Almost a year ago, I had the honor and privilege of co-founding Designers for Darfur with one of my dearest friends, model and heiress Lydia Hearst. In association with Fashion Television and The Save Darfur Coalition (http://www.savedarfur.org/), Designers for Darfur was launched with its first event on February 9, 2007 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. Designers for Darfur represents hundreds of international designers and the wider fashion community committed to ending the genocide currently taking place in Darfur.
(www.myspace.com/designersfordarfur) (www.youtube.com/designersfordarfur)
Personally I decided to start Designers for Darfur with the lofty goal that I would do all within my power to save the people of Darfur. But the reality has been quite the opposite - the people of Darfur have actually helped to save me…
Whenever I feel as if I am focusing too much energy on myself, problems, or stress; I immediately shift all of my energy and focus on Designers for Darfur and it immediately puts everything into perspective. Designers for Darfur has amazingly become my refuge free of ego, self-indulgence and/or pettiness.
On Sunday, I had the privilege of being invited to attend a 24 Hours for Darfur rally organized by AVAAZ.ORG (www.avaaz.org). As I walked up 47th Street towards the rally which was being held directly across the street from the United Nations, I was struck by an overwhelming feeling. It was an extremely similar emotion to one that I had experienced the week before as I walked towards the tents at Bryant Park on 42nd Street. The feeling/emotion was similar in the sense that it started in the pit of my stomach; but this was not the same feeling of nervousness and/or uneasiness from the previous week. This was the feeling of anticipation, longing, and conviction. It wasn’t that I was excited to hear extremely sad stories and/or see countless photos of suffering people; it was the fact that I knew I was going towards positive energy. I was going towards like minds that believed our common spirits, voices and intentions could save the lives of the people of Darfur as well as change the course of history. With this amazing feeling also came great sadness as I wondered to myself, “Why couldn’t the walk towards the tents at Bryant Park feel the same?”
I truly wish that the people of the fashion industry could see and feel what I do when I look at the potential of our collective voice, strength and possibilities… I will be proposing this one very powerful initiative (amongst others) when I am finally granted my first audience with the CFDA President, Diane Von Furstenberg:
“China is the number one financial supporter of the genocide currently taking place in Darfur… Despite the urging of the United Nations for China to divest their interests in Sudan, China has remained unwavering in their support of the Sudanese government. Imagine if designers like Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Liz Claiborne, to name a few, collectively threatened to pull their manufacturing/production from China and shifted it to India (and someday Africa) as well as encouraged other designers and manufacturers around the world to do the same… I can assure that the momentum of an initiative of this magnitude would surely get the attention of the Chinese government thus changing the course of history and ultimately assist in saving the lives of the people of Darfur.”
This is the power of Designers for Darfur.
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2 comments:
Thank you for sharing and for the links. I must admit that I've been oblivious to how some designers are apart of funding this issue....
I have to second that. Thanks for alerting us to the extent China is involved. However, it is unrealistic to think that these designers with the size they are can overnight pull that type of business from one locale to another; unless those other companies in India had the ability to do the same volumes as those in China have had the time to build up to. The designers own businesses would have to be able to survive such a move for it to have the sort of power you are looking for it to have over the situation, but to begin to do so would be the key. And already people are beginning to move manufacturing to India because China has its own problems.
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