Vienna 2010: Fashion fights back

Submitted by fungaizim about 2 months ago

While scientists, researchers and activists gathered in Vienna for the 18th International AIDS Conference, gurus of fashion and art added a stylish twist and break from heavy plenaries by offering alternate activities throughout the historic city.

One such was the three-day workshop convened by British designer, Emma Bell, in collaboration with Fashion Against AIDS, to build the HIV awareness of Austrian youth.

As Bell explained, the children, aged between 8 and 15 years were each asked to draw a unique design onto a piece of cloth. Each of their separate cloths will be sewn together into a patchwork that will be handed over to Fashion Against AIDS to either auction to raise funds, or exhibit to further raise awareness.

“The children seemed to like they were working on something important,” explained Bell, as she shared their designs which included smiley faces and self-portraits.

Since 2008, Designers Against AIDS has collaborated with fashion chain, H&M, on the Fashion Against Aids (FAA) campaign.

And walking through one H&M clothes outlet in Vienna, an array of glowing gold-sequinned jackets – all bearing the pink and white ‘Fashion Against AIDS’ label – caught my eye.

But does simply wearing these designs help build any awareness?

“I suppose a lot of people have awareness around HIV and AIDS because it’s a well-publicised thing,” explains Sophie Wheeler (18), from London.

“Even though these clothes don’t give information, that’s still a good thing because it means there’s more money and support going towards HIV and AIDS.”

A quarter of all FAA sales go to HIV and AIDS awareness projects and last year, FAA raised over USD 2.2 million toward these.

Suzanna Schmidt (49) of Austria, thinks it’s a very good cause and that it gets young people thinking about HIV and AIDS and how to respond to it.

Tarik, a 24-year-old Bosnian echoes these sentiments. “I believe when people see, they become more conscious,” he says. “It definitely has some impact.”

Keywords: AIDS 2010 Fashion Against AIDS Vienna2010

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