Designer Anne Avantie and Lions Club Team Up for Indonesia's Children
Jakarta. Fashion is not all glitz and glamor. Behind the industry's glittery facade are honest people who work hard and have a heart to help others, including Indonesian fashion designer Anne Avantie.
The 51-year-old started her career as a small-time seamstress in Semarang about 25 years ago. And today, she is one of the most sought-after kebaya designers in the country.
On Tuesday night the kebaya designer collaborated with Lions Club Indonesia in "Seuntai Cinta Mutiara Indonesia" (SCMI, "A String of Pearls for the Love of Indonesia"), in Fairmont Jakarta.
This is the second year the Lions Club Indonesia has held the fundraising gala dinner and fashion show and the organization hosted 500 guests.
Anne showcased her 2016 collection, featuring a "Gambang Semarang" ("Songs of Semarang") theme, with 40 contemporary kebaya looks made of batik, lace and brocade.
Jakarta's top celebrities and models, including Danny Dahlan, Desi Mulasari and Krisdayanti modeled her collection last evening.
Approximately Rp 1.5 billion ($108,000) was raised through ticket sales and art auction held during the gala dinner and fashion show last night.
Half of those funds were dedicated for Anne's non-profit clinic Wisma Kasih Bunda (House of Mother's Love).
Based in her hometown of Semarang, the foundation aims to help less-fortunate children with medical problems from all over Indonesia.
"With the funds, we plan to perform medical surgeries for 1,000 ailing kids in March next year,"Anne said. "These kids come from all over Indonesia with a myriad of medical problems, including harelip, hydrocephalus, tumors and many others. And their parents don't have the funds to help their kids."
Anne established Wisma Kasih Bunda in 1997 as an act of thanksgiving to God for healing her mother of cancer. The clinic has helped thousands of less-fortunate Indonesian children in dire medical need.
"Anne's generosity and benevolence amaze me," Angga Kesumah, chairman of SCMI and past council chairman of Lions Club Indonesia, said. "She's a famous Indonesian designer. And yet, she dedicates much of her time and energy for the less fortunate."
"We'd really like to encourage more people to be like her," he said.
Lions Club Indonesia, the local affiliate of Lions Club International, has 256 chapters with more than 8,000 volunteers all over Indonesia.
Parts of the proceeds from the gala dinner last night will be dedicated to support early education, nutrition and sanitation for children across the archipelago.
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