AmfAR Cannes Gala Goes Red
The amfAR benefit on May 22, widely considered the social highlight of the annual Cannes Film Festival in France, will stage a red-themed fashion show of gowns created for the occasion. After shining a spotlight on the colors black and gold in previous years, Carine Roitfeld, who is overseeing the runway show for the third time, said she wanted to dedicate the show to Monroe.
“She searched for love all her life, and I think she would have been a big supporter of the foundation,” she told WWD.
Red, which is also the symbol of the fight against AIDS, will be translated into one-off evening looks from around 35 fashion houses, including Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christopher Kane, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Gucci, Kenneth Cole, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, Marchesa, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Versace and Ulyana Sergeenko.
Forty models — among them Karlie Kloss, Toni Garrn, Arizona Muse and Daria Strokous — will be in Cannes to present the collection.
“Some of the girls come at their own expense just to be part of the show,” said Roitfeld, adding that the event was designed to be upbeat.
“Charities are so sad, you often feel guilty attending them,” she remarked. “But it’s a party, and we are celebrating life.”
Other entertainment at this year’s gala will include performances by Lana Del Rey and Aloe Blacc.
Sharon Stone, known for her impromptu corralling of attendees into the fund-raising effort, said Robin Thicke will also be in attendance, and she hopes he “will allow us to auction off to some lucky lady a special kiss.”
This year’s event will be chaired by heavyweights from cinema and fashion including John Travolta, Milla Jovovich, Harvey Weinstein and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, ambassador of Bulgari, the Rome-based jeweler, which is joined by Worldview Entertainment and Bold Film as presenting sponsors.
In addition, Roitfeld put together an exclusive retrospective of Pirelli pictures spanning 50 years to entertain guests at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, while Moncler is throwing an after party.