Look To The Stars News: Helena Christensen

Helena Christensen Designs Bag For Breast Health

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Supermodel Helena Christensen has teamed up with fashion giant Tommy Hilfiger to design a new bag to benefit charity.

Christensen – who was named as an ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger’s limited edition bag initiative earlier this year – has designed a yellow oversized tote in super soft leather with a metal knot detail clasp. Perfect for pleasure and leisure, the limited edition bag costs £279, with 50% of the profits going to Breast Health International.

“I am honored to be chosen as ambassador of such a worthy cause and initiative. Breast cancer affects women of all ages worldwide, and I commend the Breast Health International and Tommy Hilfiger for stepping up to the mark, to find a cure for this disease,” said Christensen, who has been a supporter of the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign for several years.

Proceeds from the bags will go to Breast Health International’s Fund For Living, an initiative established to provide assistance to all people with breast cancer and their families to cover unique problems that may not be addressed or covered by the usual health insurance programs, such as home care, child care, transportation. Resources to cover the costs of these special needs are made available to medical centers and social service facilities to be dispensed as needed to the patients and families in their individual treatment facilities.

“This Limited Edition bag symbolizes our commitment to the foundation, and with Helena Christensen, we hope to raise awareness and reduce the effects of breast cancer,” said Tommy Hilfiger.

The bag is only available in Tommy Hilfiger flagship stores.

Josh Hartnett To Art Africa

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actor Josh Hartnett plans to go to Africa with Dramatic Need to give a new kind of voice to underprivileged children.

Unlike most charities which supply clothing, food and shelter, Dramatic Need wants to give the children of South Africa a creative outlet and voice through art. By sending UK-based actors, musicians and artists to teach workshops in various art forms, the charity believes that children will be “better able to cope with poverty, malnutrition and disease.”

“We try to give them a voice of their own and a way to communicate what they’re going through that they don’t find threatening,” said founder Amber Sainsbury. “We give them the means to express what they feel in very underprivileged parts of the world.”

“I want to go down there and actually help out,” added Hartnett. “It’s fun for an actor to be able to do something that’s not for publicity, but actually go down and do something hands-on. It allows the kids to be children. It allows them to be creative and have a good time for a little portion of their day, which I think is necessary.”

Model Helena Christensen also likes the idea. “I think it’s a very worthy cause. I think it’s a beautiful thing to do for children in Africa. It’s a good chance to give children who are living in difficult circumstances the chance to develop mentally.”

Bono Wants You To Clean Up For Charity

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It may seem weird – maybe even unbelievable – but Bono has designed a trash can and wants YOU to buy it for charity.

The unique bin is part of a new auction featuring a range of bins designed by celebrities and raising money for the Food Bank For New York City and the Chernobyl Children’s Project International. Joining Bono in designing the receptacles are a range of stars, including REM’s Michael Stipe, celebrity chef Mario Batali, models Helena Christensen and Christy Turlington, actress Mena Suvari, and many more.

The auction is part of a partnership between The Conran Store – an international chain of homeware and furniture stores – and Danish design company VIPP, who were the original designers of the classic pedal trash bin in 1939. The unique celebrity designs will be on display for public viewing and pre-bidding at The Conran Shop in New York (407 East 59th Street) from September 4, culminating in a live auction event on Thursday, September 18, at the Winston Wächter Fine Art Gallery.

For more information, or to see the creations online, visit the Conran Store website.

Famous Faces Flock To Family Festival

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:30:00 -0000

A host of celebrities will gather at the annual Kids for Kids Family Carnival in New York in September to raise money for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

For 15 years, Kids for Kids has brought families together to rally in support of the Foundation’s fight against pediatric AIDS. In celebration of the Foundation’s lifesaving work, plans are under way to make this year’s carnival unforgettable!

Kids for Kids has moved to a new time and place, and will feature new and exciting components, but you can still expect your favorite attractions from years past — samplings from New York’s greatest restaurants, world-class artists and photographers, celebrities, and both old-fashioned and cutting-edge games and activities. Stars already confirmed to attend include Natalie Portman, Whoopi Goldberg, Helena Christensen, James Gandolfini, Heidi Klum, Rachael Ray, Julianne Moore, Petra Nemcova, Susan Sarandon, Meredith Vieira, and many more.

And that’s not all! The evening before the carnival, the Foundation will host a very special art auction featuring pieces by acclaimed artists Cecily Brown, Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, and Tom Friedman.

The event takes place on Saturday, September 20, from 1pm to 5pm at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. More information and tickets can be obtained from www.pedaids.org.

Bono's Charity Auction Raises $42.6m for (RED)

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:11:22 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Sotheby’s was seeing red last week as Bono and artist Damien Hirst organized a Valentine’s Day auction of more than 60 works of art to raise funds for Bono’s (RED) charity. And by by the end of the night, the U2 frontman had rallied deep-pocketed bidders to make the AIDS charity auction a raging success to the tune of $42.6 million.

“It is a historic night for artists” said Bono, “An extraordinary night in New York City. I am very moved.”

The U2 frontman was flanked by celebrity pals as he led the guests in a sing-along of the Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’. “I see myself as a servant for Africa,” Bono said, “Tonight is about the awareness of AIDS and the medical treatment that can strongly aid in the demise of this disease.”

Throngs of celebrity bidders were on hand to snatch up items such as a steel and glass cabinet by Hirst called ‘Where There’s a Will There’s a Way,’ which fetched $7.15M. The cabinet was filled with drugs to treat HIV.

“I have watched people dying for lack of these pills,” Bono said after the sale. “I actually can’t quantify how many people that will keep alive. It’s not just the money we made tonight, it’s the excitement around the issue.”

Model Christy Turlington bought Francesco Clemente’s ‘Red Flower on Scorched Earth’ for $155,000, even though it was valued at $70,000.

“When I first saw the catalog, I loved this piece the most,‘’ Turlington said after the sale. "It was completely impulsive.’’

Bono seems to inspire the best of people, so it’s no surprise that most auction items were sold for well above their estimated value.

“Tonight we got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from Aids in the poorest places on the planet,” he said.

A work by London street artist Banksy sold for $1.7M, though it had been valued at no more than $350,000; Murakami’s ‘Red Flower Ball’ was estimated at $700,000, but sold for $1.5M; Richard Prince’s ‘Untitled’ sold for $1.6 million even though the top estimate was $900,000; and Andreas Gursky’s ‘Pyongyang IV’ was valued at $300,000, but adding Bono into the mix led to a final bid of $1.4M.

“I’m never going to be cynical ever again for a while,” Bono said. “We’ve helped change the world a little bit.”

Among those on hand to support the cause were NBC news anchor Brian Williams, R.E.M. front man Michael Stipe, Queen Noor of Jordan, actor Dennis Hopper, tennis star John McEnroe, supermodel Helena Christensen, actor Ed Burns and hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons.

Proceeds from the sale, which was organized at no cost by Bono’s charity organization (RED), will go directly to the United Nations Foundation to support HIV/AIDS relief programs run by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

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