Exclusive Rug To Be Made For Charity

March 19, 2008

Kiwi Designers Put Their Hand Up To Design Exclusive Rug For Charity

Leading Kiwi fashion designers are set to showcase their creativity with the design of an original and exclusive rug to raise money for their nominated charity.

The brainchild of premium rug company Designer Rugs, the Designer Rugs charity auction has secured the creative talents of Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2007 designers Zambesi, Cybèle, NOM*D, and State of Grace, along with WORLD and Crane Brothers, who will all create a unique single edition rug never to be reproduced.

A silent auction – set to take place in August 2008 – will offer punters the opportunity to own a true collectors piece. All monies raised by the silent auction will go to the charity chosen by each fashion designer.

Zambesi designer Liz Findlay has chosen The Child Cancer Foundation as Zambesi’s nominated charity and says her design inspiration came from an iconic Zambesi image representing their philosophy of freedom, permanence and evolution.

“The colour palette and poetic imagery echoes the vast landscape and rugged coastline of New Zealand, its beauty and its isolation,” she says.

Air New Zealand Fashion Week success story Cybèle Wiren has chosen Women’s Refuge as her nominated charity and says she is looking forward to the challenge of designing for a new medium.

“For me the idea of a beautiful warm rug represents safety and comfort in the home. Every year Women's Refuge works toward providing safety and comfort for thousands of women and children and to help them live free from violence and fear,” she says.

Murray Crane, designer for Crane Brothers, says his decision to take part in the Designer Rugs charity auction came from a desire to achieve something interesting while raising money for a good cause.

“Anything that supports and promotes creativity is extremely important both spiritually and culturally,” he says.

Crane says he chose his nominated charity ARTSPACE because of their ongoing support and commitment to New Zealand artists and their vision for the future.

NOM*D designer Margi Robertson says she was excited to be asked to work with Designer Rugs, given that Nom*D is a brand that always presents a graphic image within the collection.

Robertson says Hospice is NOM*D’s chosen charity as it is one she has had personal experience with.

Established fashion designer Sherilyn Catchpole from State of Grace says she loved the idea of designing in a large scale and a totally new medium in support of worthy charities.

“I like to challenge myself and explore new creativity in different formats,” she says. Catchpole has nominated Save The Children as her chosen charity.

Liana Lorenzato, Marketing Manager for Designer Rugs, says she is thrilled the Designer Rugs charity auction initiative has been brought to New Zealand.

“We are really excited to be working with talented New Zealand designers and we can’t wait to see their finished products!” she says.

The New Zealand event builds on the phenomenal success of its Australian counterpart, which raised over $50,000 for charity. The Fashion Design Rugs event, spearheaded by Designer Rugs in Australia, secured leading Australian designers such as Collette Dinnigan, Alice McCall, Akira Isogawa and Easton Pearson and benefitted nominated charities such as GREENPEACE, Amnesty International and UNICEF.

For more information visit www.designerrugs.co.nz

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