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THE Jeans For Refugees live auction will be hosted in Bahrain on a later date after ‘visa issues’ prevented a gala show with live music entertainment going ahead as planned last weekend.
Music, however, was provided for the gathered crowd by a resident DJ at the ART Rotana on Saturday as hotel guests, journalists, social media influencers and VIPs showed their support to the initiative at Amwaj Islands.
A selection of Jeans For Refugees glass and sand installations, previously on display at MODA Mall and designed especially for the kingdom, were also showcased during the event.
“We’ll be back, we’re not giving up!” said Kashi Money, director of PR & communications for Johny Dar, the internationally-acclaimed artist and designer who founded the initiative, after flying in from the UK to attend the event.
Jeans For Refugees is a global initiative dedicated to helping refugees worldwide. More than 100 international celebrities have handed over a pair of their denims to Dar, who has transformed each pair into a unique wearable art piece inspired by the celebrity who donated them.
Participants from the film, art, fashion and music industries have taken part already and all proceeds go to the International Rescue Committee. Its initiatives aid millions of refugees worldwide, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster.
Chart-topping Lebanese singer Jad Choueri had offered to appear on Saturday and also promoted the event on his social media accounts. Dar’s manager, Jaclyn Winter, however, told GulfWeekly: “Our regional celebrities who were invited and confirmed to attend were not able to obtain visas.”
Dar’s planned visit to Bahrain was also put back to another date to be confirmed in a bid to grow the initiative after scores of the special jeans were snapped up for the cause at shows in London and Paris. In the meantime, newly-donated items will be available online, including those given by Alicia Vikander, Anna Wintour, Annie Lennox, Benicio del Toro, Bryan Adams, Candice Swanepoel, Carla Bruni, Cat Stevens, Chanel Iman, Christina Ricci, Christine Taylor, Claudia Schiffer, David Copperfield, Daniel Radcliffe, Dannii Minogue, Elle Macpherson, Emma Watson, Florence Welch, Harry Styles, Isabelle Adjani, Jane Birkin, Julio Iglesias, Karlie Kloss, Kate Moss, Lars von Trier, Lily Allen, Marianne Faithfull, Melanie C, Minnie Driver, Nicholas Hoult, Nina Hagen, Ozzy Osbourne, Peaches, Pedro Almodovar, P!nk, Roger Waters, Ryan Gosling, Sadie Frost, Selah Sue, Sharon Osbourne, Sharon Stone, Sofia Coppola, Tom Waits, Tuppence Middleton, Twiggy, Usher, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, Woody Allen and others.
The Bahrain pieces will be delivered in a complimentary glass and sand display stand. “Owning a pair of Jeans For Refugees is more than owning an art investment or a celebrity treasure – it is safeguarding a symbol of hope for a brighter future for humanity. By participating in Jeans For Refugees, buyers help support refugees worldwide and contribute to caring for victims of the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time,” added Kashi.
Items available are listed at www.jeansforrefugees.com/shop with prices.
