that Divine himself would presumably don on his own arm – filled with something hilariously trashy, of course.

The collection appeared alongside a virtual exhibition showcasing some of Divine’s most memorable moments. The handwritten letters and aquamarine cufflinks are a personal favorite. A percentage of proceeds benefit Visual AIDS, a not-for-profit organization that elevates AIDS awareness through the arts, and Loewe has committed to making a donation to Baltimore Pride – a BIPOC-led organization located in Divine’s hometown.