Women’s Wear Daily published an interesting interview this week with Charity: water’s Scott Harrison about luxury brands’ role (right now and in the future) in world-wide philanthropy.

Here is an excerpt:

WWD: How have your collaborations with fashion companies helped?

S.H.: Our most successful campaign has been with Saks Fifth Avenue. [Since 2008, the retailer has sold $5 rubber bracelets at various outlets, with 100 percent of proceeds going to Charity: Water.] We raised about $700,000 — enough to bring clean water to 140 communities. You’ll see us continue to do more with Saks. We’ve done stuff with Miss Sixty. We did a great campaign with Theory that raised $80,000 for Ethiopia.

WWD: How would you characterize the fashion industry as opposed to another group in terms of fund-raising?

S.H.: I think the fashion industry has very high standards for the kinds of organizations that it’ll support. I think that might hint at why we’ve been successful. When we started this, design was so important to us. Just because we’re a charity, why should our Web site look bad? Our attention to detail, to design, using large-scale photography [has helped].

WWD: How important are products and merchandise?

S.H.: It’s not a huge part of the bottom line, but it’s really important for awareness. We’d like to work with more brands. I think there’s a merchandising piece that we’ve started to explore with Saks but there’s a lot more. We haven’t really gone to full scale.

To read about what Monique Pean, Swarvoski and Saks have done specifically for Charity: water, click here.

It’s so great to hear about the real results of what luxury can do for a charity and what we as consumers can start just by shopping!

Lively (wearing the Divine Rock necklace) hosted the store opening in SoHo

As this blog has highlighted before, 1 in 6 people do not have access to clean drinking water – charity: water aims to change these stats by providing the funds and manpower to build freshwater wells in areas throughout the world where it is so desperately needed.

100% of the proceeds from the Divine Rock Light Necklace goes to charity: water. The necklace with a clear crystal drop and silver chain has an edgy, organic feel. Retailing at only $88, it’s an easy purchase for a good cause!

Swarovski's Divine Rock Light Necklace, $88 - 100% of proceeds benefit charity: water

The Bering collection features necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and cuff-links priced between $700 – $28,500. She uses an interesting variety of materials such as walrus, caribou and baleen ivory;  diamonds and rose gold – all of which are eco-friendly and conflict free.

The collection is hand-made and is a collaboration between Pean and Alaskan Eskimos. Pean hopes to raise awareness of the indigenous culture by creating this socially responsible, wearable art.

The Alaska Native Arts Foundation works to promote local artists, bring their works to market and increase awareness of native Alaskan culture. You can purchase jewelry, clothing, accessories and home decor on their site and even read about the very artist who created it!

Monique Pean Aleut Walrus Ivory Bracelet, $6,400 - 10% goes to Alaska Native Arts Foundation

Drop of Water necklace, $795 – 50% of proceeds are donated to charity: water

Monique Pean, UPenn grad and former Wall Streeter, has created a ecologically sustainable and socially responsible collection of jewelry to help support charity: water.

T-shirt, $40 - 87% is contributed to charity: water

For its second year, Saks Fifth Avenue has partnered with charity: water to help bring clean water to developing countries. One in six people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water – contributing to a plethora of otherwise avoidable diseases and illnesses. Charity: water is an international non-profit that funds freshwater wells where it is so desperately needed.

$35 from the $40 purchase price of these shirts is donated to charity: water and will provide clean water to seven people for five years. Screen-print tee with the words: One in every six people on the planet doesn’t have access to safe, clean drinking water.

100% of the proceeds from the rubber bracelets is be donated to charity: water and will provide clean water to two people for five years. Bracelets have “charity: water” printed on the outside and  ”Saks Fifth Avenue” embossed on the inside.