Look To The Stars News: Naomi Campbell

Big Wigs For A Big Cause

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Singer Beverley Knight, former television host June Sarpong and model Naomi Campbell attended the Big Wigs Party last week in London, the annual costume ball/fantasy fashion show where every guest must don, at the very least, big headwear.

The best costumes were modeled on the catwalk and the designer wigs – meant to be works of art – are being auctioned on e-bay for charity. Proceeds from the ticket sales, donations and the auction – with a target of £55,000 – will go to Crusaid’s Point of Light Projects.

The “Points of Light” projects offer the desperate children of Zambia a safe place to go. With over 700,000 AIDS orphans whose daily battle of earning money just for food is often lost, these Projects offer havens with food, shelter, education access, grief counseling, life skills and a place to turn for support.

Crusaid Chairman Rob Kemp said, “We have made grants of over £25 million, bringing help and hope to people in poverty with HIV and AIDS in the UK and southern Africa.”

After 22 years of work, however, there is much left to do. “Crusaid’s work today remains as vital as ever. The alarming rise in the number of people with HIV is testament to the huge task that still faces all charities working in this sector.”

Fashion For Relief A Huge Success

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Supermodel Naomi Campbell took to the runway on Wednesday for her 2008 Fashion For Relief charity catwalk show benefiting the White Ribbon Alliance.

Celebrity models who graced the catwalk included Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole, model Erin O’Connor, artist Tracey Emin, rock daughters Kimberley Stewart and Lizzie Jagger, the Sugababes, Cilla Black, and Olympic gold medalists Rebecca Adlington and Sarah Ayton.

The show – which took place at London’s Natural History Museum – was opened by the wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Sarah, and was watched by a star-studded audience that included Mischa Barton.

“This is what the fashion world is doing to give back," said Campbell. "I won’t ask people to do anything unless I think it’s really important. I only ask when I think it’s something they will be passionate about. All these people here tonight feel the same way.”

The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is an international coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote increased public awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns.

“I do lot of work with Save the Children, and today I was doing press with them and they told me this charity is affiliated with theirs,” said Barton. “I learned up on it, and Naomi is doing a good thing with it. She has always been very friendly and caring to me. She’s really sweet."

Naomi Campbell Launches Fashion For Relief 2008

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Supermodel and fashion icon Naomi Campbell has announced September 17 as the date for her Fashion for Relief charity fashion show.

The show will take place as part of London Fashion Week, and will raise money for the White Ribbon Alliance – a charity set up to raise awareness for maternal mortality.

“I am honored to be working with the White Ribbon Alliance on this year’s Fashion For Relief,” said Campbell. “So many woman, children, families, communities around the world are affected by maternal mortality. Fashion is universal, personal and touches everyone in some way. We are using this year’s London Fashion Week catwalk to reach people, showcase the important work of the White Ribbon Alliance and raise money for this cause.”

Fashion for Relief was first held in 2005, and raised money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. It has since become a regular and eagerly anticipated fixture of London Fashion Week.

Fashion for Relief is also running an auction to celebrate the event. It will feature haute couture straight from the catwalk after the show, as well as selections from Autumn/Winter collections. It will go live on September 20 through www.fashionexchange.co.uk.

Ugly Betty Items Go Under the Hammer

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:11:00 -0000

With the “Ugly Betty” season about to end, now is your chance to bid on the stunning blouse worn by resident Mode fashionista Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton) and custom designed specifically for her by guest star Christian Siriano (winner of the most recent season of “Project Runway”) from the show’s May 1st episode. Auction ends Thursday, May 22nd.

Also up for grabs is the autographed softball uniform worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell on “Ugly Betty.” This auction ends Monday, May 26th.

If you watched the Kentucky Derby, you know the hats stole the race. Bid now on the hat that Molly Sims wore at the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The one-of-a-kind autographed hat will benefit the Barnstable Brown Foundation and is up for auction until Tuesday, May 27th.

Do you love swag? Bid now on gift bags donated by celebrities, tastemakers, and organizations to help raise money for Clothes Off Our Back and Water Partners International.

To bid on items, log onto www.clothesoffourback.org.

Proceeds from the auction benefits America’s Second Harvest (the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (encouraging artists and actors to enrich the lives of critically ill children) and World Education (focusing on girls’ scholarship programs in Africa) and autism research.

Celebrities Clean Out Their Closets For Charity

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:09:39 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Is your closet looking a little empty? Or maybe a little boring? Have the moths eaten holes in your favorite frock? Well, never fear, help is here – in the form of a couple of celebrity auctions for great causes.

March will see the opening of Katherine Heigl’s new film 27 Dresses, and to mark the occasion, 20th Century Fox is auctioning 27 celebrity dresses on eBay. Fabulous frocks from Heidi Klum, Thandie Newton, Mariah Carey, Geri Halliwell, Naomi Campbell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Alesha Dixon will be up for sale in the special event, with all proceeds going to the Lavender Trust, an initiative of the UK charity Breast Cancer Care to raise money for young breast cancer sufferers.

The auction also features a stunning white John Galliano dress worn by Kylie Minogue to Cannes 2007, and a full length silver halter top belonging to her sister, Danni Minogue. The auction starts on eBay at 7pm on March 4, and a different dress will be auctioned every day.

If accessories are more your thing, then an exciting auction being held in Britain may be of interest. The Grace House North East Children’s Appeal Celebrity Bag Auction features a range of bags donated by some of England’s top stars, including members of Girls Aloud, as well as Dame Judi Dench, Twiggy, Sarah Ferguson, celebrity chef Ainsley Hariott, and newsreader Kirsty Young.

The event, to be held at the Apartment Bar in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on March 6, is sponsored by Makoosh, an online jewelry store, and will raise money to build the region’s first hospice for terminally ill children. The auction follows a similar event held last year, which raised $19,500, and featured items donated by Annie Lennox and Graham Norton.

“It is fabulous to see so many household names come out in force to support Grace House by donating their favourite handbags and manbags to be auctioned,” said Grace House Fundraising Assistant Sumera Bashir. “I would like to thank them all for making this event possible.”

More information about the auction can be found at www.gracehouse.co.uk.

Charity Gifts For Valentine's Day

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:18:47 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it is time to think about loving gifts that rise above the standard red roses. And there are a number of products available this month that not only tell that special person how much you care, but also help raise money for those who are less fortunate. Shoes, dresses, T-shirts, and even a second-hand swimsuit are on offer to help Cupid’s arrow hit its mark.

Actress Keira Knightley’s latest movie, Atonement, has recently received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and now fans have the chance to buy a very special part of the production. The dazzling green dress Knightley wore in the emotionally charged romantic scenes opposite James McAvoy is being auctioned by the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity.

The dress is one of several made for the scene, and was designed by Jacqueline Durran, who has been nominated for a Costume Design Academy Award for her work on the film. The auction runs from February 1 until March 1 at www.clothesoffourback.org, and bids have already reached $3,000.

Clothes Off Our Back is also selling a series of outfits donated by some of Hollywood’s most beautiful woman. The Little Black Dress Auction runs until March 13, and features dresses from the closets of Julianne Moore, Felicity Huffman, Mena Suvari, Gabrielle Union, and Jaime Pressley. Beneficiaries include Second Harvest, The Art of Elysium, World Education, and autism research.

If it is shoes you are after, look no further than the Spirit of Women Health Network’s Celebrity Red Shoe Auction. The auction is being run on eBay from February 5-14, and features footwear autographed by celebrities such as Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Rachael Ray, LeAnn Rimes, Alanis Morissette, and Dancing With The Stars’ Carrie Ann Inaba.

“This February, we hope to encourage women to take action for their heart health by dancing and exercising, discussing their health with their physicians, and helping to support women’s heart health research and education,” said Josh Davis, President of the Spirit of Women Health Network.

The auction is part of the Red Shoe Initiative, a national health education and action campaign that aims to encourage women to be aware of their heart health. As with past shoe auctions, proceeds will benefit several charities, including the National Stroke Association and the Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition.

The auction will also precede Spirit of Women’s Day of Dance, an event that will involve dance and health screenings around the US on February 23.

Another gift idea this Valentine’s Day is the new charity T-shirt from designer Marc Jacobs – featuring a naked Victoria Beckham.

The T-shirt has been designed to raise awareness of the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, an initiative with aspirations almost as big as their name. The program was established by Jacobs’ business partner, Robert Duffy, to raise consciousness of one of the most common types of cancer in the world – over 160,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year, with around 48,000 deaths.

“Since we moved to California, I have realized how important it is to practice safe sun for myself, and to keep my three boys skin well protected as well,” said Beckham. “Skin cancer is a huge problem, and I really wanted to help raise awareness by taking part in Marc’s initiative.”

The T-shirts are available at Marc Jacobs’ stores in America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for $35, and even Victoria’s husband David has been seen sporting one recently, at the opening of the David Beckham World of Sport in Brazil.

The Victoria Beckham line of T-shirts follows a similar series designed by Marc Jacobs last year, featuring Heidi Klum, Julianne Moore, and Naomi Campbell, which raised $60,000.

Finally this month, if you are looking for something really special to give your loved one this Valentine’s Day, why not buy Nicole Kidman’s old swimsuit – it is to be auctioned in Sweden to raise funds for poor families in India.

The story behind the swimsuit is long and twisty. Kidman visited Sweden six years ago to film Dogville, and hired a private pool while there. However, she left her black one-piece swimming costume in the changing rooms when she went home. Attempts to return it failed, and it was donated to a cancer charity, where it raised $4,700 at auction. It was later donated to the Salvation Army, where it was auctioned for a further $865.

A new auction will raise funds for Erikshjalpen, a charity that aims to buy cows in India with money raised.

The swimsuit is framed and is expected to raise $1,500.

Celebrity Auctions For Christmas

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:34:25 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

As the clock counts down to Christmas, celebrities have been keeping busy and warm by signing as many different items as humanly possible and donating them to a plethora of auctions. The holiday season may be at fever pitch now, but there is certainly a wide range of gift ideas to ease the stress of last minute shopping.

The VH1 Holiday Auction is currently being held at www.vh1auctions.com, and includes a long list of memorabilia from the music industry. All proceeds from the auction will go to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, an initiative dedicated to restoring music programs in schools across the US.

Items up for grabs include a harmonica signed by Alice Cooper (which has already attracted bids of $250), signed photos of Aerosmith and Chris Cornell ($300), and a guitar personally autographed by Ryan Adams ($1500). Signed clothing is also big on the agenda, with a jacket from Snoop Dogg, a vest from Iggy Pop, and sneakers from Amy Winehouse.

Signed guitars are also available as part of the Private Sessions Charity Auction, with all proceeds to benefit the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation. Avril Lavigne, the Goo Goo Dolls, Meat Loaf, the Barenaked Ladies, and Toby Keith are among the stars to sign both an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar for the auction, which also includes movie clapper boards autographed by Queen Latifah, Michael Douglas, and Anthony Hopkins.

But if these items whet your appetite, you have to be quick. The auction ends on December 12.

For those people celebrating Christmas in Australia this year, the Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia is auctioning Christmas decorations signed by various celebrities. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, The Rock, Delta Goodrem, Missy Higgins, and rugby league stars Matthew Johns and Benji Marshall have all put their names on baubles to raise money for sick children in the country.

An auction is also being held by Russell Simmons’ Diamond Empowerment Fund, to raise money for education programs in African countries where diamonds are a natural resource. A variety of fine diamond pieces are up for sale at www.ebay.com/diamondsgive, including an exquisite diamond-encrusted Ohm watch from the Simmons Jewelry Company. The opportunity to take part in exclusive photo shoots with celebrities such as Petra Nemcova, Naomi Campbell, LL Cool J, and Cedric The Entertainer are also up for grabs in the auction.

Actress and environmental activist Daryl Hannah is also doing her bit to ease the shopping blues this year, and has launched a brand new online store. www.dhlovelife.com offers goods picked with serious consideration of their environmental, social, and animal welfare impact. And if special holiday items such as an organic peace wreath and 100% recycled cards do not excite you, the store also offers compost buckets, surfboards and guitars made from hemp, bamboo snowboards, organic dog treats, and even a solar powered boat. The actress will also sell her personal bio diesel car and home fueling system on the site on December 20.

And finally a little news from the recent Lightspeed Fine Art Celebrity Charity Auction, held in Lake Forest, California, on the weekend of December 1 and 2. Lightspeed specializes in artworks relating to science fiction, and their eighth annual auction attracted guests from shows such as Stargate, Voyager, and Battlestar Galactica.

A surprise guest at the auction was Leonard Nimoy, better known as Mr Spock from Star Trek. Nimoy, who is reputed to have a huge personal collection of Star Trek memorabilia, donated several items to the auction signed by himself and William Shatner, including a plaque awarded from NASA for “inspiring a generation of scientists and explorers”.

Nimoy’s contributions made over $14,000 of the total $40,000 raised during the auction, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society and the Nimoy Foundation, an initiative that gives grants to artists-in-residence programs in museums and galleries around the US.

In the words of Mr Spock – “live long and prosper”.

Stars Support World AIDS Day

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:32:14 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It was a powerful moment when former South African President Nelson Mandela made his way to the stage with the aid of a walking stick to address tens of thousands of people in Johannesburg on December 1, World Aids Day.

“Break the cycle,” said the 89-year-old leader. “The answer is in our hands.”

Mandela was speaking at the 10-hour charity concert held at Ellis Park Stadium in the South African city to raise awareness of the country’s HIV/AIDS problem. Over 30 local and international artists joined the line-up, with proceeds going to Mandela’s 46664 AIDS program.

“It is alarming that, for every person who receives treatment, there are four others who are newly infected," said Mandela, who appeared pleased with the concert’s attendance. "Here in South Africa we are making every effort to reach into communities because we believe the answer is in our hands. If we have to stop the AIDS epidemic from expanding, we have to break the cycle of new HIV infections. Big ambitious plans are needed to deal with the epidemic. But what really matters are small acts of kindness… such as protecting yourself.”

British based band Razorlight kicked off the international line-up, and was followed by Peter Gabriel, who included a song about anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko in his set. The singer said that the same power and intensity used to fight apartheid should be shown in the fight against HIV-Aids.

Other acts to perform included Live, Johnny Clegg, Ludacris, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Jamelia. British soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae performed one of her most stunning live sets ever, and performances were interspersed with video clips that highlighted AIDS projects.

“AIDS is a human rights issue,” said singer Annie Lennox, who also performed at the concert. “It should be treated as such to avoid this genocide that is affecting millions and millions of people around the world.”

British supermodel Naomi Campbell also made a surprise appearance, and urged the crowd to do all that they can to stop the disease.

“I know it is a fearful thing,” said the 37-year-old. “Basically we cannot stress too much how important it is to protect yourself from this virus.”

Also marking World AIDS Day on December 1 was British rock group Queen. The band released their first new recording in over a decade on Saturday, available for free download on their website – www.queenonline.com.

The song, “Say It Isn’t True”, features the band’s new lead singer, Paul Rodgers, who joins the original line-up of Brian May and Rodger Taylor. Freddie Mercury, the original lead singer, died of an AIDS related illness in 1991.

“By making the song available for free, we hope to help Nelson Mandela with his campaign to get across the message that no one is safe from infection,” said Taylor. “It’s a difficult subject, and [the song] is written in the first person… it’s about receiving the letter and finding out you’re HIV positive, and the sort of terrible shock and emotion and effect it has on your life.”

Queen may also perform at the next Nelson Mandela charity concert, to be held in London on June 27, 2008.

Celebrities Wear Their Hearts On Their Sleeves

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:33:55 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

This Summer has seen both style and flair in the fashion world, and nowhere has this been more evident than in the clothes worn by celebrities. From the metallic mini-dresses that made a splash at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards to the dazzling array of gowns seen at the 79th Academy Awards, celebrity fashions have made it a year to remember. Yet, in a season that has included a host of environmental and humanitarian events, many stars have used what they wear to raise awareness of some big social and ecological subjects. They have embraced issue-based labels as a way of provoking thought on some of the most important problems facing the world today.

One such label is Threads For Thought, a contemporary lifestyle brand of clothing for men and women. With a portion of its proceeds going to the Natural Resources Defense Council and the International Rescue Committee, Threads For Thought produces designs which draw inspiration from three major areas: Africa, the Environment, and Peace.
The 100% organic cotton garments have been worn by a multitude of celebrities who support the brand’s concepts, including American Idol judge, Paula Abdul, and actor Jamie Foxx. Singer Gwen Stefani has been setting trends with a selection of Threads For Thought scarves and tops, and actor Don Cheadle, well known for his humanitarian work in Darfur, was spotted wearing a TFT t-shirt on “Inside The Actor’s Studio”.

Another brand popular with celebrities is OmniPeace, who donate 50% of all proceeds to the Millennium Promise Alliance, a non-profit organization working to end extreme poverty by 2025. The brand’s easily recognizable t-shirts were launched by Courteney Cox and David Arquette in 2005, and have since been worn to events by Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Naomi Campbell, Kevin Costner, and Harry Potter’s Emma Watson.

Also popular is Edun, a fashion company that works to improve the skills of the workers where their clothing is made, including India, Tunisia, Kenya, and Madagascar. Founded in 2005 by U2 singer Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, Edun also recently launched the “edun LIVE” sub-brand, which aims to foster trade in Africa by ensuring all of its products are 100% African, from “grower to sewer”.

“Bono’s biggest impression of the Africans is that they don’t want charity, they want trade,” said Hewson. “They have pride, they’re very dignified people. They want to work. This company is a business model that other people can follow.”

The company has raised the support of celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan, and last year released special Edun-One t-shirts, which made over $376,000 for ALAFA, a fund set up to fight Aids in Africa. The t-shirts were worn by stars such as Naomi Watts, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger, and Jimmy Fallon.

With Winter just round the corner, both the celebrities and the fans are looking forward to new styles and surprises from the fashion world.

Look To The Stars News: Naomi Campbell

Big Wigs For A Big Cause

Related past articles

Fashion For Relief A Huge Success

Related past articles

Naomi Campbell Launches Fashion For Relief 2008

Related past articles

Ugly Betty Items Go Under the Hammer

Related past articles

Celebrities Clean Out Their Closets For Charity

Related past articles

Charity Gifts For Valentine's Day

Related past articles

Celebrity Auctions For Christmas

Related past articles

Stars Support World AIDS Day

Related past articles

Celebrities Wear Their Hearts On Their Sleeves

Related past articles