Threads of Pride Fashion Show Debuts at Yerba Buena Center

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts hosted a celebration of queer identity and activism on June 24, as “Threads of Pride: Runway of Queer Joy & Activism” made its stunning debut. Conceived by activist Dr. Nas Mohamed and produced by San Francisco Pride, the groundbreaking fashion showcase featured leaders from nine area LGBTQ+ nonprofits including SF AIDS Foundation, El/La Para TransLatinas and SF LGBT Center, walking the runway in couture that embodied their missions of resilience, activism and joy.

The evening’s most electrifying moment came when legendary ‘70s supermodel Pat Cleveland returned to the runway for an appearance that was nothing short of iconic. Featured designers Jad Racha, Vasily Vein, Emma Claire Latham, Kenlynn Wilson and John Varvatos created vibrant couture for the occasion, challenging gender norms through androgynous tailoring, layered textures and street aesthetics. Antonio Contreras provided visionary artistic direction, while Ryan Davis’s choreography elevated the fashion show into performance art, accompanied by Jason Brock’s live compositions and DJ Sergio Fedasz’s dynamic soundscape, perfectly capturing SF Pride’s celebratory spirit.