...not just a woman's issue || Thinking Pink

...not just a woman's issue || Thinking Pink

Although the end of breast cancer awareness month gradually approaches, there is still time to do your part in the fight against breast cancer by shopping! Here are some of my favorite picks and the organizations that these designers/ products support

Designer: Jaclyn Smith
Product: the Jaclyn Smith Anniversary Collection
Being a breast cancer survivor, herself, this cause hits close to home for Jaclyn Smith. And so, for every piece purchased from her Limited Edition Apparel Collection, Kmart will make a donation to Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). These pieces are easily identifiable by the pink ribbon- and range from $24.99 to $89.99

Image Credit: Wanita Indonesia

Designer: Lauren Merkin

Product: Diana Pink Studded Lambskin Bag
I absolutely love this studded leather flap front cross body bag. 50% of the proceeds of this baby pink beauty will be donated to Young Survival Coalition (YSC); a global organization dedicated to ensuring that no young woman is left to face breast cancer alone.

Company: Clinique
Product: Limited Edition Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
The truly dramatically different moisturizing lotion comes with a collectible key ring with a pink ribbon heart and a Clinique “C” charm for $35. It also includes a free pink ribbon pin and a bookmark with key breast health tips. For each purchase, $10 goes to BCRF

Company: Rumba Time

Look fashionable in this pink RumbaTime wristwatch while contributing to breast cancer research at the same time. The colorful rumba watch is $20 with 20% of proceeds from its sale (40% during October) being donated to BCRF

Company: Converse
Product: Chuck Taylor Pink All Star Hi-Top and Oxford
Converse is also partnering with BCRF for Breast cancer Awareness month and is donating $50,000 connected with sales of this chic and comfortable pink chucks that are currently being sold for $45

Designer: Ralph Lauren
Product: Ralph Lauren Pink Pony
For higher end items, shop Ralph Lauren Pink Pony. This year, Ralph Lauren enlisted 100 fashion bloggers to stylishly showcase their support of Pink Pony’s mission to benefit breast cancer prevention and care to medically under-served communities. 10% of all proceeds from Pink Pony benefit the Pink Pony Fund.

Image Credit: Karla's Closet

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“Breast cancer is not just a woman’s issue- it affects all of us; the brothers, husbands, fathers, children, friends. Pink Pony is our effort in the fight against cancer”- Ralph Lauren

Estée Lauder || Thinking Pink

Estée Lauder || Thinking Pink

When it comes to breast cancer awareness, the Estée Lauder brand is one that has been actively involved in the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign since 1992. By distributing pink ribbons and informational brochures at counters in North American and around the globe, the brand works to raise awareness about breast cancer around the world. This month, Estée Lauder companies’ brands are selling Pink Ribbon products to raise funds and awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)- a foundation dedicated to preventing and finding a cure for breast cancer.

Their exclusive Pink Ribbon collection acts as great conversation starters and will create opportunities for women around the world to share stories, encourage screening and raise awareness. Apart from raising awareness, proceeds from the sales of this elegant pink collection will raise funds of up to $500,000 which will be donated to the BCRF. Check out the Estée Lauder pink ribbon collection. Where better to wear pink than on your lips?

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In the United States alone, about 39,840 women will die of breast cancer in 2010

Source:

-The American Cancer Society

the white cashmere collection || Thinking Pink

the white cashmere collection || Thinking Pink

In support of a future without breast cancer, fifteen Canadian designers including Ines Di Santo, Paris Li, Angela Chen, and Caitlin Power took on White Cashmere Collection 2010: Fashion with Compassion. An annual awareness-raiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the White Cashmere Collection 2010 event was held to not only raise breast cancer awareness but to also raise funds for the Foundation. It featured models that strutted out in lovely couture designs made solely out of Cashmere bathroom tissue (BT) and inspired by the strength and courage of women affected by breast cancer. The spectacular BT creations ranged from hats, jewelry, swimwear and even a wedding gown.

Where do you come in? Well, participate in Cashmere’s Vote Couture for the Cure and vote for your favorite White Cashmere Collection 2010 design. For each vote placed, Cashmere will donate $1 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and $5,000 on behalf of the designer with the most votes. In addition, every voter also gets the chance to win a limited edition $150 cashmere scarf by designer, Thien Le. So go to Cashmere.ca, feast your eyes on this year’s lovely BT couture designs and vote vote vote!!!

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In Canada alone, 23,200 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 will die as a result of the disease in 2010

Source/ Image Credit:
-Canadian Cancer Society
-Cashmere

Thinking Pink ... globally

Thinking Pink ... globally

In 2010, 1.5 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

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Although a disease thought to be exclusive to the developed world, in reality 69% of resulting deaths from the disease occur in developing countries. Affecting nearly 1 in 4 women with cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and is a leading cause of death from cancer among women globally.

Breast cancer survival rates vary worldwide with the lowest survival rates (below 40%) found in low income countries as a result of late detection programs, lack of adequate diagnosis and lack of treatment facilities.

October is breast cancer awareness month and so this month, LecielLarue will be dedicated to all things breast cancer slash fashion related! Music, tv ads, billboards and even facebook is being used as a platform to raise breast cancer awareness around the world!

Well, why not fashion?

Source:
-The American Cancer Society
-The World Health Organization
-Worldwide Breast Cancer

Fashion's Night Out || shopping for something good

Fashion's Night Out || shopping for something good

Fashion's biggest party in history is back this year! Taking place in 100 cities across the U.S and 16 countries around the world, Fashion's Night Out (FNO) is a global shopping celebration dedicated to fashion and charity. The City of New York which has been the main focal point of the celebration in the past, is joined by other cities across the nation this year and will include models, celebrities, fashionistas, freebies, cocktails, along with great shopping deals to benefit various charities around the globe.

Some of them include:

♥ The New York City AIDS Fund.
This year the FNO event has an entire fun clothing line by Vogue with 40% of the proceeds of all sales going to The New York City AIDS Fund. ||
♥ Soles4Souls.
Nine West hosts Joss Stone for the FNO event and a portion of all proceeds go to Soles4Soles. Guests at the store will also have an opportunity to donate gently used shoes to Soles4Souls. ||
♥ Kids Company Charity.
Exclusive Fashion’s Night Out T-Shirts and tote bags will be on sale in a number of FNO participating stores in London with all proceeds going to the Kids Company charity ||
♥ FEED USA.
Gap launches a new limited edition line of canvas totes starting at $19.50- created in collaboration with FEED Project with $5 of every purchase going to any schools food improvement project of your choice.

These are only a few of the charities that will be benefiting from Fashion's big event. Join Fashion's global celebration on September 10, 2010 and plan a night out with friends - shopping for good in your city.

Image Credit: jakandjil

Also See:
-Fashion's Night Out T-Shirt

Vraiment Inspirant!

Vraiment Inspirant!

It brings me indescribable joy when I discover something truly inspiring. Truly inspiring in my opinion, is fashion with a message- a creative fusion of fashion and health. Truly inspiring is the amazing strapless dress, partly woven from blue recycled mosquito nets recently modeled by Kate Moss. The “mosquito-net” dress was exclusively designed by William Tempest, one of London’s hottest young designers, for the Sport Relief 2010 campaign as part of an effort to combat malaria in 2010. Though preventable and treatable, malaria accounts for a staggering number of deaths. Tempest and Moss are thus using this dress to raise awareness and sensitize the public to the magnitude of the mosquito-borne disease. In addition, they hope to help raise funds for insecticide treated nets- one of the most cost effective methods used in preventing the spread of malaria.

Image Credit: stylehunter

William Tempest isn’t the only designer making statements with malaria inspired pieces. Motivated by Malaria No More UK’s mission, Designer Markus Lupfer has also designed a netted navy cocktail dress that is up for grabs at asos.

Image Credit: asos

The designer uses this dress as an expressive medium to get the word out about the severity of malaria and also to raise funds for mosquito nets in rural Africa where a huge percentage of lives are lost as a result of the disease. Only 750 of the beautiful Lupfer netted charity dresses are up for sale. Funds from the purchase of the dress will benefit a country in Southern Africa where two thirds of its population is at risk of malaria.

Also on asos is a lovely Stephen Webster mosquito ring commissioned by the Malaria Awareness Campaign to raise awareness about malaria among UK travelers. The ring has already been spotted on Victoria Beckham. What better feeling than to know you are not only shopping for amazing pieces but also supporting a great cause in the process ;-)

Image Credit: asos

Raising health awareness and making a difference can obviously be done in truly inspiring [vraiment inspirant] ways...

Why not Fashion?

Ps: Every year there are about 250 million malaria cases and one million malaria deaths. One in every five childhood deaths is as a result of this disease. Every 30 seconds, a child dies from malaria. In other words, about 4 children have died due to the disease while you read this post- CRAZY! Make a difference today, get involved! Sport Relief has terrific and easy fundraising ideas if you want to be a part of making a difference in the spread of malaria.

Source:
-Sport Relief, 2010
-World Health Organization, 2009

Dying to Give Life

Dying to Give Life

Afghanistan, Niger, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Sudan, Eritrea and Equatorial Guinea- these are the world’s worst places to be a mother. In these countries, the joy of pregnancy is often accompanied by the fear of dying. The unwelcome pass of the baton, between mother and child -wherein a first breath and new life is exchanged for last breath and death, has become common place.

Every minute a woman dies in pregnancy or child birth. 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries.

In Niger, 1 in 7 women die in pregnancy or childbirth, with 1 in 8 dying in both Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. In comparison the risk of dying in childbirth is less than 1 in 25,000 in both Greece and Italy and less than 1 in 47,600 in Ireland. In Africa as a whole, the risk of maternal death is 1 in every 16 women whereas in Northern Europe, 1 in 4000 women risks dying from pregnancy related causes.

These statistics may be hard to relate with and might feel like just... well, numbers to you. However, this "story of Mama Sessay: one woman's journey from pregnancy to death" might make it more real for you. It is one out of thousands of heartbreaking untold stories; where the lack of simple and basic services could cost a mother her life.

Enter the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.

The White Ribbon Alliance is a global effort of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations (UN) agencies, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to raise awareness of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and newborns in developed as well as developing countries. Two fashion models working in collaboration with the White Ribbon Alliance are using fashion as a vehicle for change in the area of maternal mortality.

Ai

Image Credit: Zimbio

“MODE for Charity 2010 – babies and mothers” was a White Ribbon charity event and fashion show headed by its Japanese ambassador and international model – Ai Tominaga. Featuring clothes by Japanese fashion designers, the show and event aimed to raise awareness in Japan on maternal mortality issues affecting developing countries and advocate funding for maternal health projects in Zambia where maternal mortality is among one of the highest in Africa.

Image Credit: Zimbio

Naomi

Image Credit: hipcandy

Global Ambassador to the White Ribbon alliance, Naomi Campbell is a model who uses her high profile in fashion as a vehicle for change especially in the area of maternal mortality. She has been involved with a number of projects to support the White Ribbon Alliance notably her “Fashion for Relief” charity fashion show. This year, Fashion for Relief Haiti was held to raise funds for mothers and babies in Haiti. Her other White Ribbon Alliance projects include teaming up with Louis Vuitton to select a Spring/ Summer bag that would have a portion of its proceeds given to the White Ribbon. Last Year, a beautiful Khaki metallic striped bag was chosen to be sold this year to benefit the Alliance.

Image Credit: thatsafabuloushandbag

Why not Fashion?

Source:
-State of the World's Mothers 2010: Save the Children
-The White Ribbon Alliance

Be a part of making a difference -> the whiteribbonalliance

the Broken but not Forgotten City

the Broken but not Forgotten City

My family moved to Jos, Nigeria when I was 11 years old. I remember looking out the car window from the back seat as we drove into the city, full of expectation and wondering what the city had in store for me. Driving past the backdrop of hills, the city looked so calm, peaceful and oozed serenity. 13 years later, it saddens me to think about the killings, the massacre, the loss and the sorrow that has become associated with the beautiful city. It is almost impossible to believe that the same city which holds a dear place in my heart; full of amazing childhood memories, has become a city where families have been violently torn apart and wrecked with grief. Currently, more than 500 people- mainly women and children- have been killed in the massacre that occurred in March. I constantly think about and pray for the survivors and victims of the violence that occurred. This is why it gladdened me to hear about Fashion for Jos, a charity event under Fashion for the Nations- which took place in May 2010 to help those dealing with the aftermath of the killings.

Organised by Estella Ogbona of Estella Couture, Fashion for Jos was not only a fund raising event for the victims but aimed to create awareness about genocide in Jos and Nigeria. It showcased beautiful designs made with Ankara fabric and pieces from fashion houses and designers such as Studio D-Maxsi, Asisat Edu, Editalo designs, Siasylmons Fashion, Shakara Boutique, and of course Estella Couture.

Photos by Sagat Studios

Image Credit: Sagat Studios

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With the poor health system in most African countries, more African designers need to take the approach that 'Fashion for the Nations' is taking. They need to blend Africa’s unique culture with fashion to raise funds for and awareness about the serious health issues in the continent.

Why not Fashion?

|You can also find Fashion for the Nations on Facebook!|
Source:
-NYTimes