Cîroc Is Celebrating 50 Years Of Pride With The Iconic Ball
We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Pride than with a ball – and that's exactly what Cîroc Ultra-Premium Vodka has planned with the inaugural Iconic Ball. Marking the anniversary of the UK’s first Pride march (which took place 1 July 1972), the brand has invited an exciting array of talents to Camden’s legendary club KOKO for an unforgettable night of queer celebration. The festivities were planned in partnership with Queer Britain, the UK's first national LGBTQ+ museum. Together they will be raising money for the charity Not A Phase as it continues to create safe and affirming spaces for the Trans and Gender Non-Confirming communities, while honouring the trailblazers of Ballroom culture and leading figures of the UK's queer liberation movement.
For Cîroc’s parent company Diageo, the decision to host the ball came down to highlighting the communities togetherness as it commemorates the decades long fight for equality. “We felt that a Ball was the ideal way to marry the iconic history, celebration, glamour and unity of queer history – past, present, and future.’ explains Diageo’s Chairman of LGBTQ+ community and Cîroc brand manager Conor Brown.
Hosting the all-out spectacular is Pose co-writer and Legendary executive producer Jack Mizrahi who’s joined by comedian Jonny Woo and author of The Transgender Issue Shon Faye as co-hosts. They’ll be tasked with keeping the competitive spirit of the Ballroom scene alive as houses battle it out in categories inspired by five decades of queer history. A lineup of legendary House Mothers including Sinaia Alaia, Devine Gucci, Stasha Sanchez, Jusss Kelly and Gorgeous Lola Gucci will be there to mentor as performers vying for the spotlight will have to wow audiences with their best moves, looks, and attitude. Not only should you expect high-drama and a host of surprises, there will also be fitting homages to three trailblazers including Ted Brown who helped organise the UK’s first pride, DJ Ritu, and Vicki Lee who runs one of the UK’s longest running Trans clubs.
A panel of surprise guest judges will be there to determine which participants are worthy of receiving a one-of-a-kind Cîroc Ball Bottle Trophy designed by London Fashion Week staple Matty Bovan. Still, the core purpose of the friendly competition is to capture the diversity and inclusivity at the heart of the queer community through art, fashion, and music. Speaking of which, spinning the night away will be DJ Biggy C whose been a prominent figure at London’s LGBTQ+ clubs including Queer Nation and Caribana. No matter who takes home the trophy, the night is sure to be an unapologetic extravaganza and a fitting way to end pride month.
The Cîroc Iconic Ball will be held at KOKO Camden on June 30th. You can find out more and secure free tickets here.