Jewelry

Catbird Teams Up With Amazon's Transparent on Jewelry Inspired by the Transgender Rights Movement - Vogue.com

Season four of Transparent—Amazon’s award-winning show about a transitioning father—premieres today, and its subject matter is more poignant than ever. In the U.S., we are living under the iron fist of a crackpot-in-chief who, last month (among his countless acts of stripping away basic human rights and freedoms), signed a directive banning transgender military recruits. It’s difficult to muster a smile right now, but the show has certainly brought some semblance of humor and hope for millions in the LGBTQIA and nonbinary community and beyond. Now, a smaller entity has teamed up with the show’s creator, Jill Soloway, and her team to push the transgender rights movement forward. In conjunction with the premiere today, New York–based cult-favorite brand Catbird will release three pieces of jewelry designed in collaboration with Transparent.

The two rings, one in sterling silver and one in 14-karat gold, will retail starting at $240; the necklace, made with sapphires, is $560. Fifty percent of sales will be donated to the National Center for Transgender Equality. The rings feature the transgender symbol, and the necklace was designed to mirror the blue and pink hues of the transgender flag. “At Transparent, we are proud to be trans,” says Soloway. “These pieces are subtle and empowering works of art incorporating trans symbology. Wearing them will be a wonderful indicator of allyship and solidarity.” Catbird’s founder, Rony Vardi, and creative director Leigh Batnick Plessner worked closely with Soloway on the designs and hired an all-trans collective to shoot and style a portrait series featuring members of the Transparent cast and crew. “I felt so attached to the Pfeffermans,” says Plessner, of the show’s fictional family. “This collaboration took two years and it was kismet at the beginning—we cried when we got the go-ahead.” As Vardi explains, this collaboration was about “making ourselves and our customers proud.” She adds, “When you are choosing to spend your money on something that you want but you don’t need, and it’s with us, we want you to know that you have put your resources into a place that is built on kindness and community.”

Above, here’s a first look at the inspiring collection from Catbird Transparent.