Halle Berry for Saks' Key To The Cure
Department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue is inspiring consumers to join the fight against cancer with help from an Oscar-winning ambassador.
Actress Halle Berry stars in the campaign for Saks’ 18th annual Key To The Cure fundraiser, which is in partnership with Stand Up To Cancer and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. For this year’s charitable shopping event, footwear label Christian Louboutin has designed a limited-edition t-shirt for the cause, which may give fashion fans additional incentive to participate.
Design for a cause
On Oct. 1, the 2016 Key To The Cure will launch in all 40 Saks stores across the United States and Canada as well as online at Saks.com and SaksOff5th.com.
From the start of October, consumers will be able to purchase an exclusive Christian Louboutin-designed t-shirt to support the cause. One hundred percent of the sales from the $35 shirt will go to Stand Up To Cancer, an initiative of the Entertainment Industry Foundation that works to speed research and cures for patients via awareness campaigns featuring celebrity spokespeople.
With previous Stand Up To Cancer collaborators including Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera and Diane von Furstenberg, this marks the first time Saks has teamed with an accessory designer for the project.
“I am very glad to work with Saks to support this important cause to help people who are affected by cancer,” said Christian Louboutin in a statement. “It is my mission to help women feel beautiful, and I hope that this t-shirt empowers those who wear it.”
Christian Louboutin's design for Key To The Cure
Saks will sponsor a public service announcement featuring Ms. Berry wearing Mr. Louboutin's shirt design, which will run nationally in fashion and lifestyle titles. Previous celebrities who have lent their support to the campaign include Jennifer Anniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman (see story).
“Key To The Cure is one of the most important and valuable fund-raising and charitable initiatives that Saks undertakes,” said Marc Metrick, president of Saks Fifth Avenue in a statement.
“We are committed to supporting the causes we believe in, and at almost two decades old, this annual campaign has raised close to $40 million for cancer research and treatment organizations throughout the U.S.," he said. "This year, we are thrilled to collaborate with SU2C for the second year in a row, as well as have the support of Halle Berry and Christian Louboutin on our extraordinary campaign to fund cancer research and treatment.”
An event-filled charity shopping weekend will kick off on Oct. 27.
“The Entertainment Industry Foundation is proud to again come together with Saks Fifth Avenue in our shared mission to fund critical cancer research that is helping to get new treatments to patients quickly and save more lives,” said Lisa Paulsen, EIF president/CEO and co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer.
“We’re so grateful to Saks Fifth Avenue for their continued support and dedication to cancer research, and to every individual who takes a stand with us in the fight against cancer by purchasing a Key To The Cure t-shirt or shopping at Saks during its charity shopping weekend,” she said.