Buy fashion and elegance from these stores run by the LGBTQIA+ persons who are selling all things pretty!

It's a good chance this Pride month to have a look at these stores by the LGBTQIA+ persons and buy fashion essentials! What are you waiting for?

If you have got all bored with your existing stuff and want to refresh the collection of your clothes, bags, jewellery, and more, we have got the best options for you. Look at these stores run by LGBTQIA+ persons, sharing with us their collections as well as founding stories.

1. Gagged - Rudraksh Rawat (He/Him)

After graduating from college in 2020, Rudraksh Rawat thought of opening a fashionable clothing store that was beyond the confinements of gender-oriented fashion. Now, the online store, 'Gagged' is the one-stop destination for shirts, jackets, pants, t-shirts, all within Rs. 500 to Rs 800. "Style is a way of expressing yourself and clothes is the medium," Rudraksh, who hails from Ghaziabad believes.

He also considers social media, an important platform that has helped people learn about the queer community. "Queer people find a platform to express and share their end which makes people grasp more knowledge about the community in total. Apart from that, it also has a great role in the Pride month where pages and organisations become sensitive towards topic like pronouns, gender identity etc," he says.

Visit the store here.

2. Jewelz.with.fun - Siya Sethi (She/Her)

As the name suggests, Siya Sethi, the owner of the store wants buyers to have fun by following the aesthetic yet trendy jewellery page on Instagram. One can find here earrings at Rs 99 to intricately made necklaces that range from Rs 299 to 499. Launched in December 2020, the store also has beautiful bracelets.

Siya, who lives in Ghaziabad says that the idea of opening the store was lingering in her mind since she had started thrifting. "I wanted to make designs. And, it was fascinating to imagine that somebody would be willing to buy what I made. This is how jewelz.with.fun was born!" she says.
Visit the store here.

3. Medusa Pridestore - Purab Brahma (He/Him)

It is the first Pride store opened by an Assam-based Queer person, Purab Brahma in November 2020. The store has a beautiful collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts, handbags, socks, etc. One also has an option to go for a customized tote bag! "I had the idea of opening the store while I was studying in the college four years back. However, I was not ready for it. Now, as I receive positive responses from people and texts from strangers, it makes my day," Purab says.

He also believes that while the internet is a medium to give voice to the LGBTQIA+ community, one needs to make alternatives available to the section of the society which does not use the medium. "It's important to make people aware of the community," he says.
Visit the store here.

4. The Madeleine Store - Alvia (She/Her) and Kiki (She/Her)

Run by Mumbai-based students, the store has a good range of customizable accessories and items like earrings, necklaces, keychains, bracelets, anklets, figurines, pins, etc. Opened in January 2021, the store offers pocket-friendly products as one can get stuff under Rs 200.

"After our JEE and NEET competitive examinations, we decided to explore our artistic side and wanted to make some revenue out of it. Since our courses are very demanding, we decided that working together will be a better option for both of us," the owners say while also mentioning that they can recreate any reference picture for the buyers!

Visit the store here. 

5. Legato by Avneet - Avneet Kaur (She/Her)

It is one of the best online stores by the LGBTQIA+ person where one gets products ranging from Rs 99 to Rs 900! From t-shirts, hoodies, jewellery to handmade music plaques and elegant satin scrunchies, you can find all of them here.

Avneet Kaur, who opened the store in September 2020, says that she has received a good response from the people. "I try to make something for everyone. However, the acrylic music plaques are the most special ones as I make them with my hands," the Raipur resident says.

Visit the store here.

6. Clayed Carat - Ruchi Yadav and Ritu Yadav (She/Her)

Opened just two months back in April, Ruchi and Ritu make sure that they make polymer clay jewellery all with hands and love. The store has earrings, necklaces, pendants, chokers, bracelets, and very soon, it will also start offering wall hangings and home decor items. Starting from Rs. 250 to Rs 2,500, the products, especially jewellery, can be a great pick for you.

"We customise stuff a lot. If you’ll come to us with a reference that 'Ross likes dinosaurs, we will make something around that!" Ruchi says. Having opened a store on social media, she says that such platforms see "love for love and love not for gender". "These media have accepted the preferences of people even when they don’t fall under conventional social norms," she says.

Visit the store here.

7. Viola Vintage - Naina Goyal (She/Them)

Naina Goyal, the 21-year-old resident from Delhi had started the thrift store in August 2020. Now, one can find here colourful shirts, something anyone can wear, handpainted pants, jackets, hats in cow print, and crochet stuff, that too, with an average price of Rs 600! The best part is that these products come in tetra packs/cereal boxes as Naina believes in being eco-friendly.

Naina, who is receiving appreciation for their store says that social media accepts people from the community wholeheartedly. "Last year, I went bald and people around me treated me like I lost my mind whereas I got a lot of love on social media for being so open about me being Non-binary," they says.

Visit the store here.

These stores by the LGBTQIA+ community await your presence for shopping!

Also Read: Meet Ashish Chopra, founder of BeUnic, an e-marketplace for LGBTQ entrepreneurs!

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