The best kind of fashion statement is one that supports an incredible cause, and Catbird has just released three new pieces that are so worthy of your attention.
The New York City-based jewelry brand partnered with Transparent show creator Jill Soloway and her team to create a collection that is just as inspiring as it is stunning, with 50% of the proceeds of each sparkly item going directly to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). Vogue reports that the pieces were released on Sunday in conjunction with the season four premiere of the award-winning show.
Included in the collection are two rings, available in both sterling silver and 14-karat gold, and a necklace made with pink, white, and blue sapphires. Catbird notes the rings, retailed at $240, are taller than many of the others found on site and are engraved with the transgender symbol. The company also claimed it drew inspiration for the necklace, retailing at $560, from the Transgender Pride Flag.
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"At Transparent, we are proud to be trans," Soloway told Vogue. "These pieces are subtle and empowering works of art incorporating trans symbology. Wearing them will be a wonderful indicator of allyship and solidarity."
As another demonstration of solidarity, Vogue reports that the team hired trans folks to capture the beauty of the collection by shooting portraits of some of the show's cast and crew wearing the jewelry, including Soloway, Folake Olowofoyeku, Amy Landecker, and Rain Valdez.
According to Catbird's creative director, the collaboration has been two years in the making, and was quite impactful for the team who "cried when we got the go-ahead."
Both the show and the collection are powerful reminders that celebrating and defending trans lives are so important, especially now. This year, 20 trans people have been killed, 19 of which were people of color. Fears of being further marginalized, silenced, and in some instances physically attacked or murdered, have increased since President Donald Trump issued a ban on the military recruiting transgender people.
Today, trans teens are times more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs than their non-trans peers, and trans people are still denied health insurance by some companies.
Wearing a piece of jewelry or tuning into a show won't eradicate hate crimes, but every dollar and ounce of attention given to supporting trans folks, whether through organizations such as NCTE and GLAAD or through the arts, reinforces the message that trans lives are worthy and important.
For more information on how to better support trans and non-binary people, here's a guide on ways to be a better ally.