Rihanna face for Gucci's Unicef campaign |
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| Thursday, 20 November 2008 | |
 R&B star Rihanna has been unveiled as the spokesmodel for fashion house Gucci's new fundraising campaign for Unicef. The multi-platinum recording artist has partnered with Gucci to raise money for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa,
with a focus on healthcare, education, and clean water.
Creative Director Frida Giannini has designed a special white version of the Tattoo Heart Collection featuring a stylized heart tattoo along with iconic Gucci symbols on a wide range of accessories. Gucci will donate 25 percent of sales from this dedicated campaign to Unicef.
Handbags range in price from the $595 Boston bag to a python purse for $4,995. Other pieces include shoes, a scarf, a coin purse, a cosmetics case and a necklace. The Tattoo Heart Collection is for sale in Gucci stores in over 20 countries from mid-November through January 31, 2009.
Explaining why they chose the singer, Gucci creative director Frida Giannini said "Rihanna is perfect for the campaign. Her talent, beauty and optimism perfectly represent the positive attitude that I hope will show in the campaign." Rihanna added "I'm so proud when I see it because I would never have thought, in a million years, that I'd be a spokesperson for Gucci. It's such a massive brand". The music artist continued "I have always been a fan of the Gucci brand and the products, especially their handbags. But most of all, I'm very very intrigued by what they're doing with Unicef. As an artist, I feel like it's our duty to make it a better place if we can. I'm blown away by what Unicef has been able to accomplish in Africa with the money that Gucci has donated to them. I'm very fortunate to be part of this wonderful collaboration." Image: Gucci |
As the face of the campaign, shot by photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, Rihanna will front the Italian designer's Tattoo Heart collection of handbags, shoes, and curios of all shapes and sizes. 