Roberto Cavalli hosts the 21st annual Life Ball during a night of fantasy, fundraising, costume and celebration
Roberto Cavalli hosts the 21st annual Life Ball during a night of fantasy, fundraising, costume and celebration.
Bill Clinton, Elton John, Hilary Swank, Carmen Electra, Kelly Osbourne and Fergie were just a handful names sharing the spotlight with drag queens and half-naked revelers at this year's Life Ball extravaganza in Vienna- a night of hedonistic revelry to show solidarity, raise funds and highlight the important issues associated with HIV.
Fighting AIDS through celebration, the gala included a live performance from Adam Lambert, numerous inspirational speeches from partners, organisers and special guests as well as a major fashion show from the Cavalli house under the gala's One Thousand and One Nights theme.
Sir Elton John captivated the thousands of spectators with an inspiring speech on his dream of an AIDS-free future while former US President Clinton urged the world to join the anti-AIDS fight, explaining that those who want to help do not have to be scientists or doctors, they just have to be people who care.
For the 13th time MINI supported the Life Ball by donating one of their models, this year it was the MINI Paceman, the youngest and seventh member of the MINI family, for a makeover by an internationally renowned designer.
Sporting the creative signature of Roberto Cavalli with gold elements inside and out, iridescent paintwork that shimmers from black to brown depending on the angle of light and the use of his hallmark animal prints, the very special MINI was auctioned off during the AIDS Solidarity Gala, going for a record breaking €150,000.
After holding a press conference earlier that day, chaired by MTV- Staying Alive Foundation’s Bill Roady and featuring actress Aishwayra Rai Bachchen, amFAR CEO Kevin Frost, Eva Cavalli, supermodel Karolina Kurkova and Life Ball founder Gery Keszler, Roberto Cavalli spoke to Marie Claire about his design, saying: ‘I wanted to make the colours with a lot of gold like our sunglasses and inside to be very mysterious.’
Alongside the customised MINI, other luxurious items to be auctioned off during the evening were a beautiful vase- the Crystal of Hope- which was donated by Swarovski and a unique Chopard watch which was set with rubies and pearls.
Last year’s Life Ball raised over two million euros.
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