From Russia With Love: A Fashion Connection That Makes A Difference

I wrote about Natalia Vodianova's charity foundation Naked Heart Foundation before, and I'm writing about it again. 




Vodianova fascinates me - not only as a fashion supermodel, who can pretty much make any clothing item, accessory and shoes sexy, but she manages to do so with three kids that, unlike many models, she had very young in the age.

However, aside from her contributions to the fashion world - that many people don't really care about - she continously contributes to the well being of the children in her motherland - Russia. Her foundation Naked Heart, a philanthropic organisation that strives to provide a safe and inspiring environment in which to play for every child living in urban Russia, is not just a 'name' to make a 'name' for her as someone who does something more than walking a runaway and going to the parties, this foundation is very active and has already made a difference in thousands of the Russian kids in the suburban areas of Russia.

Vodianova, actually, uses her celebrity status to involve other celebrities in donating to her organization, thus helping many poor kids to have what she might not have had growing up on a suburban Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod. The organisation built its first play park for Russian kids in 2006 in Nizhny Novgorod. It has since built nearly 38 more.

In this video, Lucy Yeomans, the Editor of Harper's Bazaar, takes a trip with Vodianova to Siberia to open play facilities. Having grown up in Russia myself, I'm fascinated with what one figure in the fashion can do...

 

I've been lucky, personally, of having an opportunity to work with Bono and Julia Ormond on their charity organizations ONE to fight AIDS and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to fight human trafficking in Washington, DC. 

Believe me, it's one thing to read about the celebrities' involvement in charities, it's another thing to actually see them doing it and making a difference. As a PR representative for the Sheridan Group, I was proud of being able to have Bono speak not only with the main media, but have him talk passionately about ONE to such publications as Variety, People, Hollywood Reporter - most of which would be otherwise only interested in the entertainment career of the celebrities.