THIRD ANNUAL UNORDINARYWOMEN CAMPAIGN CELEBRATES “FORCES OF HOPE” OFFERING INSPIRATION FOR UNORDINARY TIMES FEATURING CHRISTY TURLINGTON BURNS IN SUPPORT OF EVERY MOTHER COUNTS

To kick off the launch, Michele Norris to host a live, virtual party and panel conversation on April 8th.


Brooklyn, NY, April 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For its third annual UnordinaryWomen project, Lafayette 148 New York is celebrating hope. Following a year of extraordinary challenges, they’re honoring seven bold, courageous women of vision who have seen beyond the moment to inspire and change lives. The initiative benefits Every Mother Counts, the maternal health non-profit founded by model, advocate and UnordinaryWomen honoree Christy Turlington Burns, which is dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe, respectful and equitable for every mother, everywhere. Michele Norris will kick off the initiative as moderator of a live zoom celebration on April 8th, titled UNORDINARYWOMEN, EXTRAORDINARY VOICES, featuring a dynamic conversation on being courageous, making change and the power of sisterhood in these unordinary times.

 

“This has been a year unlike any before,” says Lafayette 148 New York Co-Founder and CEO Deirdre Quinn. “We’ve all been through so much. More than ever, it’s important to honor women who’ve met the moment and helped to lift us up. As a women-led company creating for women, we’re dedicated to celebrating women every day. This campaign captures all that we stand for, and Every Mother Counts’ mission of making pregnancy and childbirth safe and equitable around the globe resonates so much with our purpose. I’m proud of these women and excited to share their stories in support of others.”

 

The campaign, which launches April 5th, showcases a powerhouse cast of cross-generational women who are setting the tone, raising the bar, and bringing other women up with them. Included are Pioneering Pandemic-Preparedness Expert Syra Madad, who is Sr. Director System-wide Special Pathogens Program NYC Health + Hospitals; Creative Luminary Sade Lythcott, CEO of The National Black Theatre, Chair of the Coalition of Theatres of Color, and Tireless Advocate for arts institutions & artists during these unordinary times; Tech Entrepreneur Karen Cahn, Founder & CEO of IFundWomen, a crowdfunding platform which provides debt-free capital to women-owned businesses; Activist, Author and Co-Founder of the Women’s March, Paola Mendoza, whose work honors the experiences of women and immigrants; Frontline Hero, ER Doctor and Author Dr. Helen Ouyang, whose article in the New York Times Magazine helped us all understand the impact of the pandemic; Civil Rights Champion and Vice Chairman, NAACP National Board of Directors Karen Boykin-Towns, a corporate powerhouse standing up to injustice; and Christy Turlington Burns, Fashion Icon and Maternal Health Advocate fighting to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women. 

 

The campaign was brought to life by a talented, all-women team overseen by Lafayette 148 New York Creative Director Emily Smith. Included was renowned fashion photographer and Unconditional magazine creator Alex Nataf, who photographed all the women in a series of beautiful portraits. The women were all captured in one of the label’s iconic white shirts, as well as a fashion look. Says Lafayette 148 New York Creative Director Emily Smith, “The white shirt is something we’re famous for, and it’s one of the most versatile pieces in any women’s wardrobe. I like to think of it as the ultimate blank canvas—it really brings out the beauty of the woman who wears it.”

 

To support the initiative, Creative Director Emily Smith and her team designed an exclusive, limited-edition UnordinaryWomen tee ($148.00) available to purchase exclusively at lafayette148ny.com. “We wanted this tee to feel really special and unique, and to keep the integrity of ‘by women for women’ going,” says Smith. “We partnered with a small women-owned studio here in Brooklyn on the printing.” One 100% of proceeds from the tees will benefit Every Mother Counts.

 

In addition to the still portraits, Lafayette 148 created a series of short, stirring films that bring the women’s stories to life, sharing their challenges, their triumphs, and messages of hope during these unordinary times. Another dedicated short film focuses on the critical work of Every Mother Counts.

 

“As a majority minority company, diversity is woven into the fabric of Lafayette 148,” says Deirdre Quinn. “We wanted UnordinaryWomen to reflect the incredible diversity of the women we serve. The beauty of this campaign is that it shows whatever your age, your voice has the power to inspire so many other women throughout their journeys, now more than ever.”

 

Lafayette 148 New York plans a series of in-store activations that connect with the campaign. In April and May, the brand’s boutiques will celebrate “The Extraordinary White Shirt,” by donating 100% of proceeds from the purchase of white shirts to Every Mother Counts. In addition, clients that bring in a gently used shirt will receive $48 towards their purchase, and their garments will be donated to women in need.

 

Online, an immersive digital destination at lafayette148ny.com allows viewers to explore the campaign, meet the women, watch the films, and sign up for the event and updates. Followers on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter will be encouraged to engage with the project and amplify the impact by using the hashtag #L148UnordinaryWomen. For each hashtag used from April 5th – May 12th, Lafayette 148 New York will donate $10 to Every Mother Counts.

 

“I’m honored to be partnering with Lafayette 148 on their UnordinaryWomen campaign,” says Christy Turlington Burns. “Their mission of lifting up women really resonates with the work of Every Mother Counts, and together we will have a positive impact on women’s lives. In this unordinary moment, it’s our choice to come together and rise to the challenges we’re facing, to push ourselves to be extraordinary. If ever there was a time when we need to celebrate UnordinaryWomen, this is it.”

 

 

About Every Mother Counts

 

Every Mother Counts’ mission is to make pregnancy and childbirth safe, respectful and equitable for every mother, everywhere. Founded in 2010 by Christy Turlington Burns, Every Mother Counts (EMC) educates the public about maternal health and invests in community-led programs to improve access to essential maternity care. EMC engages communities, thought leaders, and partners in efforts to affect maternal health care practices and policies at a systemic level. To date, EMC has invested more than $21 million globally across 13 countries and has directly impacted more than one million lives. EMC also creates original content, tools and resources for the public to share with their own communities and advocate for solutions that improve maternal health outcomes. To learn more, visit everymothercounts.org.

 

About Lafayette 148 New York

Founded in 1996, Lafayette 148 New York is a company created by women for women. It is known for sophisticated, clean-lined designs that fuse luxurious fabrics, outstanding craftsmanship and a modern sensibility inspired by the dynamism of New York City. With its own design studio and production facility, Lafayette 148 New York is one of the few vertically integrated fashion brands. The collection is distributed online at lafayette148ny.com, Tmall, WeChat and in twenty-eight freestanding boutiques in the U.S. and China, as well as in specialty stores and luxury department stores throughout the world. For more information on Lafayette 148 New York, please visit lafayette148ny.com.

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Please See the Below Links For:

Unordinary Women Landing Page

Unordinary Women Master Video

Unordinary Women Event Sign Up Page

Unordinary Women Honoree White Shirt Photos

Unordinary Women Honoree Spring Fashion Photos

Unordinary Women T Shirt Landing Page

 

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