PENNEYS

This year, Penneys is proud to pledge €175,000 to various local charities across Europe and the US, all dedicated to supporting the LGBTQI+ community

This year’s campaign celebrates the joy of authenticity, self-expression, and living in a way that says ‘this is me’ every day. Penneys will donate almost €300,000 to charities across Europe and the US, dedicated to supporting the LGBTQI+ community, including €20,000 to support Belong To, Ireland’s national LGBTQ+ youth organisation. The retailer has launched a new inclusive clothing and accessory collection featuring slogan t-shirts, stylish crochet tops and a range of gender-neutral base wear.

30th May 2024: As Pride celebrations kick off across Europe, Penneys is celebrating the joy of dressing, accessorising and living in an authentic way, with a new campaign. Centring on the message - Be Authentic, Be Proud, Be You – the campaign showcases the power of self-expression and represents the diversity of the brand’s colleagues and customers.

This year, Penneys is proud to pledge €175,000 to various local charities across Europe and the US, all dedicated to supporting the LGBTQI+ community, as we work towards a future where everyone can be their authentic selves. As part of this, the retailer will donate €20,000 to Belong To - LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland. Belong To supports LGBTQ+ young people between 14 and 23 years olds through youth work, a family support service, education and campaigns..

Penneys will also donate a further €115,000 to its long-term charity partner, ILGA World, the International

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, as they press forward to advance equity and equality for those in the community. This is the sixth year of Penneys’ partnership with ILGA World and takes the retailer’s contribution to LGBTQI+ charities to over €1 million since 2018.

The new collection launching alongside the campaign includes clothing across adults and kids, as well as must-have accessories like hats, socks and bags, designed to be worn time and time again. Customers can also pick up limited-edition Pride reusable cleansing pads, perfect for make-up or glitter removal.

New to the collection are a rainbow crochet shirt and vest set, as well as a selection of t-shirts, inspired by music legends. Also returning this year is Penneys’ gender-neutral base wear range, which can be worn as underwear or outerwear and is made from Lycra’s adaptive elastane, offering stretch and recovery properties to fit different shapes and sizes. Available from 2XS – 2XL, the inclusive range includes two seam free tops, a pair of shorts and unitard and is designed to be accessible and affordable to as many people as possible, with prices starting from €4.50.

Charlie Magadah-Williams, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Primark said: “This year, we really wanted to capture that special moment when how we look on the outside represents exactly how we feel on the inside, and the pride that unlocks. Authenticity is at the heart of our campaign, from the beautiful imagery and storytelling to our inclusive range of products and our pledge to support LGBTQI+ charities across Europe and the US. For us, Pride is more than just a month of festivities; it represents a year-round commitment to our LGBTQI+ colleagues and customers, championing equal rights and opportunities. From our products to our policies, it’s all about making sure everyone experiences the joy of finding somewhere they belong.”

The retailer collaborated with its LGBTQI+ colleague network, which provides a safe space for members of the community and their allies to feel represented, supported and heard, in the development of this year’s range and campaign. Colleagues will participate in Pride events in 16 cities across its markets, including Dublin, Krakow, Brooklyn and Madrid. The brand will also host customerfacing events in a selection of stores, celebrating Pride with the LGBTQI+ community in multiple locations.

The collection lands in all Penneys stores nationwide from the 1st June with prices starting from €4.50 for clothing and €1.30 for accessories in the range.

For more information, visit www. primark.com/en-ie.