Queer spaces that made us — for a more inclusive future
Queer spaces that made us — for a more inclusive future
From Berlin CSD to internal conversations and local guides across European cities, discover how our 2026 Pride campaign puts inclusive strategy into action.
From Berlin CSD to internal conversations and local guides across European cities, discover how our 2026 Pride campaign puts inclusive strategy into action.
A city is shaped by the places where people feel they truly belong. At Zalando, Pride is one of the largest reflections of our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) strategy on our annual global marketing calendar. From May to September, we proudly highlight the lives, fashion styles, struggles, celebrations and culture of the queer community all over Europe. It is one example of how we put our commitment to being "inclusive by design" into practice - unlocking the potential of our people, our platform and our industry.
Before reflecting on this year’s activations across Europe, our thoughts are with everyone affected by the violent event at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade in July. We extend our deepest sympathy to the victims, their loved ones and everyone who was hurt by the attack. Out of respect for the teams who brought the Pride campaign to life and to honor the unbreakable spirit of LGBTQIA+ people, we share this overview to celebrate community resilience and the safe spaces that protect it.
A campaign rooted in purpose and community
Building on previous Pride initiatives like 2024’s Their Time and 2025’s Mother Tongue, our 2026 campaign - The Spaces That Made Us - focuses on the vital importance of physical queer spaces. Such dedicated spaces stemming from and/or serving queer communities like queer(-friendly) neighborhood cafés, bookshops, galleries, bars and clubs can be life-changing. They are where people meet chosen families, share a first kiss and express their true selves without fear.
To honour these sanctuaries, Zalando launched a series of poetic love letters by a couple of community trailblazers: actor Kizzy Edgell, performer Tom Rasmussen and DJ and producer Emerald Rose Lewis. They each bring their own personal experience and perspective to the films and they interviewed each other "Between Takes", adding a layer of authenticity and emotional depth through shared moments of self-expression and belonging.
The cast and the creative team together ensured that every aspect of the campaign was deeply rooted in authentic LGBTQIA+ storytelling, reinforcing Zalando’s commitment to authentic representation and inclusivity. Built with the community, by the community and for the community. The campaign was crafted once again in collaboration with director Matt Lambert and collectively, the films build a portrait of “a space that stays with you” – the understanding that the freedom experienced inside those walls is something you can carry with you, so you feel more empowered in daily life.
By focusing our campaign on protecting and celebrating these spaces, we use our platform to amplify the voices and messages of queer communities.
Strengthening that local connection - we are village/ queer matters
To make our message resonant locally, we partnered with an inspiring network of queer creators across Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Madrid to celebrate the places that have shaped their identities, communities and chosen families. They curated short personal guides, "The Spaces that Made Me”, highlighting the bars, book shops, parks or neighborhood venues that shaped their identities and made their cities feel like home. We’re also proud of our continuous long-term partnership with the Helsinki Pride Community.
In our hometown Berlin, we organised an internal Kick off party at walking distance from our office, presented the Pride campaign in an online talk to the entire company and participated once again in the yearly CSD parade with an official Zalando truck. Joining the crowd under Berlin Pride’s local motto, "Taking a statement is hot" ("Haltung ist hot"), Zalando colleagues celebrated diversity alongside thousands of participants. A huge shout out to the core team of our Pride at Zalando Employee Resource Group (ERG) and all the volunteers that are organising such community activities, both during and outside of the typical Pride season. Their engagement throughout the year really helps create an open and inclusive environment where LGBTQIA+ colleagues and allies feel a sense of belonging and can be their authentic selves.
As a company it is important to us that our actions become tangible with real social impact beyond campaigns. And that’s where we are village / queer matters, a Berlin-based queer charity and community hub in Schöneberg, comes into the picture.
we are village, or the village as it is known by the community, functions as an essential "third place" - a safe environment between home and public life where queer community can connect for example through workshops, classes, art exhibitions and nature walks without pressure. By highlighting their mission across our channels and providing financial support, we help protect the physical infrastructure that keeps queer culture thriving.
A huge thank you to every person involved who opened up their world and shared the communities that continue to inspire them. Watch the video series and discover more details on our Zalando Pride campaign page.