Pride Pants Mix Pride And Fashion

Pride Pants on Kickstarter seeks to promote GLBT pride in a new way.

Got Pride?

Matt Limpede, 28, the creator of Pride Pants created Pride Pants because “I had more Pride than I knew what to do with. So I thought, why not make my jeans the flag instead of carrying a flag?”

Limpede has worn his pants to several Dallas and Austin pride festivals and received countless compliments and questions about where he got them. He wanted to expand into a full-fledged operation, but the costs and time resources were prohibitive.

“I paint each pair by hand, so it’s a process. They aren’t shipped off to a factory or run through a production line. I’m not interested in doing that because then they wouldn’t be unique.”

Limpede also stresses that he only makes them from used or recycled jeans from thrift stores and resale shops in an effort to be green.

Kickstarter Helps Defray Startup Costs

A friend recently mentioned the ever-growing Kickstarter and Limpede knew that it was time to try and get the pants to the people. Kickstarter is a crowd-source funding platform for creative projects that’s an alternative to capital investors and corporate funding.

Pride Pants launched July 11 and will have until August 2 to raise $2500, which will fund a booth at Dallas and Austin prides in September and let Limpede purchase plenty of pants to transform and sell at the festivals.

“We’ll have a changing stand-up tent on site so anyone can try on a pair of pants and wear them home. They’re a great way to celebrate pride and get second looks. People love them,” says Limpede.

Pledgers to the Kickstarter project can choose rewards based on how much they donate. Stickers, t-shirts and tanks are available for $20 or less. At the $45 dollar level, you can send in your own pair of jeans for him to turn into Pride Pants.

Pride Pants has released new photos to help promote their Kickstarter project. (See below.) Featuring folks of all different sizes, shapes, and colors, it’s clear that no matter who you are, it’s fun to wear your Pride.

What’s Ahead

If the Kickstarter project is fully funded and they sell their pants at Dallas and Austin pride, Limpede envisions even more pants in his future. “I want to open up shop at PridePants.net and let people send in their pants or shop our inventory anytime. We want to see Pride Pants at festivals across the world by next summer. World domination, no big deal!”

But will some say Pride Pants are a little frivolous? Limpede shrugs. He doesn’t expect everyone to like them or see them as useful. He acknowledges there’s a lot of organizations doing great work to advance the GLBT cause, but Pride Pants are for the individual’s own pride.

“Pride Pants are meant to be fun. Why be subtle with a necklace or bracelet when we’re supposed to be loud and proud? Anytime you wear Pride Pants, you let the world know you’re not ashamed of who you are, and I think that’s very empowering.”

Visit the Kickstarter project page.

Photography by Garrett Chace Photography.

Photography by Garrett Chace Photography.

Photography by Garrett Chace Photography.

Photography by Garrett Chace Photography.

To browse all the photos, visit PridePants.net.