28 June 2012: Ray Chambers, UN Secretary-General’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Advocate, provided a briefing on the “Fashion 4 Development” (F4D) project, an initiative to mobilize the fashion industry in support of the MDGs. Chambers was joined by Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia, Cesare Ragaglini, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, and Evie Evangelou, Co-Founder and Global Chair of F4D.

The briefing took place on 28 June 2012, at UN Headquarters in New York, US. According to the representatives, F4D provides African designers and producers with start-up assistance and promotion, including training of unemployed women to produce clothing on order from fashion outlets, with activities taking place in Ghana, Nigeria and Botswana. In the US, industry leaders have promoted the cause through a launch during New York Fashion Week, discussions with the African Union (AU) on eliminating taxes on imported fabrics and threads, and “First Ladies & Fashion 4 Development” luncheons held around the time of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) opening. The speakers also highlighted a new partnership with Sustainia of Scandinavia, on a shop featuring products made in Africa.

Running in parallel with F4D is a “Beauty 4 Empowerment” initiative, involving the beauty products industry. [UN Press Release] [Fashion 4 Development Website]