Fashion for Haiti
Naomi Campbell called on the fashion world to do its part for the Haiti relief effort — and the fashion world answered.
Image: Getty Images
The model is part of a charity catwalk show pairing top models and designers at New York Fashion Week.
Naomi organised the first Fashion for Relief event in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and has since taken it to Tanzania and India. The return to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Feb. 12 comes at the right time, she said.
"Everyone else is trying to help Haiti, and we wanted to do our part on the fashion side of things," Naomi said. "The response has been overwhelming. No one has said 'no' — which means a lot because it's such a busy time with designers preparing their fall collections."
The event is still coming together, but Naomi has called upon her friends, including Christy Turlington and the Duchess of York, asking them to participate. Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe is putting together the looks, and designer Marc Jacobs has already created a special Louis Vuitton handbag, one of many items that will go on sale on the Net-a-Porter Web site March 15, with proceeds going to the organisation CARE.
Naomi also noted that, to make this happen, designer Charlotte Ronson gave up her original time slot at Fashion Week, when the new season of styles are previewed for editors, retailers and stylists.
Superstar power
"Fashion for Relief only works if everyone comes together and makes it work," Campbell said.
The 39-year-old, who rarely walks the runway nowadays, will be one of the models. She hasn't retired from the catwalk, she said, although she saves most of her appearances for charity shows.
"Naomi is a superstar and has a lot of connections," said Ivan Bart, senior vice president of IMG Models. "She can make some phone calls and put on a show."
Ivan promises an entertaining event, which isn't at odds with its serious mission. "Raising money to help people doesn't have to be boring. It's an opportunity for people who don't normally go to fashion shows to get into this world."
We love Naomi's idea! Do you think South African models and designers could do something similar for our society's struggles?