Gabriela Hearst Launches The Most Philanthropic Of Flash Sales (photos)

AKE note: Woolmark winner, CFDA finalist and all-round fashion favourite Gabriela Hearst is cutting the waiting list for her cult collection of leather bags and launching an exclusive edit on Net-a-Porter for one week only, giving away all of the money she makes from selling the bags to the e-commerce platform at wholesale price to Save The Children.

Why you ask? The designer is attempting to raise $600,000 in the next seven days to be able to donate monthly cash transfers to families in the Turkana region of Kenya where famine and dehydration is having a devastating impact on approximately 3.5 million people. In other words, it's the most philanthropic of flash sales on the designer's part.




The Ella bag, one of the styles on sale at Net-a-Porter.com

"The UN is calling it the worst humanitarian emergency since World War Two," the designer told us as the collection launched online. "The drought wasn't getting enough coverage so when I learnt that Save The Children were planning a trip to go there, I asked to join them. I asked the regional office in Kenya to calculate how much it would cost to fund the rest of the 1,065 families Save the Children wasn’t able to cover. The drought is estimated to last eight months. The number they calculated to support the families during this period was $600,000 and this is what I am committed to."

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The amount that Hearst has pledged to give to each family is $55 per month, which will be paid via cash transfers and is the sum needed to provide clean water, livestock and food in order to survive the drought. The collection - which features the bags styles Billie, Demi, Ella, Jane and Nina - ranges in price from £1,495 to £2,795.


Gabriela meets families who are affected by the drought in the Turka region of Kenya, a crisis which the the UN is calling it the worst humanitarian emergency since World War II

"I spoke last week with Save the Children CEO Carolyn Miles, and in her career as a humanitarian worker she has never seen so many crisis' happening at the same time," continued Hearst, herself a mother of three. "I think the most important thing we have to do as a species right now is to help one another and pay close attention to climate change. And revert whatever can be reverted. Climate change is real and is currently effecting those who have the least but we will all soon be effected."



A Nina bag from the capsule collection

Even before this first project is off the ground, Hearst is already planning her future ventures. "I wanted to be part of an initiative that I could be accountable for," she explained. "I don't think the problem will be solved only by our pledge. I would like to work on a phase two in the area so there is a focus into solving the issue."

The bags are on sale at Net-a-Porter.com from now to October 8. See more of Hearst's trip to the region below.