Fashion leaders make ‘Bid to Save the Earth’ at Christie’s inaugural Green Auction
Press Release Date: April 2, 2010
Location: London/New York/Hong Kong
Contact:
Anna Baxter | email: abaxter@oceana.org
Anna Baxter
In one month, Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, will host the fashion community in rallying behind the Green movement. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the fashion industry has united with the art, philanthropy, finance and celebrity worlds to make ‘A Bid to Save the Earth’ with Christie’s Green Auction on April 22, 2010. (www.ABidtoSavetheEarth.org)
The honorary host committee includes fashion industry luminaries such as PPR luxury group Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, Anna Zegna and Dame Vivienne Westwood, Lauren Bush and Maggie Rizer and Barneys New York fashion director Julie Gilhart. An award winning documentarian, conservationist and jewelry designer, Susan Cohn Rockefeller co-chairs the event Host Committee with her husband, the philanthropist and conservationist David Rockefeller, Jr.: “It’s a game changer to have so many passionate and talented people link arms on behalf of the environment – from Christie’s and NBC Universal to Deutsche Bank Barneys New York and Charitybuzz, to the four amazing environmental groups that will leverage the funds we raise to fight climate change and environmental degradation.”
The Green Auction offers something for every art and fashion lover and enthusiast of nature. Featured lots include a wide selection of exquisite luxury items ranging from His and Hers bespoke suits by Stella McCartney to Haute Horlogerie by Girard-Perregaux watches.
The live auction will include two Girard-Perregaux watches, including a ww.tc Tourbillon with three gold Bridges, and New York highlighted in green on the city ring (customized for the Green Auction), in addition to the Cat’s Eye Tourbillon with three gold Bridges. As Luigi Macaluso, Chairman of Girard- Perregau, explains, “We are pleased to be a part of this remarkable initiative to help secure a healthy planet for generations to come. The challenge is great yet not insurmountable. The Green Auction exemplifies what can be achieved when people unite and take action.”
The auction boasts several unique “once-in-a-lifetime” fashion-themed lots to accompany the high-power fashion industry figures that are pushing ‘A Bid to Save the Earth.’ Those lots include:
- Vera Wang: Lunch with Vera Wang and a $10,000 credit to her flagship store
- Ermenegildo Zegna: A made-to-measure suit from the world’s finest wool
- Giorgio Armani: Evening ensembles to accompany the “Los Angeles Oscars experience,” complete with tickets to the Vanity Fair Oscar After-Party
- Nina Ricci: Custom-made scent for winning bidder with l’Air du Temps signature bottle made out of Lalique Crystal for personally customized perfume made for the client’s tastes
- Stella McCartney: First fitting by Stella McCartney herself for “His and Hers” bespoke suits made of sustainable fabric
- Gucci: A “Forever Now” package including a vintage 1960’s Bamboo bag from Gucci’s archive in Florence, and a New Bamboo bag designed and customized by Creative Director Frida Giannini exclusively for the Christie’s Green Auction, in addition to two tickets to the SS 2010 Women’s Runway show in Milan, and backstage access to meet Frida Giannini.
- Luxury luggage and accessories packages by Goyard and Valextra
- Fashion packages from designers including Marni, Missoni, Proenza Schouler and many more
- Jewelry by Harry Winston, Sharon Khazzam, Linda Lee Johnson, Mark Davis, Irene Neuwirth and many more.
Anna Zegna, President of Fondazione Zegna, explains why nature and fashion can blend in such a harmonious way by stating: “A green vision and a green spirit have led Ermenegildo Zegna throughout the last one- hundred years of our history. The Zegna Wool Awards are an integral part of our approach; for over forty years, Zegna fabrics have served as an incentive to strive for excellence in the pursuit of the finest natural fibres. The pinnacle of this is the Centennial Vellus Aureum trophy fabric, the world’s finest fabric made from the world’s finest wool. This is a testament to the beauty of nature, skilled craftsmanship and to slow sustainable luxury products — it demonstrates that ethics and quality can go hand-in-hand.”
To further bring the fashion community together in support of the event, Barneys New York partnered with sustainable fashion brand Loomstate to create a series of 100% certified organic cotton T-shirts inspired by the NBC logo’s peacock feathers. NBC Universal is the media partner for the Green Auction. The shirts are priced at $40.00 in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. The t-shirt will be available for sale at www.barneys.com and www.loomstate.org beginning in April, and a percentage of all proceeds will go to the not-for-profit organization 1% For The Planet with The Christie’s Charity as the beneficiary. The Christie’s Charity will process the funds for the four not-for-profits benefiting from the Green Auction. Julie Gilhart, Fashion Director for Barneys New York states: “The fashion community is demonstrating how it can be a part of the solution in protecting the Earth. Christie’s has made it possible for fashion and art to link arms as a force to help support the planet through the venue of the Green Auction.”
The live auction will be available globally via Christie’s LIVE™ (www.christies.com) and conducted by acclaimed auctioneer Christopher Burge. The accompanying silent auction, powered by Charitybuzz, (www.charitybuzz.com) will also include important photographic works, paintings, and sculpture. Details on how to participate in the silent auction or how to donate, volunteer and act can be found at www.ABidtoSavetheEarth.org.
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Images available on request
www.christies.com
FOLLOW THE GREEN AUCTION ON:
TWITTER at twitter.com/Bid2SaveEarth
FACEBOOK at Facebook.com/A-Bid-To-Save-The-Earth
Contacts:
- Toby Usnik, New York +1.212.636.2680 tusnik@christies.com
- Milena Sales, New York +1.212.636.2680 msales@christies.com
- Alexandra Buxton, London +44.20.7389.2117 abuxton@christies.com
- Yvonne So, Hong Kong +852.29.78.99.19 yso@christies.com
- Jenny Powers, NRDC +1.212.727.4566 jpowers@nrdc.org
- Juliana Stein, Oceana +1.202.467.1906 jstein@oceana.org
- Scott Johnson, CPC +1.212.310.6641 sjohnson@centralparknyc.org
- Trevor Fitzgibbon, CI +1.202.406.0646 trevor@fitzgibbonmedia.com
- Hilary Smith, NBC Universal +1.212.664.2617 hilary.smith@nbcuni.com
- Glenda Luft +1800.577.8809 gluft@Charitybuzz.com
- Dawn Brown +1212.450.8699 dbrown@barneys.com
- Mayura Hooper, Deutsche Bank +1.212.250.5536 mayura.hooper@db.com
