This Queer Crossover Is Gonna Make You Sweat

You can’t spell #SafeSpace without #Ace, as in the fabulously flirty Ace Hotel. This LGBTQ+ haven was founded by gay entrepreneurs, quickly becoming a boutique party enclave since its 1999 inception. Pride festivals across the globe have relied on Ace to provide a festive HQ for queer attendees celebrating a rainbow of great times.

But 2020 forced us to reinterpret the concept of out-and-proud, yielding to in-and-safe under the menacing cloud of COVID-19. Gay gatherings sashayed online, where we can cohabitate responsibly and comfortably. And what could be more comfortable than a suggestive pair of sweatpants?

Loungewear has enjoyed booming (and bulging) business this year, but the hospitality industry suffered immeasurably. Travel has dwindled, leaving many hotel rooms tragically vacant. The Ace, however, stands resilient and resplendent in the face of adversity, shimmering in ten locations across three nations.

Each outcropping of Ace’s signature style beckons us to return safely to our former lives of carefree abandon, but until we do, the haute hoteliers have our backs… and fronts. The Ace brand has found its perfect collaboration partner in Hiro Clark, an activewear influencer headquartered in Los Angeles.

“This year has been all about getting cozy somewhere comfortable, and Ace Hotel is exactly that,” explains Andy Salzer, the founder of Hiro Clark. “It’s the perfect place to post up, tune out, and do whatever feels right. And always in sweats, of course.”

Whether you weather the winds of Chicago, the rains of Seattle, or the warmth of Palm Springs, Hiro Clark can outfit you with the perfect ensemble suited to the Ace Hotel of your choosing. Both companies have a hallowed history of embracing the LGBTQ rights movement, but now they are looking forward. The motto for the Ace/Hiro casual/couture collab is “The Future Comes Around” and we can’t wait to see what’s around the bent bend.

Oh, and they have shirts too! So, wear your big gay heart on your cotton-hoodie sleeve and warm up to relaxation refined.

Photo: Instagram: @hiroclark @briankaminski