Article by Suzy O’Connor

Fashion can play a great part in raising money for charity. Take Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief catwalk show, for example, or celebrities auctioning off their clothes to raise money after the Haiti earthquake. Recently, fashion has been helping to help raise money for Sport Relief.

Sport Relief (19-21 March 2010) saw both British celebrities and the public taking part in sporting activities to raise money for some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the UK and around the world. This year even saw presenter Christine Bleakley water-skiing across the English Channel!

So what role did fashion play? There were two major projects. Firstly, a charity t-shirt designed by the Beckham family and secondly, a clever dress from designer William Tempest – both of which Models Direct feel are brilliant ideas.

The whole Beckham family worked together to design t-shirts to raise money for the good cause. Various celebrities including Kelly Brook, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and David Beckham himself have posed in the t-shirts. Both of the Beckhams said that the family had enjoyed designing the range and were pleased to be supporting such a worthwhile cause. “I am proud of David and the boys for their creative input,” musician-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham said. Maybe we’ll have a new generation of Beckham designers for the future!

Secondly, William Tempest has designed a dress made of recycled mosquito nets to raise awareness of the simple things that can be done to help prevent malaria. To look at, you’d never guess what the strapless dress, which features triangular panels in shades of blue and Tempest’s signature corsetry, is made from.

“I was shocked to hear that one child dies from malaria in Africa every 30 seconds,” Kate Moss, who models the dress, said while promoting the cause. “That’s why I was happy to be involved in this important project for Sport Relief. William Tempest’s dress, which incorporates recycled malaria nets is absolutely gorgeous, I loved wearing it and working with William.”

“I’m really proud and excited to have designed a dress for Sport Relief with the serious message of highlighting the power of the humble mosquito net as a lifesaving tool against malaria,” the designer added. The one-off dress will be auctioned off to raise money for Sport Relief and Models Direct hopes that people are feeling generous!

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