November 18, 2015
Opening Ceremony's Stormtrooper design for Force for Fashion
Department store chain Bloomingdale’s is teaming up with Disney Consumer Products and a bevy of fashion designers to be a “Force for Fashion.”
Ten designers have each created an outfit based on the characters in the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” film, all of which will be auctioned online to benefit the Child Mind Institute. Brands often speak to philanthropically minded consumers during the holiday season with charitable campaigns, but associating its effort with a pop culture phenomenon may help Bloomingdale’s initiative stand out and make a more substantial difference.
Force for change
For this campaign, Bloomingdale’s is working with the labels Cynthia Rowley, Diane von Furstenberg, Giles Deacon, Halston, Opening Ceremony, Ovadia & Sons, Parker, Rag & Bone, Timo Weiland and Todd Snyder.
The results of this designer outreach will be unveiled on Dec. 2 at a Force for Fashion launch event in New York. Following the big reveal, the designs will be on display in Bloomingdale’s windows from Dec. 3.
From Dec. 2-18, the ensembles will be auctioned on CharityBuzz.com, with the proceeds going toward Child Mind Institute on behalf of Star Wars: Force for Change. Child Mind Institute is focused on changing children's mental health care, trying to find more effective treatments of psychiatric and learning disorders.
“Bloomingdale’s is thrilled to join forces with such a historic yet continually ground breaking film,” said Anne Keating, Bloomingdale’s senior vice president of public relations, special events and philanthropy, in a statement. “We are excited to fuse fashion with pop culture to raise awareness and funds for our long standing partner, Child Mind Institute, which has been a pioneer for children’s mental health.”
Starting around Thanksgiving and through the holidays, Bloomingdale’s shoppers will have the opportunity to purchase limited-edition “little brown bag” reusable tote bags designed by the film’s costume designer Michael Kaplan. Pop-ups within Bloomingdale’s will sell the totes along with other Star Wars-inspired merchandise.
In the United Kingdom, Star Wars is working with another set of designers, including J.W. Anderson, Peter Pilotto and Thomas Tait, to make runway looks inspired by the movie to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
A social conversation is being driven around the charity campaign with the hashtag #Force4Fashion.
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