Press release for immediate distribution
8th September 2017
AFRICA’S TOP LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE ‘GLAM AFRICA’ TO SELL BRITISH DESIGNER DRESSES DEDICATED TO ‘CECIL THE LION’ AND SINGER ‘PRINCE’ TO RAISE FUNDS FOR UK CHARITY
AN AUCTION Ball ORGANISED BY GLAM AFRICA MAGAZINE, AFRICA’S TOP STYLE VOICE, WILL see two stunning DRESSES LINKED TO “Kings of the jungle” – Prince and Cecil the LION – sold off to benefit the Aleto Foundation in London on September 20th at the RAC Club.
The Aleto Foundation matches young students of disadvantaged backgrounds with successful mentors in the UK to open doors for them and to assist them in achieving senior positions in business.
Auctioneer for the GLAM AFRICA event is Giles Peppiatt, Head of Contemporary African Art at Bonhams, the international fine art auction house. He comments: “These remarkable dresses will doubtless attract a lot of keen bidding given the designer and the cause they will aid and the reason they were created, a tribute to an African lion hunted for pleasure, and a lion of the music industry, Prince who died much too young.”
Mary Martin who designed the two dresses heads one of London’s leading edge fashion brands, best known for her outrageous, bespoke, creative designs. She emerged on the fashion scene in the late 90’s. Mary explained that when she heard that Cecil the Zimbabwean lion had been shot by an American who hunted for pleasure, she decided to make the dress in black out of mourning for Cecil. She made the dress by hand and said that since learning of Cecil’s death she had worked day and night to complete the dress made originally for London Fashion Week.
A similar feeling of huge loss inspired Martin to create a purple-feathered dress for Purple Rain singer Prince. Prince died from a fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park recording studio and home in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57. It’s now been more than a year since his passing. He sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He won seven Grammy Awards, an American Music Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for the film Purple Rain.
The pre-sale estimate for each of the dresses is £5,000.
Ms Chioma Onwutalobi, CEO and Publisher of Glam Africa, says: We support the Aleto Foundation as its work is crucial to the upliftment and support of the youth in this country. These young people are our future, what could be more valuable than seeing them realizing their potential and succeeding. Making them and us proud of Africa’s contribution to the UK. We are in the business of showing off the best of Africa and through that building a community of supporters here in London. This event allows us to assist in the upliftment of youngsters who sometimes struggle in an environment that is not of their own birth culture but who given a chance have much to contribute.”
Glam Africa is a multimedia company with operations in the UK as well as Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. Its platforms include a quarterly print magazine, TV show and events for its supporters.
Prince Tribute Dress by Mary Martin shown by Denise Pearson of 80s pop group, Five Star, and The voice 2012 contestant.
Tickets for the GLAM Magazine auction are available from Glam Magazine at glamafricaball.eventbrite.com or email event@glamafrica.com
Other stunning lots in the GLAM auction include:
* The world’s most expensive Prosecco, Casanova Prosecco Swarovski Edition
* A 3 day ‘Lady Tatiana of London’ yacht charter courtesy of White Star Charter
* A £3,000 suit from Fielding and Nicholson