At Fibre, we’ve been following House of Aristocrats closely ever since our first interview with them almost a year ago. In that time, they have truly grown into the Dundee high fashion brand we all knew they could become. While Dundee Pride may be cancelled this year, not all hope is lost to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Today, I’ll be going through the meaning behind each colour featured in their ‘Out&Outrageous019’ line. So in true pride fashion, let the colours roll!
Our first colour is red. Often its appearance on the pride flag is translated to mean life, but at Aristocrats, they’ve narrowed down the meaning to ‘don’t throw it all away’. After all, whose life are we talking about? Their red speaks of a bohemian rhapsody of lives, a collection of lives in a world that there’s no escape from. While we as a person may change through time, we only get one life and we shouldn’t throw it all away just because others aren’t as accepting as they should be.
The next colour is orange with its amazing meaning of healing on the pride flag. At House of Aristocrats, they believe that ‘healing is revealing’. This represents the metamorphosis we all go through, from a person who is silly and immature and extremely vulnerable but still so full of life and hope, into a better, kinder person who is proud to reveal who they are to society. We go through the hard moments of our lives and afterwards, when we heal, we come out stronger.
The yellow stripe on the pride flag has an intense meaning. It means the sun. However, at Aristocrats they have taken that to mean ‘your sun will unveil.’ You should use the intensity of the sun to discover yourself and nurture who you are no matter the restrictions placed upon you by your religion, race, fears or circumstances. Who you are is worth celebrating and you shouldn’t have to hide it or be afraid for your own safety should you choose to be yourself.
Next is green with the official pride flag meaning of nature. House of Aristocrats have taken that a step further will their belief that ‘nature will chase you.’ The colour green and its meanings have a dial nature in that it represents the nature of a person and of the world around them. It links in with the fear that we will be chased by a negative form of nature and forced to change who we are. However, we can’t do that. A gay person cannot change their nature to become straight just like how a straight person cannot suddenly become gay. We can’t chase happiness without first looking at and examining the nature of the things that are harming us.
Blue had always been associated with the meaning of ‘harmony’ and at House of Aristocrats they believe that ‘harmony comes from within’. Before finding harmony within ourselves our thoughts, conscience and expressions need to be in alignment. Only then will the journey of pure self-love come to its conclusion. Once we learn to love ourselves, we can move past all the prejudices we hold against others and live with them in harmony.
On the pride flag, purple has the meaning of spirit on the flag and at House of Aristocrats they believe that ‘spirit isn’t optional’. This meaning being daring, enjoying every moment of life, no matter how challenging. Spirituality is also featured, the entity that contains the life within us. Our spirit is what makes us stand out in a crowd. To fuel it, we should surround ourselves with positivity and remove toxic influences in our lives.
While pink isn’t used on the most common pride flag, on the extended flag it has the meaning of sexuality. Aristocrats have translated this final colour to mean ‘sexuality is a fallen angel’. Sexuality is the combination of the physical, sexual and emotional traits that you find attractive in others, a combination that is different for everyone. Sometimes you may lose touch with your sexuality, especially when others use it as a political statement, but with help from the other colours, it will rise again.
With new collections on their way, House of Aristocrats are delving deep into making sure that their new lines are sustainable as well as inspiring. No doubt they’ll be just as eye catching as Out&Outrageous019.
Lucy Murray