This season, fashion giants gather in support of Born Free Africa – an organisation pledged to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission by December’15 – to launch a unique capsule collection from 22 of the industry’s best names.
As a collaboration between the foundation and top designer mothers, The Born Free collection includes creations by Miuccia Prada, Donatella Versace, Carolina Herrera and Donna Karan, who said of the venture;
“Every problem has a solution. In this case, the solution is simple: Act on our awareness. Put out the word. Make it happen. Create a movement of women designers and design a future. Together, we can do this and make a difference.”
Using prints by Kenyan artist Wangechi Mutu, the capsule range will see pieces designed for both mother and child, and will be available to buy via ShopBop.com on April 23rd.
For the campaign, the designers also appear in a video talking about the cause, where Kenyan model Liya Kebede explains;
“Giving birth is an incredible gift – it’s the most beautiful thing you can do as a women, I think. The fact that you are born in one geographical location or another should not determine whether you should live or die.”
The organisation is also holding a charity event – a fun-filled extravaganza taking place on the 11th of May (Mother’s Day in the US), at Hudson River Park’s Pier 45, which will be hosted by Vogue Magazine, Diane von Furstenberg, Liya Kebede and Born Free founder, John Megrue, as well as Kenyan artist Wangechi Mutu and actress Claire Danes.
The event is sponsored by Amazon Fashion, Shopbop and MAC Aids Fund, and will see live performances from Idina Menzel and Ariana Grande, offering guests the chance to play baseball with the New York Yankees, football with the New York Giants and basketball with the New York Knicks. Attendees can also paint with Wangechi Mutu, face paint with MAC makeup artists and build Lego with NY-based artist, Nathan Sawaya.
We at SPICE can’t wait to see the collection unveiled this week and hear of the Mother’s Day Carnival’s fundraising success. In the meantime, see Vogue’s Anna Wintour and some of the designers talk of the cause and the upcoming range below, and get your Mother’s Day Carnival tickets here.
Video & image source: Vogue.com, Blog.shopbop.com, En.vogue.fr
