Designer to the stars gives kids new hope

NGO benefits from sales to celebrities

A South African designer who dresses celebrities including Beyoncé Knowles, Selena Gomez and Kim Kardashian, has raised more than R100000 for a KwaZulu-Natal early childhood development initiative.

Two months ago, Catherine Deane pledged to donate R450 from the sale of each of her garments. The designer gowns retail for R9000 and up.

A KwaZulu-Natal-based non-government organisation, The Unlimited Child, said Deane's generous offer would assist in acquiring desperately needed educational toys for children in rural communities.

The Unlimited Child, launched four years ago, has provided more than 20000 children with educational toys and given training to more than 751 rural caregivers.

Deane, 34, who recently visited several crèches in KwaZulu-Natal, said she would promote the efforts of the NGO through her clientele.

"Most definitely I'll be talking to them ... we are using our brand to spread the good word," she said. "It's important to work with a charity that ensures donations don't get swallowed up by administrative costs but instead go directly to where the money is needed ... from teacher training to educational packs."

One of the crèches helped by the NGO is Villa Maria in Pietermaritzburg which takes care of 46 children.

Caregiver Nokuthula Maqwanyana said: "Before we got toys from The Unlimited Child, the children were naughty since there was nothing for them to do. Now they are busy all the time ... and they are learning every day."

StyleCartel, a consortium of fashion stylists and designers in New York, Paris and London who blog about fashion trends, this week described Deane's initiative as "fashion with a cause".

"When we heard the news about [her] teaming up with The Unlimited Child, we had to help spread the news," one of the blogs said.

Deane's designs are sold in more than 40 boutique stores around the world, including Neiman Marcus in New York.

Deane told the Sunday Times this week: "We have dressed Beyoncé, Selena Gomez and Kim Kardashian ... and these ladies have their pick of the top brands in the world, so it is very encouraging when they choose to wear our dresses."

Deane, now based in London, said South Africa remained close to her heart.

"I personally encountered how a lack of early childhood development could affect adults later in terms of dexterity and motor skills," she said.

"My locally [SA] employed seamstresses sometimes found tasks like cutting fabric very challenging, and this can be traced to not getting proper stimulation and education at a young age to develop these essential skills."