Naomi Campbell has called on the fashion world to do “All It Can” to fight the Ebola crisis.
The model, will host her Fashion For Relief show at Somerset House Today, in aid of the Disasters Emergency Committee: Ebola Crisis Appeal, and the Ebola Survival Fund.
The event will kick off this year’s London Fashion week and will see Campbell and other models and celebrities take to the catwalk wearing pieces donated by the world’s top fashion houses.
Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Balmain and Versace are all said to have given to the cause.
Naomi Campbell speaking in an interview with the Standard said:
“Charity work is everything to me. Helping those in desperate need is something I feel I simply have to do.”
“Raising awareness of Ebola and educating about it is crucial to help prevent its spread. We have to do all we can to support those who need our help.”
All the pieces on display will be auctioned on the night. Cash will also be raised via ticket sales and donations.
Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council, said: “London Fashion Week is not just a platform to showcase the UK’s creativity, but also a brilliant opportunity for charities like Fashion For Relief to use its international audience to throw the spotlight on a global cause.”
Campbell launched Fashion For Relief in 2005 to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Since then, more than £5 million has been raised, with victims of the 2011 Japanese tsunami and floods in the UK benefiting.
At the last Fashion For Relief show, more than £1.4 million was raised for people affected by the Haiti earthquake. Organisations such as Unicef, Care, the Red Cross and The Prince’s Trust have all received backing.
More than 22,000 people have been infected with Ebola across nine countries since December 2013, according to the World Health Organisation.
About 9,000 have died. All but 15 deaths were in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.