FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts:
Bennah Serfaty, Senior Director of Communications, (212) 806-1607 or bennah.serfaty@amfar.org
Natalie Marquis, Media Relations Associate, (212) 806-1694 or natalie.marquis@amfar.org
amfAR TO KICK OFF FASHION WEEK WITH ANNUAL NEW YORK GALA
Sponsored by M·A·C Viva Glam
KENNETH COLE, JANET JACKSON, and HEIDI KLUM to be honored
CeeLo Green to perform
New York, NY, January 23, 2013—amfAR will hold its annual New York Gala on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, and will honor the Chairman of the Board of amfAR, designer Kenneth Cole, legendary performer and amfAR Ambassador Janet Jackson, and supermodel Heidi Klum, for their exceptional contributions to the global struggle against HIV/AIDS. The black tie benefit will be held at Cipriani Wall Street, and will feature a special performance by Grammy-winning recording artist CeeLo Green. The evening’s signature sponsor is M·A·C Viva Glam.
The Gala will also host the official ribbon-cutting kick-off of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, marking the start of the Fall 2013 Collections, which will take place at Lincoln Center, February 7-14.
Mr. Cole’s contributions to amfAR and the fight against AIDS are innumerable. He has served on amfAR’s Board of Trustees for more than 25 years, becoming chairman in 2004. Mr. Cole was one of the first public figures to speak out about the issue of AIDS, and through his company, Kenneth Cole Productions, he has created powerful public awareness campaigns to combat HIV-related stigma and complacency about the AIDS epidemic. Janet Jackson has been involved with amfAR for the past 15 years. In 1997 she donated all the proceeds of her hit single “Together Again” to the Foundation, and as an amfAR Ambassador, she has chaired many of amfAR’s most important benefit events, using her visibility as a musical icon to help improve the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS around the globe. Ms. Klum has also been a longtime friend of amfAR, chairing countless fundraisers for the Foundation, as well as volunteering her time to many other AIDS charities, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation and God’s Love We Deliver.
The New York Gala, now in its 15th year, will kick off fashion week with a black tie gala dinner, live auction, honoree tributes, and a performance by CeeLo Green, the chart-topping, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer who has recently been seen as a coach on NBC’s The Voice.
Chairs of the event include Kevin Huvane, Sarah Jessica Parker, Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn, Harry Belafonte, David Bowie and Iman, Kim Cattrall, Andy Cohen, Maria Cuomo Cole, Neil Cole, John Demsey, Martin Franklin, Anne Fulenwider, Nina Garcia, Milutin Gatsby, Whoopi Goldberg, Tommy & Dee Hilfiger, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Donna Karan, Dr. Mathilde Krim, David Lauren and Lauren Bush Lauren, Cindi Leive, Terry J. Lundgren, Steve Madden, Liza Minnelli, Vincent Roberti, Carine Roitfeld, Andrew Rosen, Lorraine Schwartz, Diana Taylor, Stanley Tucci, Edward Walson.
Since 1998, amfAR’s New York Gala has been one of New York City’s most successful and high-profile AIDS benefits. The gala has raised nearly $13 million in support of amfAR’s programs. Previous honorees include President Bill Clinton, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Roberto Cavalli, Caroline Scheufele, Diane von Furstenberg, Yves Carcelle, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Clive Davis, Peter Dolan/Bristol-Myers Squibb, Richard Gere, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Hanks, Quincy Jones, Donna Karan, Patti LaBelle, Lorne Michaels, Liza Minnelli, Rosie O’Donnell, Howard and Cindy Rachofsky, Sumner Redstone/Viacom, Natasha Richardson, Bill Roedy/MTV Networks, Carine Roitfeld, Julian Schnabel, Bobby Shriver, Sharon Stone, Barbara Walters, Robin Williams, and Anna Wintour.
FIJI Water is the event’s official water sponsor. Delta Air Lines is the official airline of amfAR.
CREDENTIAL REQUESTS:
Send to Natalie Marquis at natalie.marquis@amfar.org, or fax to (212) 806-1620. Please include your contact information, details of your coverage plans, and number of credentials being requested.
For tickets/table inquiries, please contact Cassandra Dawes at (212) 806-1753 or cassandra.dawes@amfar.org.
About amfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $366 million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.
About M·A·C Cosmetics
M·A·C (Make-up Art Cosmetics), a leading brand of professional cosmetics, was created in Toronto, Canada in 1984 and is part of The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. The company’s popularity has grown through a tradition of word-of-mouth endorsement from makeup artists, models, photographers and journalists around the world. M·A·C is now sold in 79 countries/territories worldwide. Become M·A·C fan at facebook.com/maccosmetics. View M·A·C YouTube and follow M·A·C Artists on www.macartiststweets.com/. For a M·A·C location visit maccosmetics.com.