Plum jewelry roll

Traveling with your most preciously pieces can make for a tricky situation, but ShopGive.com’s Italian leather jewelry roll can solve that problem in one sleek case. Being a fan of anything plum immediately brought me to this jewelry case, but for you neutral-lovers, it also comes in beautiful black, brown, and tan tones. The suede lining of this organizer keeps necklaces, earrings, and rings carefully protected and exactly where they should be (no entangled mess when you unpack your bags). Also included are snap closures to keep necklaces from tangling and “holed” pieces for your earring posts to keep them held together in the midst of your travels. You’ll also find two pockets for all your other royal jewels, so space is certainly not limited. This all-in-one leather case with gold hardware comes in at $135.

Now for a bit on the company behind this exclusive offering. ShopGive.com donates 10% of its net profits (i.e. total profit less total expenses) to variety of charities on annual basis. A great part about the organization: their philosophy states that “part of being chic means not just carrying the bag that you love, but also supporting the organizations you love.” The very same sentiment rings loud and clear to everyone at MLC as well. Look around at all of the products available at ShopGive.com and see how your stylish carry-ons, handbags, and other leather goods can make a greater difference. I’m also a huge fan of this cosmetic bag…so chic!

Kimberly McDonald Sea Turtle bracelet, 100% of proceeds benefit Gulf spill relief

Kimberly McDonald has created a limited edition “Sea Turtle Macramé Bracelet” collection in support of the National Wildlife Federation’s efforts to clean up the Gulf oil spill. 100% of all proceeds benefit the National Wildlife Federation’s effort to respond to the wildlife crisis unfolding in the Gulf.

Each bracelet is made from 18K recycled gold, reclaimed diamonds and hand-woven silk. The bracelets retail for $2,000 – $2,500 and are available at Mitchells.

Connections Bracelet, $500

I volunteer for a wonderful non-profit here in NYC called Bottomless Closet. For 10 years, the organization has been helping New York women gain their economic independence and strengthen their self-confidence through their one-on-one interview counseling and evening career workshops. And of course, their huge “boutique” of clothing is perfectly suited to help these women land a  good job and keep it.

I’m on the Young Leadership Council and wanted to let everyone know of a beautiful new bracelet we are selling to raise money for our programs.

Bottomless Closet’s Young Leadership Council is thrilled to announce the Connections bracelet created by designer Catherine M Zadeh exclusively for Bottomless Closet! This stunning design, featuring an organic and stylish interpretation of the Bottomless Closet logo, is now available in sterling silver.

The cost of the bracelet is $100 for sterling silver or $500 for gold and 50% of the cost goes directly to the services and programming of Bottomless Closet.

Bracelets are available in the BC office or can be delivered for an additional charge of $15 shipping & handling fee.

Anna Wintour's 2nd annual fashion event to be help Sept 10, 2010

Fashion’s Night Out is back by popular demand. On September 10, 2010 plan on spending the evening with your friends shopping for good! Anna Wintour’s 2nd annual global event will have participating retailers (which practically means every single brand and boutique in NYC at least!) staying open late into the evening, hosting cocktail parties, product launches, special designer/celebrity appearances and more.

There will also be an epic public fashion show, involving over 200 models and 1,500 random ticket-holding guests (show will be held September 7 at New York Fashion Week’s new home, Lincoln Center). 40% of the ticket proceeds (as well as the FNO 2010 clothing line) will go to the New York City AIDS Fund.

Last year, I went to Bergdorf with my boyfriend and got to see Manolo Blahnik and Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen! It’s definitely a star-studded evening with lots of glitz. Dress up and find some great styles for Fall, support the retail industry in this economy and feel great that the money you spend goes to some great causes!

Gucci for UNICEF special edition Sukey bag

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To mark the 6th year of the Gucci partnership with UNICEF, Gucci is offering this sophisticated Sukey bag from April 2010 through February 2011.  The luxury firm will donate 25% of its proceeds from the special edition Sukey bag to UNICEF.

“From a distance, Miteme Junior Primary School look slike a marketplace with vendors in school uniform.  On close inspection, one realizes this is a school without a single classroom.  Classes one to five are all held under trees; only class five has desks.”  As reporter Kusali Kubwalo writes for UNESCO, Kusali paints a poignant picture of the inadequacy of educational infrastructure in Lilongwe, Malawi.  This perspective is representative of many education systems in Africa, reflecting on my visit to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2007, nearly 70 students are crammed into a classroom that would normally seat 30 according to Western standards.

The funds raised will benefit UNICEF’s ‘Schools for Africa’ programs in Malawi and Mozambique, where children are not only deprived of education opportunities, nearly one million of them have lost their parents by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The Sukey bag is designed by Creative Director Frida Giannini who also named it “La Pelle Guccissima.”  The bag is derived from a classic Gucci design adorned with its iconic monogram.  The elegant grey is both sophisticated and versatile, whether you sport it as arm candy, or wardrobe essential, the Sukey is appropriate for all four  seasons.

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Between work, family, friends and keeping up with celebrity gossip (not being sarcastic, I read every single one of those magazines at the office), we are easily overloaded with information to process and matters to prioritize. So it’s no wonder that we often overlook others’ adversity – especially when the magnitude of the injustice and  inequality makes us believe that there is not much we can do.

We’re not asking you to give up the fun, indulgent aspects of life because others are not as fortunate. I enjoy shopping and truly some purchases do make me quite happy (e.g. porcupine quill mirror, strappy Lanvin pumps – seriously, I smile when I come home to them after work).

We all work hard and have every right to indulge and spend our money as we see fit.

However, through this site, we are asking you to please keep in mind that we are all extremely lucky. For me, it’s easy to forget this as seemingly everywhere I look in Manhattan, I discover people who are smarter, more talented, more successful than I am or think I ever will be!

But, no matter how advantaged these people may be today, if – by Chance - they would have been born in an impoverished or politically corrupt country, their prospects of ever rising out of poverty would have been considerably diminished from the start.

Furthermore, due to changing demographic, environmental and fiscal dynamics (The Economist reports that rich countries will be in so much public debt by 2014 that the average government will owe $50,000 for every one of their citizens), rich countries will become less able to administer aid to poor countries and their people.

Thus, the privilege to assist these people through charity, infrastructure, trade and education will be placed in the hands of the private sector.

Companies have the responsibility to rise to the occasion. This site focuses on luxury brands because they often have unbelievable profit margins and extract precious natural resources for vanity.  But more importantly, their iconic products can quickly become not only a symbol of status, but also a symbol of humanity.

If we as consumers can shift our preferences to products with a purpose and reward philanthropic brands with our purchasing power – we can collectively make a difference.

This blog is asking you to Make Luxury Count.