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#WhiteRibbon: Stella McCartney Speaks Up About Violence Against Women

WhiteRibbon

Stella McCartney for Kering Foundation, White Ribbon campaign 2017


For the sixth year of its White Ribbon campaign, Kering has collaborated with brand ambassadors Alessandro MicheleChristopher KaneStella McCartneyJoseph Altuzarra, and Salma Hayek. The digital campaign will run for five days, aptly reaching a crescendo on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The initiative specifically targets gender-based violence, which affects one in three girls or women globally. British designer and activist Stella McCartney (who designed the initiative’s badge in 2012) adds to the on-going dialogue about violence against women, in an exclusive and bold interview.

Why do you feel the White Ribbon campaign holds such significance and relevance in today’s society?

“We all know the issue facing men and women today and equality. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that for many hundreds of years, women have been treated as second-rate citizens and it’s not acceptable anymore. Women have a validity on this planet, we have as many rights as men and we need to have more confidence in ourselves and allow ourselves to have a voice. And we need to do this with the support and help of men by our side. We can’t do this alone.”

It has been said that men need to be more proactive in light of sexual violence against women. How important do you think it is for men to campaign just as actively as women?

“Every single man has a mother or a sister or a girlfriend and we need to support each other in this fight for equality. It’s just simply not fair anymore and we need to know it is only together that we can win this fight against violence against women. Just the call to action that needs to happen to bring a safer place for women when they are surrounded with some vulnerability around men. It’s not acceptable, we need to create the future for the next generation of women and men to treat each other with respect and equality.”

How important is it for your brand to be part of a collective stance against such issues? 

“It’s incredibly important for our brand to show that equality is the future. We are nearly 80% women in this company and out of that comes a great deal of strength. Women have a collective voice here at Stella McCartney, where we stand together as one. At the same time, we appreciate and value men, we have every bit of respect for them and ask for the same for us. I think that’s really the future conversation – how can men expect to be respected and looked up to by women if they don’t treat us in the same way? Out of all of this conversation, all that we want at Stella McCartney is a positive future for both men and women to share the planet with equal rights and equal respect for each other. It’s the only way we can have a future, if we work together to create a safer place for women in all environments.”

Follow #Icouldhavebeen, #keringforwomen, and #whiteribbon on social media to see the campaign gain momentum and shedding light on the matter. Visit the official website for further information on how you can support it.

Related Read: Inside the November issue three women share their stories of domestic abuse

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