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Happy Pride! Meet Some of Our LGBTQIA+ Buffalos
Celebrate Pride with us by getting to know a few of our amazing Buffalos. They’re sharing what inspires them, how they express themselves through fashion and what Pride means to them.
Roman (he/him) | Cashier at BE Ventura
How does your identity influence your personal style?
My style is always different but in a good way. I love to switch it up, try out new fits and style things differently. I change about 3 times before I know what to wear.
What inspires you?
Megan Thee Stallion reminds me to stay true to myself and remember my true intentions. People talk down on others to make themselves feel better, but if they’re talking about you, take it as something positive: after all, they’re taking their time out of their day to talk about you.
Jason (he/him) | Buy Trainer at BE Sherman Oaks
What does Pride mean to you?
Visibility and celebration. The first Pride parade was a protest, showing the world that LGBTQIA+ people are here, we’ve always been here and we’re not going anywhere.
What’s your favorite part about working at Buffalo Exchange?
My coworkers. They’re all so talented and genuinely good people. And right now, we need more of that in the world. I love getting a chance to welcome new people to the herd!
What inspires you?
Stories and storytelling. Whether they’re from people I meet or films/shows I watch. They connect us. Protect the dolls!
Bianca (she/her) | HR Assistant at BE HQ
How does your identity influence your personal style?
Queer people have always used fashion and aesthetics to find each other—as a femme, I love that the act of adorning myself is also a signal to others in my community and a way of forming connections.
Fav style icons?
Miss Piggy
What inspires you?
The creativity of my friends!
Chloe (she/her) | Store Manager at BE Las Vegas
What does Pride mean to you?
Showing my love and support for my fellow LGBTQ+ community and recognizing the importance of equality, acceptance and visibility. It’s a way to honor the history—like the Stonewall riots that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement—and to celebrate how far we’ve come while acknowledging there’s still work to do. It’s also about people being able to express who they are without fear and creating a sense of belonging, especially for those who may have felt excluded or judged. Pride can be loud and colorful, like in parades and festivals, but it’s also deeply meaningful—about love, identity and human rights. So, whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, celebrating Pride is about standing up for dignity, joy and equality for everyone.
Fav style icons?
Amy Taylor (Amyl and the Sniffers), Priscilla Presley, Elton John, Alex Consani
What inspires you?
My grandma. She passed away in May of 2024 and there isn’t a single thing I do where she isn’t at the forefront of my mind. She was so selfless and carefree and full of love and spirit. She is everything I hope to become.
Elio (they/them) | Buyer at BE Williamsburg
What does Pride mean to you?
The ability to be my full true self, even when I don’t know all the answers to the never-ending questions I ask myself. Sometimes, I feel like the world wants to put me in a box, but pride allows me to accept my unfinished self. It’s a journey, girl!
How does your identity influence your personal style?
As someone who is queer and gender-nonconforming, I look to a lot of rebellious movements in history, from punk to the 90s club kid. Since moving to NYC, I’ve found a home in the nightlife scene, which is inherently very queer. It feels like a gathering of rejects. There’s something so fun about wearing fits in the daylight that feel like they should only live in the strobing lights of a club.
What inspires you?
Free will inspires me. If I want to be something today and something completely different tomorrow, I can.
Otis (he/they) | Buyer at BE Chelsea
What does Pride mean to you?
Celebrating myself! Most people live their lives suffering behind closed doors, but I’ve done the hard work of self discovery and exploration that’s brought me to where I am now! I’ve come so far in this life to be happy. And that’s something to be proud of—being your honest self.
How does your identity influence your personal style?
As an out-and-proud trans man, I use my personal style to test boundaries. Whether it’s mixing patterns or wearing micro shorts with my hairy legs out, I’m always trying to expand ideas of gender and fashion.
KaiDean (he/they) | Accounting Associate at BE HQ
What does Pride mean to you?
I grew up in a small town in the south with little-to-no queer community around me. Celebrating Pride means finding a community and not being alone—not only for myself but for anyone else who is needing that bit of community. Queer people in the past went through a lot for us to have the ability to be as authentic to ourselves as we want to be. I feel like I have the duty to make sure their sacrifices and bravery were all for something.
Fav style icons?
I take influence from the past—people from the 60s like Dick Van Dyke and Robert Redford to the Punk scene in the late 80s/early 90s like Debbie Harry and Billie Joe. A more modern style icon of mine would have to be Orville Peck or Rhett McLaughlin.
How do you express yourself?
I love color! Despite growing up with more emo/goth influences, I always incorporated brighter colors into my outfits. I’ve had my hair dyed for most of my life with every color under the sun.
Izzy (they/them) | Associate Manager at BE SF (Haight)
What does Pride mean to you?
Coming together with my LGBTQ+ family and appreciating how far we’ve come, learning from each other’s lived experiences and looking to the future as we continue to march on!
How does your identity influence your personal style?
Being nonbinary has opened so many doors for me stylistically. While anyone can wear whatever they want regardless of gender identity, I do feel that my identity has allowed me to really try out whatever I want and mix and match masculinity and femininity.
Fav style icons?
David Bowie, Seth Rollins, Patti Smith, my Buffalo Besties <3
What inspires you?
Art of all kinds! Music, film, digital art, clothing.
Gwenyvere (She/They) | Store Admin Support at BE Las Vegas
What does Pride mean to you?
It means the world to me. Not only is it celebrating who I am, the people I love and the people who love me, but it’s also celebrating my found family and the best community I’ve been a part of. I also always take the time to remember those before me who fought so hard so I can live my most authentic life. They are the reason I can be proud.
How does your identity influence your personal style?
I style myself with all my emotion and heart. I want to stand out, be seen and be heard when I’m wearing something with a message. I also remember being a young pan person and wishing someone would dress the way I did so I knew it was ok. Having the realization that I’m non-binary really opened up a whole world of masculine and out-of-the-norm styles to me. My biggest style influence is the mindset that anyone can wear anything they want to.
What’s your favorite part about working at Buffalo Exchange?
The clothes and customers! I get to experience so many different styles and combine pieces to make an outfit that is perfectly Gwenyvere.
Krystal (she/her) | Buyer at BE Las Vegas
What does Pride mean to you?
It goes beyond just a month; it’s something I carry everyday with confidence, alongside my Mexican heritage. I’ve been out as a lesbian for about a decade now and I will never shy away from expressing it and showing pride.
How does your identity influence your personal style?
I describe my style to be a jumble of streetwear, workwear, androgyny and mainly masc/masculinity. Growing up, I never felt like my true self in anything considered “gender-conforming,” so being a masc lesbian has made me incredibly comfortable in my skin and my expression.
What’s your favorite part about working at Buffalo Exchange?
Learning about different styles and brands, but especially seeing them firsthand at the buy counter. When I started three years ago, I didn’t know how to express the way I wanted to dress, but lately I’ve created my dream wardrobe with some of my closet staples!
Jackie (she/her) | Associate Manager at BE Chelsea
What does Pride mean to you?
It’s a celebration of SELF. Every day, I honor “me” by living out my truth and being myself authentically, but during Pride, I feel a high sense of self and belonging because I’m free and able to express myself even more—and with like-minded people who are an inspirational testimony to how far we as the LGBTQIA+ have come.
How does your identity influence your personal style?
As a lesbian, I feel as though there’s this stereotype people assume to be true based on what they see portrayed on tv or movies. By just looking at me, you can’t tell if I’m a lesbian—and I love that, not because I don’t want to be seen or am hiding, but because my choice of style and aesthetic is fluid. Between rocking 90s-00s nostalgic streetwear and one-of-a-kind goated pieces and hoarding my club & street femme dresses, there’s no telling which fashion avenue I’ll strut down each day.
Fav style icons?
I think we all know the answer to this: RIHANNA! …but also honorable mentions: Teyana Taylor and @Wuzg00d on IG—their styles are everything and reflect the many sides of me.
Gwen (she/they) | Buyer at BE Spokane
What does Pride mean to you?
Recognizing the fight it took to get to where we are and acknowledging those who have fought hard in the face of oppression and violence.
How does your identity influence your personal style?
Being a Pansexual woman, I love expressing myself in ways that are not just trendy but make a statement about who I am and the values I stand for.
What’s your favorite part about working at Buffalo Exchange?
At Buffalo, we’re not just mindful of our Mother Earth, we’re mindful of the people who work for us and shop with us and we’re proud and grateful to have those in the LGBTQ+ community amongst our staff and shoppers.
Inspired by these Buffalos’ stories? Join the fun and land a job you actually love (not to mention amazing coworkers) by applying to Buffalo! Click through to learn more and find positions near you.
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