Ever since Bono and Bobby Shriver founded (RED) in 2006, the organization has generated over $600 million dollars for the fight against HIV/AIDS. Money generated by its partners, as well, has gone directly to the fund and distributed in programs throughout sub-Saharan Africa. This season, we’ve seen a handful of luxury collaborators dedicate new products to the cause, including Louis Vuitton, Balmain, and Montblanc. Below, we’re highlighting the new initiative-related products and taking a look at their unique details.
Louis Vuitton
An addition to Louis Vuitton’s iconic candle collection has been introduced named I (RED). The hand-cast white ceramic candle, designed by Marc Newson, features a scent by Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud inspired by a summer garden with notes of peonies and raspberries. Special for the occasion, the house has also accented details on the candle—like a hand-painted wick, lid, base, and leather handle—in a fire engine red. For each piece sold, the brand is donating about 30 percent of its proceeds to (RED).
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
Balmain
Last month, Balmain’s Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing, traveled to Lyon, France, to participate in the Global Fund Replenishment conference. There, he joined government and private sector donors to pledge his and the brand’s financial support in the fight against AIDS. At the gathering, he mentioned the Balmain’s first two collaborations with (RED). The first was at the Met Gala earlier this year, when Balmain’s guests were dressed in garments later donated and auctioned to raise money for the organization. The second happened over the summer, wherein the brand’s Spring 2020 collection was presented in a music and fashion festival, with limited-edition (RED) + Balmain wristbands, cups, and messaging onsite for people to support the cause. And in Lyon, Rousting announced his third collaboration—a relaunch of the (BALMAIN)RED t-shirts and water bottles, now available for sale on Balmain.com.
Montblanc
In Paris, Montblanc’s Champs-Elysées boutique shines in red—with an original art installation by Belgian artists Denis Meyers and Arnaud Kool—to introduce the brand’s latest products. Continuing its relationship with (RED), the brand has expended upon its (MONTBLANC)RED collection with a new trolley luggage and a new writing instrument collection. The trolley, based on the design of its signature #MY4810 line, is a outfitted in a bold red polycarbonate shell, with red leather handles on the corners of the trolley. Central leather band and matching luggage tags pop in black and red, and the inside features a lining with inspirational quotes in red. The new writing instrument has a cap and a barrel with brushed palladium nickel coating, red-colored lacquer on the forepart of the pen, and a special (MONTBLANC)RED engraving on the nib and red ink feeder cover. Additionally, the platinum-plated clip is invisibly mounted into the cap, and a magnet allows the closing of the cap and barrel to align with the clip.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
