Strangeness and charm

Sometimes, when large multinational brands attempt to leverage the power of the street in their marketing, the results can hover worryingly close to cringe. 

But this campaign, created by Anomaly Berlin for the fashion brand’s Spring 2021 launch, manages to be genuinely refreshing in its edgy, rap-led celebration of diversity and inclusion. 

Directed by Terence Neale and Emilie Badenhorst and produced by Anorak, the hero film is part of Zalando's wider 360 Here To Staycampaign and features an exclusive bespoke track written by Mista Strange. 

As Strange voices his experiences as an openly gay rapper, he is joined by other figures gleefully displaying their individuality, such as body positivity ambassador Yoliswa Mqoco, model and inclusion advocate Luc Bruyere, and skateboarder and LGBTQI+ activist Yann Horowitz. 

The film is packed with tender and surprising moments and was accompanied by a photo campaign by Berlin fashion photographer Dan Beleiu, who staged real couples for the occasion.