Candy Harris on upcoming Design for Humanity
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Candy Harris on upcoming
Billabong’s Design for Humanity returns to the backlot of Paramount Studios in Hollywood next week. The fashion, art and music benefit is in its fifth year and is bigger than ever.
We asked Billabong Girls Brand Director Candy Harris a few questions about this year’s extravaganza that benefits VH1’s Save the Music Foundation.
Tickets are $30 – the $99 VIP tickets are sold out – and all proceeds go directly to charity. For more information, see the Design for Humanity website, and click here to see a video teaser previewing the party.
How do you keep the event fresh each year?
Keeping the event fresh is actually the most exciting part of the job. By the nature of selecting a new beneficiary each year, our theme evolves and changes to speak to their cause.
This year we are working with VH1’s Save The Music Foundation, their efforts to keep music programs in our country’s public school systems is definitely a cause worth fighting for.
Candy Harris
For those of us who were lucky enough to grow up in a time when music and art in the classroom was an expected curriculum, we can’t imagine an education without it.
Music is at the heart of our culture and unfortunately our economic state is causing cutbacks that has forced many music programs to fold. The Save The Music Foundation comes to the aid of
these schools by implementing a music program, complete with instruments and a teacher. On average it takes $30,000 to activate one of these programs so we are excited to be able to see thousands of kids be affected by the funds we raise through Design For Humanity.
What are the new changes you are most excited about?
The magnitude of the event is taking another giant leap forward this year with 4,000 in attendance, three concert stages, four bands, five DJ set ups, two art galleries with over 75 art pieces up for bid along with signed guitars by the Foo Fighters and Edward Sharpe among others. On top of that, we will have a shaper’s shop with custom boards up for bid and a new surprise around every corner. A few elements we are keeping under wraps to keep people guessing. All I can say is don’t be late.
Is it hard to select the charity each year? What made you decide on Save the Music?
Each year we sit around as a group and suggest various charities that we feel make an impact, and then narrow it down to organizations whose mission is like minded with Design For Humanity. We tend to select charities that either effect our industry or youth culture at large.
The fact that we donate 100% of the ticket sales, as well as a percentage of specified product proceeds throughout the year, it’s a statement that not only do we raise money for our beneficiary, but we aim to raise their profile amongst a new generation of activists as well. At the end of the day, we hope to spread the notion that doing good, feels good (and in celebrating music, sounds pretty good too).
See Page 2 for the full press release and more details
Here’s the full press release for more details:
BILLABONG’S 5th ANNUAL “DESIGN FOR HUMANITY”
Fashion, Art and Music Celebrates with headliner
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
To Benefit “The VH1 Save The Music Foundation”
At Paramount Studios in Hollywood
(Los Angeles, CA. June 8th , 2011) Billabong’s 5th annual Design For Humanity benefit (www.designforhumanity.com), will be held on Wednesday, June 15th, 2011. Billabong is excited to return to the legendary “NY Street” backlot of Paramount Studios in Hollywood.
This massive fashion-music-art block party will feature two concert stages, DJ dance parties, a runway fashion show showcasing one of a kind Billabong bikinis, food trucks, custom art gallery, a VIP street, and much more.
Legendary indie band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will be headlining this year’s event for an unforgettable festival of musicianship and performance. In addition, coming off a HUGE tour with Florence and the Machine and massive success at SXSW, Hanni El Khatib will be performing with his sinewy guitar and wry, whiskey-glazed voice.
Los Angeles based duo LA Riots will also be showcasing their bawdy blend of Indie electro along with their infamous pop and rock remixes. And opening the night, disco house from New York’s The Hundred In The Hands. Their music is an avant-pop split between the austere and feverish. DJ’s Tina T, Mike Relm and Mark Moreno will be providing jams throughout out the night.
In honor of this year’s charity, the looks coming down the runway are reminiscent of old school
rock-and-roll inspired by some of our favorite artists including Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin, Bob
Dylan and Jimi Hendrix as well as some foxy muses like Uschi Obermaier and Pamela Courson.
Lead by Billabong Women’s Design Director, Mandy Robinson, all 50 outfits have been custom
made for the show.
In an effort of creating less waste, vintage fabrics, crochet table cloths and
deconstructed leather vintage pieces were used for the one of a kind Billabong bikinis.
Billabong has once again partnered with Invista, maker of Xtra Life LYCRA® fiber by using their Xtra Life LYCRA® fabric for some of the looks you will see on the runway. Xtra Life LYCRA® withstands the harshest conditions without compromising stretch and recovery.
Every year, there is a huge art element to Design for Humanity, so for 2011, Billabong is creating a “Soundwaves” photo exhibit with famed surf photographer Morgan Maassen, who worked with Billabong to shoot their team riders all over the world. There will be video playing on plasma screens from the various shoots and the photos will be up for auction. Additionally, a massive pop-up gallery is being created on-site with over 50 participating artists, including The Clayton Brothers, Jeff Soto, Dave Kinsey, and Tara McPherson.
The gallery and auction is being curated by Daniel Chang, and all of the unsold art will also be listed and up for bid on charityfolks.com/designforhumanity one week post-event for those unable to attend this year’s Design for Humanity. Lastly, AR4T Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA is on board with DFH and has curated out a portion of the show by making connections between twelve acclaimed music photographers and twelve outstanding artists to partner in the creation of a unique 24×24” pieces, each representing a large album cover.
This year, the VH1 Save the Music Foundation is creating a one-of a kind guitar installation onsite, with signed instruments up for auction. 4 Taylor guitars have been donated with musicians; Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and Natasha Bedingfield each signing them. Additionally, Death Cab for Cutie signed and donated a Yamaha drum head, the Foo Fighters signed and donated a Gibson guitar and lastly Cordoba has donated two guitars which Donovan Frankenreiter will be autographing.
100% of this year’s ticket sales and a percentage of proceeds from the art show and product collaboration auction sales are being donated to The VH1 Save the Music Foundation (https://www.vh1savethemusic.com/), a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education. To date, the Foundation has provided more than $47 million in new musical instruments to 1,750 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of over 1.6 million children.
This year’s event is sponsored by Verizon Wireless, Skullcandy, Chipotle, Vitamin Water and The VH1 Save the Music Foundation.
EVENT FACTS
Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Location: Paramount Studios, NY Streets Backlot in Hollywood CA, a 5-acre recreation of the eight distinct areas of the city – Brooklyn, Brownstone, Financial District, Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, SoHo, Upper East Side and Washington Square
Tickets: Ticket Price: $30, VIP $99
100% of proceeds from ticket sales will go to benefit The VH1 Save The Music Foundation
TICKETS AVAILBALE NOW AT – www.designforhumanity.com
Details: MUSIC: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Hanni El Khatib, LA Riots, The Hundred and The Hands – Headliners to perform a live concert. DJ’s Tina T, Mike Relm, and Mark Moreno will perform throughout the night before and after bands play.
FASHION: Billabong will feature a high profile catwalk fashion show of limited-edition one of a kind Billabong bikinis and 2012 swimwear preview.
ABOUT BILLABONG
Billabong produces active lifestyle, fashion-forward clothing, accessories and related products designed and distributed to a worldwide customer base. The products are developed in the authentic environment of the surf culture and sold primarily through surf and specialty retail boutiques. Billabong-branded products are tested and improved by the best board sport performers across the globe. Active enthusiasts in every department from marketing and sales, to design and merchandising, bring an unmatched authenticity and unique quality to both the innovative products and related events produced by the Billabong brand. www.billabong.com
ABOUT THE VH! SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION
The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America’s public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education.
