Look To The Stars News: Donatella Versace

$1.1 Million Raised At Milan Fashion Week Charity Event

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Supermodel Linda Evangelista opened the amfAR Milano Foundation’s inaugural event held recently in conjunction with Milan Fashion Week.

In a moving speech in which she recalled the losses of friends during the early epidemic, she talked about the death of her booking agent. “Those were desperate times for so many of us. I watched him die and helped bury him, not understanding any of it. The fashion industry was especially hard hit by AIDS.”

  The event raised $1.1 million (euro750,000) for HIV/AIDS research, and was attended by many of the rich, famous and fashionable, including Rachel Bilson, Kanye West, Donatella Versace and models Anja Rubik and Chanel Iman.   

Janet Jackson, longtime dedicated philanthropist and HIV/AIDS activist, chaired the event along with many other notable people including DSquared² designing twins Dean and Dan Caten and Linda Evangelista. The event was presented by DSquared², BMW Group Italia, and Lambertz, along with media partner Vanity Fair and hotel partner Westin Palace Milano. The black tie dinner and auction was followed by an after-party deejayed by Bob Sinclar.  

Alek Wek and Giuseppe Zanotti auctioned off a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti boots designed exclusively by Mr. Zanotti for Michael Jackson to be worn on the opening night of his planned come-back tour. The hand-embellished boots featured 3,000 multicolored Swarovski beads and sold for $14,634.
 
French model Noemie Lenoir made the impromptu decision to go out on a date with the highest bidder in the room and, in doing so, raised $16,097.
 
There were so many more great items auctioned off, including a private DJ lesson with Bob Sinclar. 
 
Dita Von Teese, a longtime amfAR supporter, celebrated her birthday on the evening of the event. Von Teese closed the night by treating guests to a special performance of “Le Bain Noir.”
 
 You can read more about the event here. To learn more about amfAR, click here

Penelope Cruz And Donatella Versace To Host Charity Gala

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Italian luxury fashion house Versace, is pleased to announce that for the second straight year, it will sponsor the Whitney’s Gala and Studio Party. Taking place Monday evening October 19th, the event will be co-chaired by Penelope Cruz, Liz Swig and Donatella Versace.

In addition to sponsoring the Gala, Donatella Versace collaborated with the Whitney’s Education Department and designed a project called Art Unites to provide children in need in the United States and China with the incomparable spirit, creativity, inspiration and solace that visual arts bestow.

The program, which officially launched on July 1st, will benefit Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families in the US, and the One Foundation in China, an organization committed to the long-term recovery of the areas devastated by last year’s earthquakes in the Sichuan province, funding and operating two Versace One Foundation children’s centers with schooling, psychological therapy, and post trauma counseling for over 1200, through creative visual arts an essential form of relief.

As part of the program Versace will provide canvas and art supplies to 500 children from Starlight and 900 children from the One Foundation to create original drawings using the theme of “friendship”. Each child’s work of art will be fashioned into a one-of-a-kind Versace canvas tote bag which will be sold worldwide at Versace boutiques and the Gilt Groupe, a member’s only ecommerce site this October. The bags are expected to retail for between $200 and $250, and 100% percent of the proceeds from the sale of the bags will be donated equally to Starlight and to One Foundation.

“I have been blessed with incredible success in my life,” says Donatella. “And part of that success means being able to give back to people in need. As a mother, children’s causes are especially close to my heart, and I am honored to be able to work with The Whitney on the creation of a program that inspires children through the arts. Both Starlight and the One Foundation provide critical support for children and their families, and I look forward to our ongoing partnership.”

Kicking off the program, The Whitney’s Education department hosted a day of art-making at the museum on July 1st with children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses from the New York chapter of Starlight. Donatella Versace was on hand at the party to encourage and inspire the children in the creation of their designs for the tote bags.

Once all the drawings worldwide are complete, a panel of judges led by Donatella, including Adam D. Weinberg, the Whitney’s Alice Pratt Brown Director, Glenda Bailey, Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar, international actress Penelope Cruz, and Jet Li, actor and founder of the One Foundation, will select one winning bag from each charity which will be featured in the Versace runway show this September.

Katy Perry To Headline Life Ball

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:31:00 -0000

Singer Katy Perry is to perform at the annual Life Ball in Vienna, to raise support for the worldwide fight against HIV and AIDS.

Celebrating the beauty of life and the diversity of world cultures, Life Ball reinvents the great Viennese Ball tradition with glamorous, outlandish performances and inspirational speeches. It attracts huge interest in the media and is broadcast live on Austrian National TV prime time, with delayed airing in Germany.

To date the Life Ball has raised over €10.5 million. It is the only AIDS charity event to take place in a government building. In 2008, the event raised € 1.4 million in one night.

  Since 1993, world famous personalities and artists have lent their voices and support to Life Ball, giving their time and effort to make the charitable event successful every year. With their appearances, personal impulses and involvement, Sharon Stone, Sir Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Catherine Deneuve, Liza Minnelli, Kim Cattrall, Linda Evangelista, Heidi Klum, Dennis Rodman, Naomi Campbell, Randy Crawford and many more have inspired courage and promoted the joyful aspects of life and given a clear sign against discrimination and ignorance.

  A sparkling show with a series of music and dance performances opens the event on the square in front of the picturesque Vienna City Hall. Each year, some 40,000 Viennese, the international media and the city’s guests from around the world gather on the square to experience this glittering spectacle at close range. Live performances by international artists such as Anastacia, Scissor Sisters, Kool & The Gang, Julian Rachlin, INXS, Cyndie Lauper, Simply Red, Grace Jones, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Boys’ Choir have raptured the crowds in years past.  

The opening ceremony features thoughtful moments with speeches by the Life Ball’s international partners, such as Sharon Stone representing amfAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research) and Sir Elton John in the past years. Furthermore, a world-renowned celebrity presents the “Crystal of Hope” endowed with 100,000 Euro donated by Swarovski to honor the engagement of a pioneer in the field of HIV/AIDS.  

The opening’s grand finale is a glittering fashion show – so far Donatella Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli, Gianfranco Ferré, Missoni, Moschino, Agent Provocateur among others have presented their creations at the Life Ball. Both top models and dazzling celebrities can be seen on the catwalk. The involvement of the artists, models and hundreds of volunteers serves as a statement of humanity, tolerance and understanding.

  After the festive opening, the opulent Life Ball night starts inside the Vienna City Hall. Open exclusively to 4,000 holders of Life Ball tickets, all halls and courtyards of the building are transformed into richly decorated ballrooms and dance floors. A versatile show and entertainment program with live performances by international stars, various music styles and many other entertainment facilities await the audience throughout the night. With their performances, participating artists make a strong statement for life and against ignorance and prejudice.  

The Life Ball is organized by Aids Life, an independent non-profit organization, created with the objective to raise money to support people in areas of the world most affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2008, a record result of 1.4 million US-Dollars was raised. In 2007 an additional 1 million US-Dollars was generated at the Dinner Gala with Bill Clinton the night before Life Ball 2007. Half of the raised funds go to national relief projects and half go to international organizations in support of HIV/AIDS treatment, research and prevention.

This year’s Life Ball is on May 16. More information can be found at the official website.

Jet Li Speaks At Clinton Global Initiative

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former President Bill Clinton kicked off his first Clinton Global Initiative conference abroad in Hong Kong on Tuesday to focus on education, energy and climate change and public health issues in Asia.

Speaking at the event, action star Jet Li said that China is ready for an “explosion” of volunteer work as the country becomes more prosperous after two decades of capitalist-style economic reforms.

“Before the reforms, China’s 1.3 billion people couldn’t even fill their stomachs,” said Li. “The only way people could help others is a word of encouragement.”

Jet Li is well known for his charity work in China. He set up the One Foundation to help victims of natural disasters – a cause that became extremely important following the Sichuan earthquake in May. Along with Jackie Chan, the star made huge donations to victims of the earthquake, and recently joined Donatella Versace on a visit to schools affected by the disaster.

“Countless volunteers were on the front lines,” he said

Jet Li Visits Earthquake Victims With Donatella Versace

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action star Jet Li visited a school devastated by the Sichuan earthquake in China earlier this month, and he took with him a very special guest – Donatella Versace.

According to an article in Time magazine, the pair visited the village of Sanjiang, Wenchuan county, to see a school and counseling center designed to provide post-trauma and psychological relief in China’s Sichuan province funded by Versace through the One Foundation.

“When you see things on television, you don’t know if it’s true,” said Versace. “I wanted to see it with my eyes and touch it myself.”

The counseling centers and schools provide a place to live while families rebuild their homes, as well as one-on-one counseling sessions with doctors. Versace hopes to raise $1.2 million more to open two or three schools in the earthquake zone.

“I cannot begin to imagine the terrible effect something like this must have on young children,” she said. “Children want to feel safe and cared for, and so I hope that through providing expert care for them, we might be able to bring back some of that feeling of security into their lives.”

“I don’t ask for CEO’s money, I ask for their hearts,” added Li. “With hearts we can change a lot.”

Bryan Adams Plays Prince's Trust Gig

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bryan Adams has played at an auction gala event that raised over £1 million (US$1 million) for the Prince’s Trust.

The Prince’s Trust Invest in Futures Gala Dinner and Charity Auction was hosted by Ben Elton at Old Billingsgate, east London, over the weekend, and featured lots such as tea at The Ritz with Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster, a flight with The Red Arrows, artworks by Prince Charles, a chance to meet Donatella Versace at Milan Fashion Week, and the opportunity to meet Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole during an X Factor taping.

“It is an honor for me to perform at such an incredible event which raises a huge amount of money for The Prince’s Trust,” said Bryan Adams. “Support from the financial community is more important now than ever and The Prince’s Trust is giving young people the skills and confidence to get into work in this increasingly uncertain global climate.”

Versace To Join With Jet Li For Children

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jet Li’s One Foundation will get a major boost next month when Donatella Versace jets into Beijing to hold a special charity fashion show.

The show – to take place on November 13 – will be the first time a Versace fashion show has ever been held in China, and will present the brand’s women’s and menswear spring/summer 2009 collections. It will raise money for a series of new children’s centers designed to provide post-trauma and psychological relief in China’s Sichuan province, which was hit by a devastating earthquake in May. The first center will be opening in San Jiang next month.

Versace is also proud to announce that it has also created a very special Versace/One Foundation logo that will feature on limited edition designs in China, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the One Foundation.

The show will take place in a brand new facility located near Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

Look To The Stars News: Donatella Versace

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