From Norse mythology to leprechauns to Kermit the Frog’s iconic ditty, rainbows have long occupied a special place in culture. The brightly coloured atmospheric phenomenon is a symbol of hope, optimism — and often — spirituality. So, it makes perfect sense that, in COVID-locked cities around the world, rainbows started popping up in windows as symbols of solidarity.
The last year has also seen an explosion of colours grace our wrists — with rainbows, which have been threatening to make the jump from outlier to mainstream for some time, finally becoming a certified trend. Before we dance through the spectrum, though, let’s discover why we can’t talk about rainbows on products without talking about pride.
The six-striped rainbow flag, the symbol of LGBTQ pride, was designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, and has, in the decades since, made the slow transition from a symbol of protest and solidarity to one of the most widely recognised and accepted symbols of identity and pride. Today the flag, born as a grassroots symbol in San Francisco, is increasingly used and co-opted by businesses to show their support, but also to cash in on a cause, literally and for social credit.
Brands as diverse as Nike, McDonald’s and Lululemon regularly clear a space in their
