Chloé has joined forces with UNICEF. Image credit: Chloé
In honor of International Day of the Girl, luxury brands are launching new charitable partnerships aimed at achieving gender equality.
Marking the occasion, Clé de Peau Beauté and Chloé have both forged new ties with UNICEF, while other brands are pointing to their existing initiatives surrounding female empowerment. As issues around gender equality gain attention, brands are stepping up to combat everything from violence against women to child marriage.
Girl empowerment
Shiseido Group’s Clé de Peau Beauté has pledged $8.7 towards UNICEF’s Gender Equality Program. With this alliance, announced on Oct. 11, Clé de Peau Beauté has become the first Japanese brand to sign a multi-year partnership with the organization centered on girls’ education and development.
About 25 percent of girls and young women ages 15 to 19 are not working, enrolled in school or undergoing employment training, while only 10 percent of boys are in a similar situation.
A key focus of the partnership will be UNICEF’s work in Bangladesh, Niger and Kyrgyzstan to promote education in science, technology, engineering and math for girls. Young women face obstacles in these career paths due to gender stereotyping.
Among with its donation, Clé de Peau Beauté will be shifting a portion of proceeds from its best seller The Serum to the cause. The label will also promote UNICEF’s work through social media and store displays.
Chloé’s work with UNICEF similarly targets higher education for girls, with a focus on locations such as Bolivia, Jordan, Morocco, Senegal and Tajikistan. The three-year #GirlsForward initiative is part of UNICEF’s push to give 6.5 million girls access to better employment opportunities through training and education.
Having a secondary education can almost double women's earning potential.
"This partnership echoes the spirit of Gaby Aghion, who founded Chloé in 1952 with one mission: give women freedom to dare to be themselves," said Chloé in a statement. "She always encouraged women to dare and take control of their destiny, being free spirited, elegant and feminine."
Instagram post from Chloé
Swarovski spotlighted its foundation’s work with Mothers2Mothers, which aims to prevent pediatric AIDS. The Swarovski Foundation supports the nonprofit’s work in Kenya, which focuses on preventing transmission of the disease to babies through health education and healthcare.
Kering highlighted some of its partners who are working to tackle violence against women.
For instance, Project DOT works to teach New York youth who lack access to traditional sex education programs about healthy relationships.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong-based HER Fund seeks to prevent domestic violence by empowering women. Birmingham & Solihull Women's Aid works to spread awareness for female genital mutilation and provide support and psychological care for victims.
Olivela pointed to the fact that it works to support girls on a daily basis, even beyond the holiday. To-date the charitable luxury site has helped send girls to school for more than 150,000 combined days.
Instagram post from Olivela
Italian fashion label Gucci’s Chime for Change initiative is looking to ignite a conversation around the issue of child marriage in a campaign that asks consumers to share their dreams.
Timed to coincide with International Day of the Girl on Oct. 11, #LetGirlsDream centers on a short film about a young teen who wants to be a pilot. Spreading the word and turning it into a two-way conversation, Chime for Change is also collecting the aspirations and ambitions of consumers in support of ending the practice of marrying off minors (see story).