Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia has been a longtime supporter and ally of the LGBTQIA+ community for years. In fact, that passion is the root of her brand’s annual Pride party, a splashy affair that’s been giving back to the Ali Forney Center — which provides resources to LGBTQIA+ youth —since 2019.
“As a brand that’s authentically supported the community for years and for life, it just felt like it was important to show how a brand can do it right,” Bendet exclusively told Footwear News at this year’s summer camp-themed event.
“Doing it right is being authentic to who you are as a brand, who your customers are and using your brand to create change to help the community, like the Ali Forney Center. When you’re just doing something to try and sell product or to try and gain market share, it doesn’t work. You have to think about how, as a brand, you can use your platform to help the communities and people you want to help. It’s just as much about that as it is about supporting our community, meaning the people in my company who are LGBTQIA+, the friends of my children who are LGBTQIA+, and really just doing something that’s giving back to that community.”
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In light of financial and business challenges faced by many of her design peers this year, Bendet’s also been reflecting on how the fashion industry can come together to support one another when difficult times arise. Her solution? Perseverance.
“It’s really up to every brand to think through what they need to do during these times…individually, designers can support each other through tough times and change,” Bendet says.
“I think the world has changed so much with social media, with global exposure, with supply chain issues — there’s just been a lot of disruption in our world from the retail side, the manufacturing side. What you need to do as a designer — and Norma Kamali and DVF actually said this yesterday at CFDA Board meeting — is, you’ve got to keep going. It’s always hard, but perseverance is just part of being an entrepreneur and a designer.”
As a designer whose brand, ethos and image are steeped in optimism, Bendet is hopeful for the future — and believes in the power of fashion to deliver that emotion to whoever needs it.
“I always look at fashion, the things we wear and the clothes I make as a tool to bring out the best version of yourself,” Bendet says. “What you wear each day is your expression. It’s what you’re sharing with the world. It’s my job to create beautiful things that make the rest of the world feel really beautiful every day.”
Alice + Olivia’s Pride party featured an “Alice + Olivia’s Camp Pride” theme, with activations and activities inspired by summer camp — including friendship bracelet stations, ping pong and snacks and refreshments from Neat Burger, ShopRunner, Ketel One Botanical, Astral Tequila, The Beach Rosé, Juneshine and Flow Water.
Guests including Katie Holmes, Nicky Hilton, Ariana DeBose and Dylan Mulvaney were also treated to performances by Kenzie Ziegler and Ty Sunderland to close out the evening at The Close East Lawn.
