Fashion Fights Poverty

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Fashion Fights Poverty is a fashion benefit created by the Style & Image Network, as an effort to raise awareness on socially conscious issues while catering to the DC social scene. Created in 2005 by Style & Image Network, Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP)^[1], has extended to become an annual event, connecting the DC elite to cause worthy issues. Since it's conception, Fashion Fights Poverty has donated to a handful of different organizations, and has even extended its DC base to Miami. Since then, it has been called, “one of the largest fashion fundraisers in Washington, DC.”

1 History
2 Beneficiaries
3 The Fashion Show
4 The Look Book
5 Press
6 2008's Fashion Fights Poverty
7 References
8 External Links

[edit] History

In Fall 2005, Michael Dumlao, Sylvie Luanghy and Kadrieka Maiden, founders of the Style & Image Network (SIN)^[2] hosted an event that merged the seemingly disparate worlds of haute couture and global poverty. Taking place in Washington D.C., one of the globe’s most influential cities, Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP) brought a new philanthropic dimension to the world of fashion. Drawing from personal expertise in communications design, fashion marketing, public relations, event management and global policy, the founders of SIN produced an evening of glamour and style while staying true to their fundamental intent of fostering sustainable community empowerment.

FFP is an event that celebrates and encourages the efforts of fashion forward designers and artisans who look beyond the runway and into the communities of people who make the fashions we in the public can’t live without. After its first year, FFP was awarded the 2006 Leading Lights Diversity Award for Leadership (Honorable Mention), and was also awarded its second year with 2007 Long and Foster Realtors Community Leadership Award.

At its core, FFP is devoted to educating the public about entrepreneurial, creative, innovative ways to alleviate global poverty. Featuring national and international designers who employ ethical means and practices in their design and manufacturing processes to produce products that promote economic development and the betterment of a given community, FFP provides a forum for dialogue and awareness building about how fashion, textiles, and design can alleviate poverty and empower communities. FFP is about action and promoting positive behavior.

In addition to increasing awareness among the general consumer and the design industry, Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP) is also looking to communicate its mission to thought leaders and policy makers. In partnership with Aid To Artisans, the Fair Trade Federation and the United Nations Association, FFP hopes to provide a forum for discussing “Can Fashion Fight Poverty?”

[edit] Beneficiaries

In partnership with the United Nations Association of the UnitedStates of America’s National Capital Area chapter and local volunteers of ONE (The Campaign To Make Poverty History), the inaugural FFP benefited, the United States Committee for the United Nations Development Program, raising over $6,000. The 2006 beneficiary was Uganda-based BeadforLife ^[3]; $10,000 was raised for this outstanding organization, which provides improvised women in Uganda with jobs through the making and selling of gorgeous handcrafted paper beads. The 2007 beneficiary was Aids to Artisans^[4], a non-profit organization which offers practical assistance to artisan groups worldwide and works in partnership to foster artistic traditions, cultural vitality, improved livelihoods and community well-being.

[edit] The Fashion Show

Catwalk has featured: American Apparel (US), Basia Frossard (Poland/ Chicago), Bébénoir (Senegal), Belabumbum (Brazil), BethelHelena (Eritrea), Chacha Boy (New York), Ecliptica (Puerto Rico), EDUN (New York), Elizabeth Muir (Afghanistan/ Washington DC), KAS Collection (Washington DC), Kimberly Robinson (Washington DC), Liliana Castellanos (Bolivia), Loomstate (New York), Maria Luisa Ortiz (Colombia), Natalia Naftalieva (Russia), Orangia (Miami), Rakiyt Zakari (Washington DC), Thomas Pink (UK).

[edit] The Look Book

The Fashion Fights Poverty “Dress Responsibly” Look Book is the official style guide of FFP. The book is filled with editorial style photographs that feature tastemakers from around the country in FFP approved clothing and accessories. The Look Book shows its readers that high fashion can also be ethical. Photographers, models, and stylists gladly volunteer their time, talent and efforts in producing the portfolio while the book itself is produced on recycled materials and, in the case of the first book, hand bound by volunteers.

Proceeds from the sale of the Look Book go to the beneficiary and is projected to retail at $50. The Look Book is for sale through FFP’s website site, pre-events and the event itself. FFP is currently exploring options on how to increase the national distribution of the Look Book.

[edit] Press

As Fashion Fights Poverty continues to grow, the level of press attention increases as well. Previous FFP events was able to garner the press attention from various digital, print, and broadcast media outlets including: BizBash Magazine, DC Modern Luxury Magazine, DC Style Magazine, El Nuevo Dia,  Puerto Rico, GO Magazine, The Learning Channel (TLC), Miami Herald, Miami Modern Luxury, Nashville Lifestyles, Ocean Drive Magazine, The Tennessean, USA Channel 9, Voice of America, W Magazine, Washington Blade, Washington Times, and Washington Post.

[edit] 2008's Fashion Fights Poverty

Plans for 2008's Fashion Fights Poverty is still tentative, but few details have been released. It has been announced that their 2008 beneficiary will be NEST^[5], a non-profit organization that supports women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses. Scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2008, this year’s event takes place at the historic and newly renovated St. Regis Washington, D.C., FFP’s 2008 presenting sponsor.