Raul Lopez Releases T-Shirt for Love Ball III
Raul Lopez's shirt for Love Ball III was backed by the CFDA.
Raul Lopez's shirt for Love Ball III was backed by the CFDA.
Photography: Joe Schildhorn
Text: Julian Wright
The Love Ball has a rich history in New York City. Susanne Bartsch, the famed event producer, threw two iterations of the Love Ball in 1989 and 1991 as fundraisers for HIV/AIDS. She is teaming up with CDFA to put on an even bigger, third version of the spectacle in time for the 30th anniversary of her event. Nearing the celebration, Raul Lopez, designer of LUAR, created a custom t-shirt in honor of Love Ball III in partnership with the Phluid Project.
Lopez was very drawn to the cause from his own AIDS-related loss: his uncle passed away during the AIDS epidemic. The shirt was inspired by those people who succumbed, featuring a sacred heart and angels as “a kind of representation of them.” To promote the shirt, a series of photos were taken of LGTQI+ influencers, ranging from drag queens to activists, all modeling the shirt. Notable faces on set included Desmond Is Amazing, Ezra J William, and Jacob Tobia, among many more. All proceeds from the shirt benefit the CFDA/Vogue HIV/AIDS Fund.
Love Ball III will be held at NYC’s Gotham Hall on June 25. You can purchase the shirt here.
