Fashion Heaven Rants: Bulgari and Save the Children Bring New Hope to Underprivileged Children

With RM1700, one could buy himself or herself a new pair of shoes.

For those who prefer quantity over quality, you are likely to get at least 10 pairs of shoes with the same amount of money.

However, with RM1700 too you can stay chic and fashionable while subsequently provide a better livelihood for thousands of children and their mothers around the world. All thanks to the concerted joint effort between contemporary Italian jeweller Bulgari and Save the Children.

Since 2009, Bulgari has partnered with Save the Children to launch a campaign to help disadvantaged children around the world to attain their own aspirations due to the lack of education which prolongs the cycle of poverty. In this campaign, a special jewellery collection was designed with its design reference taken from the iconic B.zero1 line.

Starting with a ring that debuted back in October 2010, the 2014 edition sees the unveiling of a silver and ceramic pendant which is already on sale in Bulgari stores worldwide starting this month.

Moreover, part of the proceeds from the sale of Save the Children jewellery are donated to the charity.

Recently, members of the media and guests were invited to a press conference that was held at Bulgari’s Kuala Lumpur flagship store – a duplex store with majestic street entrance and façade ensconced within Pavilion KL.

At the second floor of the duplex store that is dedicated to the jeweller’s iconic and hallmarked bags, leather goods and accessories, guests converged and mingled amidst the lush serving of refreshments.

On the walls, portraits of celebrities supporting the concerted effort by Bulgari and Save the Children were displayed.These portraits, captured by renowned photographer Fabrizio Ferri, features celebrities such as Naomi Watts, Jon Hamm of Mad Men, Meg Ryan, burlesque star Dita von Teese and Ashley Greene, wearing ring and the newly launched pendant.

Ms Wong Weiling, the Managing Director of Bulgari South Asia then delivered her welcome message before passing the microphone to Ms Lynette Lim, the Asia Communications Manager for Save the Children.

Ms Lim presented the 2014 State of the World's Mothers report – a compelling annual report cum a reliable international tool that shows where mothers and children fare best, and where they face the greatest hardships, using the latest data on health, education, economics, and female political participation.

An interesting snippet from the report: on average, an estimate of 800 mothers and 18,000 young children die from largely preventable causes on daily basis.

In the 2014 Mother’s Index ranking, Finland tops as the best country to be a mother while Somalia sits at the 178^th spot due to the concurrent tensions that take place in the African country. On the other hand, Singapore is placed at no 15 on the list while Malaysia is placed at 68^th place. Key findings aside, the presentation also includes the involvement of celebrities on the Bulgari-Save the Children projects across the globe.

In the presentation, actor Eric Bana was seen visiting programs for children and youth in disadvantaged west Sydney in 2014, singer Bebel Gilberto visiting early childhood centers in the favelas of San Paulo in Brazil, and Academy Award-winning actor Adrien Brody visiting a community resource center in the Far Rockaway Queens, New York that has been crucial in supporting hundreds of children affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Following suit, two distinguished celebrity supporters of the project were introduced to the guests by Bulgari and they were Malaysian silver screen sirens Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina and Debbie Goh.

Datin Seri Tiara was immaculately dressed in an Elizabeth Taylor-esque emerald green peplumed top with matching skirt that stunningly accentuates her figure while Debbie was dressed in a crisp white shirt with golden textured below-the-knees pencil skirt and a wide belt. Both were spotting the silver and ceramic Save the Children pendants around their necks.

Guests and the celebrity supporters then proceed to the interactive exhibition area where aside from the pendant display, the public too are able to find out more on the ongoing partnership and efforts that both Bulgari and Save the Children have taken since 2009 in helping the underprivileged children around the world to improve their livelihood, hence purveying a brighter future.

The Bulgari-Save the Children pendant is available now at Bulgari flagship store, Pavilion KL and retails at RM 1700.00 per unit.