OTB Foundation Receives African Fashion Gate Award
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BREGANZE, Italy — “In fashion, colors are those of fabrics and patterns, not of skin,” said Nicola Paparusso, founder of the African Fashion Gate, which on Monday bestowed the “Fashion Dresses Peace” award to Renzo Rosso and his wife Arianna Alessi for their work as president and vice president of OTB Foundation, respectively.
The award was launched 10 years ago to honor the commitment to inclusion. Previous recipients include Giorgio Armani; Vivienne Westwood; Valentino Garavani; Franca Sozzani; Italy’s Camera della Moda chairman Carlo Capasa, and Santo Versace. Outside the fashion sector, Simple Minds and Makaziwe Mandela, daughter of Nelson Mandela, who last year became honorary president of AFG, also received the award.
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“I have always believed in the value of giving back, in the commitment toward the environment, the territory and people,” said Rosso during the event at the OTB headquarters in Breganze. Marietou Dione, the president of AFG, was also there. “This is why OTB Foundation exists, because we want to help those who are more in need in a more concrete way,” Rosso said.
Paparusso said that “there is still much to do” to fight racial discrimination. “It’s important to start by educating children to be respectful of differences and to see them as opportunities.”
Turning to Alessi and Rosso, he said “taking action is part of your tradition and there was no doubt in my mind that the award should go to you this time.”
With the award, the association recognized two recent projects endorsed by OTB Foundation: its support of Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the Russian invasion, helping 7,000 people and providing a home to 440 refugees in Italy, and the Brave Women Awards, pledging 550,000 euros to cover the tuition fees for 55 young women enrolled at Italian universities.
The investment follows the first made in 2022 of 280,000 euros for the original edition of the initiative in partnership with Milan-based Bocconi University.
“Empowering women and protecting their dignity against violence in general are key pillars of the foundation,” said Alessi. “And we are convinced that only through culture we can change women’s working conditions and wages.” The OTB Foundation has continued to help Ukrainians through local partners, in cities ranging from Odessa and Dnipro to Kramatorsk and Kyiv, in collaboration with Zegna Group and Cesvi. Partnering with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the foundation is supporting Ukraine refugees in Moldavia in Ungheni, Soroca, Orhei, Chisinau, Balti and Causeni.
Rosso said that 63 percent of employees in the company are women, which make up 51 percent of the top ranks. At Diesel, 80 percent of employees at the top level are women.
Paparusso also took the time to remember the late Sozzani and how she urged AFG to “strengthen the structure and our communication and to put pressure on governments to change regulations at the European parliament level and streamline the bureaucracy, rather than focusing efforts on the fashion community. She helped us tremendously.”
Since its establishment in 2008, the charitable arm of the OTB Group has supported about 300 international projects focused on social development with an impact on the lives of 300,000 people.
OTB controls the Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor&Rolf brands, production arms Staff International and Brave Kid, and has a minority stake in Amiri.
The OTB and the Zegna Foundations have joined forces to support Cesvi, an Italy-based humanitarian organization that has been providing assistance to Ukrainian families impacted by the conflict.
Among the earliest responders to the humanitarian crisis linked to the conflict, the OTB Foundation answered the urgent appeal launched by UNHCR and has provided the country with medicines, first-aid kits and necessities, shuttling back Ukrainian women and children.
“Shortly after the war broke, I would wake up in the middle of the night and see Arianna busy on her phone, sending messages, sorting things out so that the buses with the refugees would make it safely to Italy and that medicines would get to the Ukrainians,” said Rosso proudly.
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