PARIS — Due to the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in France, the 19th edition of Sidaction’s fundraising gala is postponed to July 7, the French AIDS charity said on Thursday in a joint statement with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
Led by Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Line Renaud, respectively president and vice president of the organization, the event traditionally takes place on the last evening of the January edition of Paris Couture Week, with designers and famous faces coming together to collect funding for HIV research as well as prevention and assistance programs for people living with the disease.
Couturier Jean Paul Gaultier serves as ambassador and artistic director of the dinner.
Its 2021 edition, which also saw the January gala scuppered by the ongoing pandemic, was replaced by two auctions. The first offered items and experiences with links to haute couture fashion and luxury, netting more than 200,000 euros; while the second saw photographic works spanning from the 1950s through to 2021 go under the hammer in July.
The coronavirus pandemic “continued to fragilize the fight against AIDS in 2021, leading to a reduction in screening and prevention activities,” the organization stated, highlighting the need to remain mobilized in the fight.
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