True to its namesake, the luxury body and skin care brand, Aesop, is celebrating storytelling this Pride Month. From June 26 to June 28, Aesop will be clearing the shelves of its Larchmont location and transforming the store into a library of literary works from queer authors. For the last six years, the brand has dedicated a weekend in June to reimagining one of their flagship Los Angeles and New York stores into a library of works by iconic authors from Audre Lorde to Ocean Voung. This year, two more Los Angeles stores will be joining in on the celebration as Aesop Abbot Kinney and Aesop Silver Lake will be adding Reading Room experiences to facilitate the celebration of queer art. 

The celebration, stretching across the U.S., is in collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, an organization that works to protect American civil liberties and constitutional rights— including education. Over the program’s six year run, the Aesop Queer Library has distributed over 115,000 books and spread the stories and contributions of queer writers on a global scale. Every visitor of the library is encouraged to take home a book while supplies last, no purchase necessary. 

For the Library's sixth year, the installation is focusing on queer bodies— how they break barriers, challenge assumptions, and embolden their communities, giving way for a joyous celebration of stories too often overlooked. The selections have been curated with the help of Penguin Random House, spanning from cult classics like Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin to recent releases like Stag Dance by Torrey Peters and The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor.

It’s only fitting that the body care brand has taken to sharing literary works, having been named after the ancient Greek storyteller, Aesop is inextricably tied to storytelling. Giving a voice to underrepresented and marginalized communities is integral to building a safer, more inclusive world that celebrates all walks of life, Aesop is doing its part to bring the community of Los Angeles, and the world, one step closer this Pride Month.