Fashionable charities

There’s nothing we love more than when our fave fashion beauties use their positions in the fashion world for good. Recently there’s been an avalanche of fashionistas chomping at the bit to enroll themselves as patron saints of various charities in order to make a difference.

Victoria Beckham: not only is she the wife of one of the most sought-after men in the world (all hail Lord David Beckham), mother to four children, who in turn have the most amazing genes ever, and a renowned fashion designer in her own right, she has also recently become a UN goodwill ambassador for AIDS charity UNAIDS. Missing the official opening of her first flagship store on Dover Street (sending David in her place, oh what a DREADFUL shame) in order to accept her new role in New York, she spoke of this being “the beginning of an important journey for me”. Victoria Beckham claimed: “As a woman and a mother I have a responsibility to support other women.” She then went on to say that it’s time she used what she has to make a difference.

Well, Mrs B, join the long list of fashionable ladies who are putting the force of their celebrity in support of charitable causes. Emma Watson, globally adored heroine of Harry Potter and absolute fashion darling, is another UN goodwill ambassador, this time for women. She delivered a game-changing speech on feminism and gender in September at the UN headquarters in New York to launch the HeForShe campaign, which aims to gather one billion males as advocates for ending inequalities women face around the world. Watson’s speech was met with a thundering standing ovation and even provoked UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon to say: “She’s been waving a magic wand!”

My list could go on. Angelina Jolie, Naomi Campbell and even Katy Perry are all women who use their positions to do good in the world yet face criticism daily from the media, who slate their size, their looks and the way they dress. It comes as a refreshing change to see these ladies in the news not for their size, or their so-called fashion faux pas, or whatever else they’re doing wrong in the eyes of the media, but for the fact that they’re using their power to make a stand. All hail the new breed of fashionista.

Naomi May