Gingerbread House For St. Jude's

AOL teamed up with In Record Time, Economy Candy, and Stylelist to construct a 6-foot gingerbread house for the children at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. AOL is shipping the house to the hospital for its annual holiday party, along with 250 gingerbread house kits so that the children can construct their own edible versions.

Hoping to make the childrens' holidays a little brighter, they crafted this "happy home to make happy people" and this generous gift is sure to make the winter wonderland even more magical for the children.

Here at Qi we feel strongly about giving back to others. We combine our love of style with our passion for helping others by supporting non-profit organizations like the Wildlife Federation and the Advocates For Children of New York. We want to remind everyone to do something special for those in need this holiday season because compassion and aid are the best gifts you can give.

So, this season, what will you vow to do for someone else? You can donate money, buy gifts, volunteer for charities, or dress up as Santa's Helper and give away presents to those in need. Wear seasonal colors and celebrate the holidays with some cheer and charity.


[Qi's Libby Dress]

To donate to St. Jude Children's Hospital click here.

Fight Back In Black

What would you wear to fight cancer? Swarovski Elements has made it a black tie affair with their auction, 22 Ways to Say a Cure With 22 Ways to Say Black. They have teamed up with the American Cancer Society and many world renowned designers to create 22 one-of-a-kind little black dresses. 3.1 Phillip Lim, Diane von Furstenberg, Givenchy, Missoni, Martin Grant, and many more contributed to the cause. The dresses will be auctioned off on September 20th at Phillips de Pury & Company and 100% of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society and La Lique Contre le Cancer, which is located in France.

The designers applied their innovative interpretations of the wardrobe classic to create beautiful and interesting dresses.

Check out some of the items available for auction:

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci
Description: Duchesse satin and silk chiffon dress with layers of Crystal Aerial Mesh, an exposed zipper, and a corresponding headpiece.

Missoni
Description: Sleeveless, Crystal Fabric, silk and Lurex® shift with an asymmetrical shoulder line on the back.
Gaspard Yurkievich
Description: Duchesse satin and silk chiffon dress with layers of Crystal Aerial Mesh, an exposed zipper, and a corresponding headpiece.
3.1 Phillip Lim
Description: Sleeveless shift in ivory duchesse satin with panels in black satin and a silk charmeuse lining
[All PC: http://www.facebook.com/SWAROVSKIELEMENTS]
As always, Qi wants to share with you the ways in which fashion has the power to enrich more than just the lives of those who wear the garments. If these dresses are out of your budget, check out the Qi Cares line. 10% of all proceeds go to the Advocacy for Children of New York--a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that children receive the best education New York can offer, regardless of gender, race, or income. Depicting words such as "Give Back" and "Hope," these sweaters will keep you warm and warm the hearts of those who need it most.

Pay It Forward

[PC: People Tree]

Emma Watson is a model for People Tree, a company that produces Fair Trade and organic fashion, and now she has traveled to Bangladesh to see how Fair Trade has affected the lives of the workers in the garment factories.

Emma was attracted to what People Tree stood for and decided to collaborate with them:

“I didn't feel that there was a huge amount of clothes out there that are Fair Trade and organic and it's so great to give people the choice to wear something that makes the world a better place, to wear clothing that does some good. Clothes are fabulous and can transform the way someone feels about themselves and you can transform someone's life at the same time, which is a pretty amazing thing to do.”

Taking it a step further, Watson wanted to pay a visit to the country to see how the company has helped. She travelled to the slums in Dhaka to see how the garment factory workers live and then to Swallows, the Fair Trade community supported by People Tree, and the difference between the living conditions was astounding. You can see her journey in the video below (it's worth the watch!):


It is apparent that Watson's trip had a great impact on her as she explains,

"I still find it hard to convey what Fair Trade means to those producing our fashion -- it's just so impressive to see how the women have used Fair Trade clothing to escape poverty and empower themselves and their children. I was moved and inspired."

Like Emma, Qi believes in the idea of clothing's ability to better your life while simultaneously bettering the lives of others. That is why Qi is excited to announce our upcoming "Cashmere for a Cause" event. The two-night event will be held on November 30th and December 1st at the Art in General gallery. Our Fall/Winter '10 collections will be available for purchase at this event and we will be donating 10% of the proceeds from the night to the AFC. Advocates For the Children of New York is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the best education New York can offer for all students--especially those of color and from low-income backgrounds.

Our Qi Cares collection, seen on celebrities such as Ciara, was created in an effort to support the AFC, and we are happy to continue to lend our support to them.





Last year's event had a great turn out and we hope you will join us again this year to help support this important cause!




[Daily Mail UK]