On Monday, June 24, Belvedere and Janelle Monáe partnered in celebration of the launch of their new limited edition bottle.
The Shed, was transformed to highlight the theme, A Beautiful Future, where attendees engaged in conversational installations and photo opportunities in a large blue-lit room overlooking Hudson Yards.
Photo courtesy of Ben Rosser
The activations included a mirrored runway leading to the entrance of the event, various pods that read Diversity, Equality, Integrity, and Natural Character–embodying the campaign’s vision of an inclusive future, a bar in the center of the floor with a large sculpture spiraling to the ceiling emulating the design and theme of the limited edition bottle, and the stage area where Janelle Monáe delivered a speech between descending retro dynamic microphones.
Photo courtesy of Ben Rosser
Janelle Monáe on her collaboration with Belvedere Vodka…
Janelle Monáe: “My collaboration with Belvedere is a topic that’s very close to me. Y’all know I’m always talking about the future. Creating a future, a beautiful future where people [from] all walks of life feel comfortable expressing themselves. Feel comfortable walking in their truth. Feel comfortable being themselves and I’m talking about the people who are typically dismissed and feel not included and not heard. My dirty computers are here tonight. My brothers and sisters of the LGBTQIA plus. I’m talking about black women, I’m talking about immigrants. I’m talking about working class folks, just like my parents. I’m talking about us.”
On the inspiration for the design…
Janelle Monáe: “Tonight’s event and this beautiful bottle that you guys see right over there, that we collaborated on, and if you really look at it, it’s about peeling back your layers. I have to peel back my layers. We have to peel back our layers in order to find the truth. To get to the bottom of what makes us special.”
Among the attendees were: Angelica Ross, Bethany C. Meyers, Chris and Adrienne Bosh, Christian Siriano, Dascha Polanco, IIfenesh Hadera, Jidenna, Nico Tortorella, Rick Gonzalez and more. We spoke with some of the guests about the campaign launch: A Beautiful Future.
What does A Beautiful Future mean to you?
Christian Siriano: “A beautiful future. I think of a lot of things, I think of where we’re going to be in our world, in our culture, what we define beauty as… I hope that changes, I hope people are more open to this interesting world that we live in, these creatures that come from all of these different walks of life. And I hope that people embrace their beauty. So I guess that’s what I think about.”
(Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Belvedere Vodka)
Rick Gonzalez: “The first thing that came to mind for me was compassion and humanity for the future. Just having an abundance of humanity and compassion towards one another. I think that’s kind of the basic component for people to find the common ground, is to find compassion for each other, to find love for each other. If you can find compassion, I think you can find love in someone. We don’t always have to agree, but if we can find empathy in some form or another, then I think we can start the healing process, we can start communication. And I feel like that’s a beautiful future. I think the beautiful thing about life is that you have to have tribulations, you have to have trials, but there’s something beautiful in that because it helps sharpen you, it helps you grow. And so to expect a life with no tribulation is not honest and real and I think we all as human beings should be comfortable and accepting of conflict so that way we can say, well, what in the conflict is going to make me a better person, make me love more, and connect more? And so I think that’s a beautiful future in my perspective.”
(Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Belvedere Vodka)
Adrienne Williams Bosh: “I think of a future that is more sustainable, more inclusive, more diverse. I think of a future where people come together to create the change and the impact that they want to see around them.”
Chris Bosh: “A beautiful future. You know what I would say? Just a space where people can be happy and positive and wake up everyday with a sense of motivation. I think that’s the most important thing for a beautiful future, but I think that’s something everyone should keep in mind when they’re making decisions today. So it’s more of an active role that everybody has to take and that’s just my opinion.”
What’s your favorite Janelle Monáe song?
Adrienne Williams Bosh: “I do, I do. My daughter is a huge fan as well. Between “Pynk,” I’m an old-school fan, so even back with “Yoga.” But I absolutely love “Pynk.” I love “I Got The Juice.” I love so many of her songs. Her album is literally one of those albums you can listen to front to back.”
Chris Bosh: “Django Jane.”
(Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Belvedere Vodka)
Christian Siriano: “Oh my God. I don’t know. I think the last album. Dirty Computer is really good and it’s hard to pick a favorite. It is. I’ve never been asked that before, which is weird. I don’t have a favorite, I really don’t. I like [the songs] for different reasons. And then I like ones if I’m part of the video or not [laughter].”
Finally, Janelle Monáe gave closing remarks and thanks to Belvedere Vodka:
Janelle Monáe: “I want to thank Belvedere for supporting me. I didn’t have to change who I was for this partnership. There was an alignment. There was a shared vision. And I want to thank you for supporting Femme The Future. And thank you for hosting the brunches that we will have throughout the year, we will continue that. And our collaboration, for those of you wondering, why am I here, you are here because you are going to shape the future. You are shaping the future whether you know it or not. Your existence is shaping the future. And I just want to thank Belvedere for having this shared vision with me to help move the culture forward and to help move the future into one that is full of unity, optimism, positivity, and the greatest of all, love.”
Belvedere Vodka, the original super-premium vodka, is available in-store globally. For more information, click here.
