Fashion Designers Team with Born Free to Fight AIDS

Shopbop Born Free Collection

Shopbop Born Free Collection

This morning, Shopbop unveiled the complete Born Free collection, a range of women’s and children’s clothing and accessories that’s been making waves in the fashion world. Check your Instagram and, if you follow Rachel Roy and Victoria Beckham (among others), you’ll see that fashion’s biggest names are all spreading awareness for the charity and it’s work with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

The collection, which includes contributions from the biggest names in the industry, including Phoebe Philo of Céline, Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton, Isabel Marant and more homegrown talent such as Vera Wang, Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenberg, will donate all of its proceeds to Born Free, a program that’s working to end mother-to-child HIV transmission in Africa by providing antiretroviral treatment to expectant and breastfeeding mothers.

Céline Born Free tote

Céline Born Free tote

“This kind of thing I am happily roped into,” said Stella McCartney. “It’s a great way to balance fashion with something incredibly vital. I love the idea of pulling out working mothers in the industry and giving us something important to tackle for a change. I mean, you know, I love shoes, but there are more important things in life, like survival, and creating the next generation of healthy humans on this planet.”

The project began when Vogue approached 23 designers, who are all mothers, to create special pieces for the collection. Every piece in the range is priced below $250 and incorporates the artwork of Brooklyn-based, Kenyan born Wangechi Mutu. For some of the labels, this is the first foray into collaboration, including Alberta Ferretti, Céline and Chloé, who have canvas totes, dolman-sleeved tops, sheath dresses and more on offer for women and little girls.

Born Free Prada skirt

Born Free Prada skirt

You can snag one of Prada’s signature printed skirts — and get a matching one for tiny tots — as well as a myriad of accessories, dresses, skirts and more from names such as Versace, Vera Wang, DKNY, J. Crew and more. Baby items include bibs, onesies, swaddling blankets and more with prints pulled from Mutu’s work. It was also announced that the MAC AIDS Fund, which has been working with AIDS since 1994, will match all donations and the total purchase price of all products sold, up to $500,000. The funds will provide antiretroviral treatments for mothers so that they don’t spread the HIV virus to their children during childbirth or through breast milk. If taken properly, the treatments can be extremely successful and almost ensure that babies will be born HIV-free. The entire project is being documented by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue and Victoria Beckham has paid a visit to South Africa to see Born Free’s work for herself at the Desmond Tutu Foundation. 

Victoria Beckham in South Africa

Victoria Beckham in South Africa

“It’s taken a long time to find a charity that I really feel a connection with,” Victoria Beckham told Vogue, “and it’s kind of changed how I feel about everything, really. I have met a lot of HIV-positive women who told me their stories. My eyes were opened. I had no idea that this pill existed, and because of these pills, we are now at a statistic of 97 percent of babies born free of HIV. The statistics are nothing short of mind-boggling. Obviously I am a woman and I am a mother, and this touched me. I really feel like I can do something to make a difference.”

To further the cause Born Free has released a campaign shot by famed photographer Patrick Demarchelier featuring models Doutzen Kroes, Sasha Pivovarova and Karolina Kurkova with their children, all outfitted in the collection.

Shop our picks from the Born Free Collection at Shopbop:

Images courtesy Shopbop, Vogue

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Author:Christopher Luu for Fashion Trends Daily

Christopher Luu is a Fashion Trends Daily Senior Writer and Menswear Editor.