H&M Collaborates with major celebrities for Fashion Against AIDS
Some of the biggest celebrities from the world of fashion, music and style will be joining H&M and Designers Against AIDS (DAA) for Fashion Against AIDS, to help fight the disease and raise youth awareness. Katy Perry, Dita Von Teese, N.E.R.D and Yoko Ono are among the artists who will collaborate with H&M on designs for T-shirts, T-shirt dresses, vests and bodies. 25% of the sales price will be donated to youth HIV/AIDS awareness projects. The collection, in 100% organic cotton, for both guys and girls will go on sale in H&M’s youth DIVIDED department from May 28 2009.
“The designs have a real 80’s feel to them, there’s lots of white, bright colours and graffiti-like prints. Girls can wear the pieces with mini’s, or worn denim and big jewellery, while boys can team them with coloured jeans or rolled-up chinos – it all adds to that 80s feeling. Fighting AIDS is always of great importance, and H&M is overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and the commitment from each and every celebrity involved in this collection." Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M head of design.
“H&M and Fashion Against AIDS are so important to us because we could never reach so many young people on our own. AIDS is still very much a subject that’s vitally important today. People build their attitude towards their sex lives when they’re very young, so it’s important for them to realize that safe sex is a vital part of that as early as possible.” Ninette Murk, founder, Designers Against AIDS.
For this year’s Fashion Against AIDS collection, the message is loud and clear, with bold slogans and colours as vibrant as the summer. “PROTECTION IS POWER” reads the print from RÓISÍN MURPHY across a T-shirt, wrapped around the front and back of a body, while N.E.R.D uses a clever graphic to shout out “USE YOUR BRAIN” on coloured vests and T-shirts. ESTELLE’s contribution has the slogan “LIFE IS TOO SHORT – HAVE SEX BE SAFE” printed on a vest next to a sassy silhouette of an empowered woman, while KATY PERRY’s clever safe sex message is “IT’S WHAT’S ON THE OUTSIDE THAT COUNTS” on both a body and a cap-sleeved Tee. CYNDI LAUPER’s 80’s feeling design has the words “GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE SAFE SEX” as if scribbled in pink lipstick on a black vest, while YOKO ONO repeats the words “IMAGINE PEACE” in languages from around the world on coloured T-shirts. ROBYN’s feisty statement is “Protect your body” on a T-shirt with printed diamonds, while DITA VON TEESE, already a champion of AIDS causes, offers an alluring image of her iconic red lips and arched brow on a cute cap-sleeved Tee.
"It’s an honor to be asked to take part in this brilliant project. Every little thing that we do as individuals can add up to something that makes a major impact in the fight against HIV. With the purchase of these stylish t-shirts, you can be a part of something that makes a huge difference in this pandemic, while looking super-chic!" Dita Von Teese.
In the UK alone an estimated 80,000 people were living with HIV by the end of 2007. Worryingly, it is estimated that 28% of those were unaware of their HIV positive status. In 2007, at least 7,000 new cases of HIV infection were reported. Fashion Against AIDS fights the assumption that the message about HIV and AIDS is well known. Each new generation needs to be made aware of AIDS to prevent further spread of the disease. With HIV and AIDS, complacency is not an option.
It’s the second year that H&M have teamed up with the charitable organisation Designers Against AIDS to spread the message of safe sex to the young. Last year’s campaign was a stunning success, with over SEK 15 million donated to HIV/AIDS-preventive projects. This year’s beneficiaries are Designers Against AIDS, YouthAIDSⓇ, UNFPA and MTV Staying Alive Foundation.
FASHION AGAINST AIDS CELEBRITIES Dita Von Teese, Katy Perry, Róisín Murphy, Estelle, Cyndi Lauper, N.E.R.D, Robyn, Yoko Ono, Yelle, Moby, Katharine Hamnett, Dangerous Muse, Tokio Hotel.
PRICE EXAMPLES
T-shirt – £9.99
T- shirt dress – £14.99
Body – £9.99
For more information please contact H&M’s press service:
Mediarelations, telephone: +46 8 796 53 00, mediarelations@hm.com
For more information on the non-profit organisation Designers Against AIDS, visit www.designersagainstaids.com