AMI X GLAAD for Pride 2020

In celebration of Pride month, AMI and GLAAD have joined forces to create the Rainbow capsule collection, of which 100% of profits will be donated to the non-profit organisation. Alexandre Mattiussi founded AMI on the values of friendship, love, inclusion and equality. The brand has long been a steady ally of the LGBTQ community over the past years, striving to raise awareness as well as supporting charities against homophobia and transphobia. GLAAD has been committed to helping the LGBTQ community across the world since 1985, globally shaping and provoking a dialogue against discrimination and prejudice, helping to make the world a place where everyone should be able to live and love as they choose. We spoke to Mattiussi about the project, as well as the campaign photographed by Amit Israeli with real couples, celebrating what pride month is all about: the right to love who you want.

FG: What motivated AMI to put together this collection and partnership with GLAAD?
AM: When I created AMI, I had some important values in mind that are still at the core of our DNA: friendship, inclusion, joy, authenticity and inclusivity. These are values that we share with GLAAD, so when thinking about a partner to release this collection with, they were an obvious choice. I also wanted this to be authentic and close to the LGBTQ cause and GLAAD has been a steady ally of this community for many years all over the globe. The resulting collection comprises five very AMI pieces with a special touch, the rainbow’s colours, close to GLAAD and all that they fight for.

FG: What were you looking for during the casting process?
AM: I was looking for cool, loving and friendly couples who could embody this collection and its values, regardless of gender or orientation. I wanted this campaign to be as authentic and honest as possible, conveying a strong message of the celebration of love and the right to love who you want.

FG: Would you say it’s even more relevant to promote a positive message of love and equality now more than ever?
AM: Of course, we as brands have the responsibility to keep promoting positive messages and I’m glad and proud to say that this has been a part of AMI since the beginning. I am aware that during this period we need uplifting messages and strong, positive images, and I strive to always include these values in every AMI show, collection and campaign – just like this one.

FG: The Pride parades are cancelled around the world due to the pandemic, is AMI participating in a new expression of Pride, celebrating love, fairness and equality?
AM: Practically everything has been transformed because of this health emergency, physical Pride support acts included. But I feel that in these difficult times we need more than ever to celebrate Pride and everything that it embodies: inclusion, equality, love and friendship. I also felt the need to show my engagement with the LGBTQ community by giving back despite the difficult times: all the proceeds of the worldwide sales will go directly to GLAAD and their cause, very close to my heart. And yes, AMI is taking part of this celebration again through this collaboration with GLAAD, which was planned before all of this started. The parades might be cancelled, but it remains Pride celebration month, nonetheless.

Agathe and Camille have been a couple for just over a year and been cast in AMI’s recent campaign celebrating Pride and love. They applied via Instagram, and share with us their experience of participating in a major campaign as well as what love looks like in 2020.

FG: What motivated you to participate in the AMI casting?
Agathe: I decided we should apply. Camille’s best friend tagged me in the Instagram post. I asked myself if it was a good idea for us at first. I thought the project was an amazing opportunity to experience as a couple, the charity and the goal behind it motivated us even more and we felt that we had a right as a couple to participate.
Camille: We also adore the brand’s identity, the simplicity of the brand, the “classic” style which is also poetic and modern. The fact that the brand is French was also important to us, it defiantly represents the Parisian chic.
Agathe: Participating in this campaign allowed us to have our relationship and our love captured in time.

FG: Had you ever participated in casting on social media before?
Agathe: No, we never had, it was the first time. Which made the whole experience more enjoyable for us. The first time was the right time! We had no idea how these casting worked. We were able to meet Alexandre Mattiussi and Jonathan Ferrari, AMI’s global image director who was very supportive, friendly and encouraging towards us. Their personalities really represent the brand and its values. The whole team was amazing, we were very stressed at first but they made us feel at ease.

FG: What is it like being in a same-sex relationship, in Paris in 2020?
Agathe: In my opinion, I don’t feel any different, I have the same tender intentions and gestures towards my girlfriend.
Camille: People do stare, but I feel that they are sweet looks, people are just curious. Agathe: We get a lot of compliments, never any slurs. I feel that the youth couldn’t care less and those who are maybe more curious are older, but it’s generational I guess.

FG: How do your individual personalities merge together?
Agathe: We are both passionate about the arts, the creative and visual world. We are both interested and involved in one another’s activities. I will comment and give my opinion. When I am sewing or creating Camille will also guide me. Camille is an architect and artist and I am a visual merchandiser.
Camille: We are definitely very complementary to one another, we are in similar fields. Agathe’s opinion is always very important to me, she is the final project supervisor! My projects grow and shape themselves with her, I guess like all our projects work-related or not.
Agathe: Camille will help with my project techniques for example if I design a store, I’ll create the concept but she will do the floor plans and the 3D rendering.

The AMI X GLADD Rainbow capsule collection is available as of June 1st on amiparis.com and in stores, contingent on lockdown policies in each country.

Photography: Amit Israeli
Words: Freya Gnaedig
Hair: Quentin Nguyen
MUA: Tiffany Fouqueil