DVF with Phelicia and the Femmes en Democratie women at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards

In another celebration of International Women’s Day, DVF partnered with the Vital Voices Global Network for an Artisan Design Competition.  This competition challenged women from Haiti, Guatemala, Nigeria and Cambodia to design an original handbag reflective of the local traditions of their home country.

The winner is Phelicia Dell from Haiti.  Her unique design is inspired by Ayizam, the Haitian goddess of marketplace and commerce.  The bags are hand-painted in vibrant colors by the women of the Femmes en Democratie network.  Phelicia’s winning design is now available in Orange and Natural at DVF boutiques and online. Proceeds benefit Vital Voices.

Buy the bag…

Proud to be Woman

We’re getting ready to celebrate International Women’s Day at DVF. And this year we’re celebrating all month long…and around the world. To start things off, DVF shops worldwide and DVF.com will donate 10% of sales to Vital Voices from March 8th to March 15th. As if you needed another reason to shop the new collection, DVF has also designed a limited edition “Proud to be Woman” t-shirt and tote bag that will benefit Vital Voices. We’ll also be hosting events around the world at our shops and be profiling different women who inspire us all month long on INSIDE DVF (check back Monday to read about it). And there are so many ways for you to be involved…

Shop the T-shirt and Tote bag…

RSVP your support on Facebook…

Send a “Proud to be Woman” gift to your friends…

Watch the Vital Voices video and share it…

Read our “Proud to be Woman” conversation series starting on Monday…

Be the Wonder Woman You Can Be!

The Wonder Woman phenomenon continues. Since launching Be the Wonder Woman You Can Be in October, the limited edition comic book and Wonder Woman-inspired collection has been celebrated all over the world, from New York to Paris to Belgium.

Most recently, the book’s message of empowering women and giving back gets a major “wow” from columnist Liz Smith on her website wowOwow. Check out what Liz has to say about Wonder Woman and take some time to surf her site.

Buy the book…

Visit wowOwow…

Working across the street from Milk Gallery certainly has its benefits, when it comes to the plethora of projects, parties and exhibitions going on. But this week we’re particularly pleased to be so close to the latest show that will be bowing at Milk this Thursday night – Norman Jean Roy’s Traffik – because it promotes Somaly Mam, a member of the Vital Voices Global Network – a cause that is close to DVF’s heart.

The project originated when Roy was sent to Cambodia to shoot Somaly Mam for Glamour Woman of the Year in 2006. Roy was so in awe of Somaly that he returned to Cambodia to photograph her and some of the women she has saved in an effort to raise awareness. The exhibit tells the visual story of an industry that doesn’t just sell sex, but routinely abuses the women who are forced into participating into this human traffiking.

Proceeds from the sale of his prints and the associated book on opening night (tomorrow, Thursday, November 20th) will go directly to the Somaly Mam Foundation and help her in the fight against the sexual exploitation of women.

Norman Jean Roy TRAFFIK
Milk Gallery
450 West 15th Street
through Monday, December 8th

Learn more about Somaly Mam…

After a successful DVF-sponsored performance in Deauville at the Women’s Forum Global Meeting, the documentary play SEVEN makes its DC debut next week. On November 12th, the groundbreaking piece of theatrical art will be performed at the Harman Center for the Arts. The performance will benefit Vital Voices and will be co-chaired by Senators Hilary Rodham Clinton and Kay Bailey Hutchison. For those of you in the DC area, we hope you’ll consider attending this incredible performance (tickets are only $60, less than your last trip to Whole Foods). And if you can’t make the show, learn more about SEVEN and Vital Voices.

Buy your tickets to SEVEN…