In the spirit of Pride Month, MCM is sharing its platform with a specially curated ensemble of pieces selected by none other than social media extraordinaire, Everett Williams. Having been featured in the pages of V’s Summer issue of 2020 when we first met the TikTok star to help us kick off our own account on the viral app, Williams has fully transformed himself in a matter of a few years into one of the industry’s brightest and innovative new darlings. Now helping and supporting the many impactful organizations that contribute to the LGBTQIA+ community, Everett is curating a special collection of must-haves from MCM’s newest accessory range in celebration of Pride. The specially selected pieces will then go on to support LA Pride, as a portion of the collaboration’s sales directly benefits LA’s Pride organizations.

Ahead of the launch of the collection, VMAN’s Kevin Ponce caught up exclusively with Williams about his latest curated collection with fashion powerhouse, his creative process behind the innovative campaign imagery, and what Pride Month means to him.

VMAN: How does it feel to be working with MCM again?

Everett Williams: It feels great to be working with MCM again! They have always been such an amazing brand partner of mine, and together we’ve been able to create some amazing things. It’s rare when you find a brand that really gets you as a creative, and that’s exactly what the relationship is with MCM—seamless and creative!

VM: Walk me through some of your curated pieces from MCM’s “Must Haves” range—what are some of your favorite pieces from the collection?

EW: Definitely! The pieces we chose are some of MCM’s most iconic bags and accessories done in styles that represent the pride flag colors. When it comes to bags, I like efficient ones. Something that will hold everything I need and can be worn multiple ways. Many of the bags here have top handles, and flippable crossbody straps to take full advantage of styling.

My personal favorite items are the Dessau Drawstring Bag in MCM’s vintage Blue monogram, it’s a great any day, any time bag. The München Tote in white kappa leather is a true MVP of bags, great for the beach, the market, traveling, etc. I love anything designed with fun and quirk behind it, so the M Pup Card Case with a little 3D fresh bulldog and the Stark Crossbody mini backpack bag in a new pride print really hit the spot for me.

VM: What was the inspiration behind the imagery for the curated collection?

EW: The inspiration behind all the imagery for this collection came from the products itself. I was really inspired by the color, textures, and shapes of all the products, so I wanted to photograph them in a way that highlighted just that. I originally thought to shoot each item on the same color background and eventually opted out of that idea and went for a white neutral background to allow the color and product to really speak. I wanted to almost sit back from the product and allow it to be the main subject and me to compliment it.

VM: What does your creative process look like, in terms of incorporating MCM’s aesthetics and merging them with your vision?

EW: The process for bringing this to life really started with brainstorming how I wanted to bring my ideas to fit with MCM and most importantly with the product we chose. MCM is known for its signature monogram and having an edgy sleek style, so I wanted to make sure I captured that in the imagery and editing style, while also putting my creativity in the mix with ideas of surrealism, still life, and constructed image layouts.

VM: Excited to hear that a portion of the sales will directly benefit LA Pride! What is it about the organization that made you want to concentrate the collaboration efforts on them?

EW: Absolutely! Partnering with LA Pride and Christopher Street West Association is something I was most excited about for this project. Fashion and creativity aside, I’m a member of the LGBTQIA+ community first. Growing up scared to be who I really took an immense toll on me, as it has with so many others in the LGBTQIA+ space, and so organizations like LA Pride are the ones working around the clock to create a better, safer, and more accepting world for us all.

They do such a great job of creating a space for those who may not feel like they belong, and that’s what pride month is all about. Celebrating all of us in this community, coming together to show that we do belong and there are so many others like us out there. LA Pride and Christopher Street West Association launched ‘Pride Makes A Difference’, which tackles initiatives year-round like food, housing, jobs, and mental and physical health for youth and elders in the LGBTQIA+ community. They’re constantly looking for volunteers or anyone who is interested in getting involved!

VM: What does Pride Month mean to you, specifically?

EW: Pride month for me is all about looking back and understanding the past of the LGBTQIA+ generations before us and what they did, and then looking forward to the future of what we want to accomplish together as a community. It’s about spending time with the community and allies and celebrating our love and appreciation for one another.

VM: Do you have any additional organizations you’d love to give a shout-out to?

EW: I would love to shout out Project Contrast by my dear friend, Maxwell Poth! Project Contrast is a non-profit focusing on LGBTQIA+ youth and telling their stories. Maxwell and his team travel far and wide to amplify the LGBTQIA+ youth voices in towns and cities from small to large. It’s truly such a beautiful organization they have built!