Fashion 4 Development (F4D) has announced that their 3rd Annual First Ladies Luncheon  will honor Folorunsho Alakija (Founder of the Rose of Sharon Foundation) with F4D’s Angel Award, Tina Brown (Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek and the Daily Beast) with F4D’s Women’s Champion Award, Livia Firth (Founder of the Green Carpet Challenge) with the Fashion 4 Development Award, Michele Sidibe (Executive Director of UNAIDS) with F4D’s League of Gentlemen Award, and Franca Sozzani with the Premiere F4D Medal of Honor for her three years of dedicated service to F4D. First Lady of the United Nations, Madame Ban Soon-Taek, will also attend as an honorable patron and guest speaker at the Pierre Hotel in New York City on Thursday, September 26, 2013. The event, which coincides with the Sixty-Eighth Session of the United Nations General Assembly, will once again unite first ladies, diplomats, fashion industry leaders and key influencers from around the globe. F4D’s First Ladies Luncheon recognizes and celebrates the unprecedented cooperation between diplomacy and fashion, for the greater good of women and children worldwide.

The Luncheon’s fashion runway show and exhibits will feature designs and products from Angel Chang of China, Alfonso Guinoo of the Philippines, Zang Toi of Malaysia, Tanzila Rab of Bangladesh, Montaha of Kuwait, Giovanni Lopresti of Cyprus and Alexandra Taylor of the United States, among others.

In keeping with Fashion 4 Development’s mission, the event will spotlight couture from regions not often associated with the production and design of luxury, high-end fashion. The event also recruits the support of first ladies and fashion influencers, whose awareness and action help alter perceptions about fashion from developing countries. Through education and empowerment, Fashion 4 Development 1. facilitates opportunity for these talented designers to cultivate consistent, superior production quality, 2. helps introduce locally-created and culturally inspired designs to the global marketplace, and 3. builds a stable platform, upon which these designers are able maintain sustainable production.

“It’s a serious misconception that high-end couture is only created in fashion capitals like Milan, Paris and New York City,” says Evie Evangelou, founder and President of Fashion 4 Development. “We know talented, creative designers in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Kuwait and countless developing cities, who are working with materials and techniques that are local to them and, as a result, creating fabulously unique pieces. These on-trend creations could be found on any Fashion Week runway. These designers are simply in need of assistance and a framework. Helping to provide this framework not only supports the individual designers, it serves to enrich the economies of impoverished communities worldwide.”

Last year’s event coincided with the 67^th session of the UNGA and was hosted by F4D’s President & Founder, Evie Evangelou, and Franca Sozzani, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia and an F4D Goodwill Ambassador. Among the 360 esteemed guests were First Ladies representing 27 nations, First Lady of the United Nations Madame Ban Soon-Taek, Rebecca Minkoff, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Petra Nemcova, Alex Wek, Tory Burch, Her Excellency Toyin Saraki, Tommy Hilfiger, Martha Stewart, Livia Firth and President of the Advanced Development for Africa Foundation Coumba Touré.

Fashion 4 Development’s 3^rd Annual Official First Ladies Luncheon is by invitation only. For more information on F4D, please visit http://www.fashion-4-development.com/.

ABOUT FASHION 4 DEVELOPMENT
FASHION 4 DEVELOPMENT (F4D) is a private sector, global organization that supports the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the UN's "Every Woman, Every Child" Initiative, spearheaded by the Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon. The mission is to harness the power of the fashion and beauty industries to implement creative strategies for sustainable economic growth, preservation of culture, wellness and independence of communities worldwide. Its guiding principles are the 4E’s: Educate, Empower, Enhance and Enrich. F4D’s tag line is "Giving Back is the New Luxury.

Fashion 4 Development

Fashion 4 Development

Fashion 4 Development (F4D) is a private sector global platform that supports the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and "Every Woman, Every Child," the UN Initiative spearheaded by the Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. The mission is to harness the power of the fashion and beauty industries and implement creative strategies for sustainable economic growth, wellness and independence of communities worldwide and the preservation of culture, through the expression of fashion.

Its guiding principles are the 4E's: Educate, Empower, Enhance and Enrich – learn more in the video below. F4D's tagline is "Giving Back is the New Luxury," and the message is being received with open arms around the world.

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