Retail chain H&M announced today that it will launch a new clothing line called Fashion Against AIDS, aimed at spreading global HIV/AIDS awareness among young people, the Associated Press reports (forbes.com/AP, 12/20).
The collection—supported by designers, musicians and artists including Rihanna, Timbaland and Ziggy Marley—will include T-shirts, tank tops and hooded sweatshirts bearing messages about HIV/AIDS. According to the article, the line is codeveloped by nonprofit group Designers Against AIDS; 25 percent of the proceeds from the line will be donated to fund HIV prevention programs around the world.
“Fifty percent of the people newly infected with HIV are between [ages] 15 and 25,” says Designers Against AIDS founder Ninette Murk. “There’s an urgent need to do something in this target group. By combining fashion with music in this way we hope to get these young people to stop and think.”
The similarly modeled (Product)RED campaign—supported by retailers such as The Gap, Apple and Armani—raised $25 million for HIV/AIDS programs in its first six months. However, none of those funds went toward fighting the epidemic in the United States.
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Previous Comments:
comments 1 - 2 (of 2 total)
Ninette Murk, Antwerp, Belgium, 2007-12-29 05:33:43
Thank you very much for reporting about 'Fashion against AIDS'- we really hope that it makes young people 'stop and think' about their attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and their sex life. As it's almost 20 years ago since the last global AIDS awareness campaigns took place and HIV infections are rising again everywhere in the 'rich' countries (not just the USA), it's high time something happened. And what with the celebrity culture being so popular nowadays, we might as well use it!
David Storey, , 2007-12-20 23:00:17
Yes, because the United States is the only country in the world to be exposed to the HIV/AIDS problem. Why should everything be about the USA? There are many other countries that are just as devastated by HIV as the USA, who have little to no ability to deal with it's wrath.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
Woman of the Month is supported by exclusive advertising from Gilead.
Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
