If International
Women’s Day is here, can global fashion labels lag behind? Inspired by this year’s theme, Inspiring Change, fashion giant
Gucci has come up with an
iOS app to support the women’s cause. The launch took place on the eve of Women’s Day (March 7) and the news was first published in
Harper’s Bazaar, a US-focused fashion magazine for women.
In February 2013, Gucci launched a global campaign called
Chime for Change, in a bid to raise awareness regarding
violence against women in countries including South
Africa,
India and the US. The campaign currently focuses on three key areas –
education,
health and
justice. The initiative was started by Gucci’s creative director
Frida Giannini, and amply supported by
actress Salma Hayek and
pop sensation Beyoncé Knowles.
The campaign has a strategic partnership with
crowd-funding platform,
Catapult, which serves as the donation platform. To date, it has raised over $4.75 million, helping to fund more than 280 projects in 81 countries across 87 non-profit campaigns.
The all-new
iOS app is “harnessing the power of technology” to reach a larger global audience than ever before. It aims to “unite, convene and strengthen the voices calling for change for women and girls,” enabling users to share
#CHIMEIN messages via
Twitter and
fund projects in the key areas of education, health and justice. You can also see how those ‘chimes’ spread across the world in real time.
The app can be
downloaded for free from
iTunes Store and requires
iOS 7.0 or later version. It is optimised for
iPhone 5 but is compatible with
iPhone,
iPad and
iPod touch.
Commenting on the impact, Frida Giannini said, “Since launching
Chime for Change last year, we have raised significant funds and awareness for girls and women around the world, but our work has only just begun. We believe in the power of technology and partnerships to drive change, as we are all stronger together. With the launch of this app, we are calling on our community to lend their voices – together, we can call for change in the loudest voice possible.”
Interestingly,
Kellogg’s Special K is now a strategic partner of this initiative, joining other biggies such as Twitter, the
Kering Foundation, the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
Facebook,
Hearst Magazines, Catapult and P&G Prestige.
Beyoncé, one of the co-founders of the Chime for Change initiative, has also recorded a signature sound for the app, using vocals from her track
Pretty Hurts.
“I am honoured to be a part of the continuing work of Chime for Change on behalf of women and girls around the world, and especially at this time to mark International Women’s Day,” she told the media at the time of the launch.
