Brands celebrate International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is an annual event marked on March 8 that celebrates the achievements of women, while also highlighting the continued struggles for gender equality. Each year, IWD selects a new theme, and for 2022 it is #BreakTheBias recognising how frequently women are negatively impacted by gender bias and is encouraging everyone to champion a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

The international event is being championed by numerous fashion brands and retailers launching initiatives to empower women and forge an inclusive world, alongside offering products to raise vital funds for women-focused charities and organisations. This year includes campaigns and products from Baukjen, PrettyLittleThing, Charles & Keith, Sweaty Betty, Boux Avenue and Orelia London.

Baukjen launches IWD collaboration with The Prince’s Trust

Sustainably conscious online womenswear brand Baukjen is partnering with The Prince’s Trust to launch the Joanne blouse to celebrate International Women’s Day and to raise funds for the charity's #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign throughout March.

The red Joanne top, launching as part of the brand’s spring/summer 2022 collection, is priced 69 pounds, and throughout March, Baukjen will donate 10 pounds from each top sold. The money raised will go to the #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign, which supports young women across the UK by providing support and guidance to enable and empower them to move forward with renewed confidence into a job, training, further education, or to start a business.

Baukjen founder and creative director, Baukjen De Swaan Arons, said in a statement: “It’s important for us as a womenswear brand, predominantly led by women that we celebrate International Women’s Day and shine a light on the achievements of all women across the globe.

“We support the hard work of The Princes Trust and are excited to partner with them on their #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign, creating positive change for women during their times of need.”

PrettyLittleThing launches #MyDRessDoesntMeanYes campaign

Fast-fashion online retailer PrettyLittleThing is using International Women’s Day to launch the #MyDressDoesntMeanYes campaign in partnership with anti-rape charities The Survivors Trust in the UK, Its On Us and End Rape On Campus in the US, and En Avant Toutes in France.

With 55 percent of men believing that “the more revealing the clothes a woman wears, the more likely it is that she will be harassed or assaulted,” PrettyLittleThing is looking to stamp out the stigma that what you’re wearing gives someone else the right to your body, while raising funds through the sale of dresses and a slogan tote bag.

Running from March 8 to 15, PrettyLittleThing will donate 100 percent of profits from the sale of its #MyDressDoesntMeanYes tote bag and selected dresses to support sexual assault victims.

Charles & Keith partner with Dress for Success

Footwear and accessories brand Charles & Keith is celebrating IWD’s #BreakTheBias theme with a series of initiatives, including working with Dress for Success, amplifying female voices through the Second Life podcast, and introducing new policies to support all Charles & Keith female employees.

Charles & Keith is partnering with the charity Dress for Success by donating bags and shoes, as well as money to support its network of life coaches, styling services and development tools to help women face their job search with confidence.

In addition, it is partnering with Second Life on a four-part podcast series hosted by Hillary Kerr, featuring an inspiring cast of guest speakers who will share how they’ve overcome hurdles on their own career path to inspire other women.

The footwear brand has also looked internally to forge an inclusive workplace and is introducing new policies to support all Charles & Keith’s female employees, including the introduction of paid leave as standard for employees in the unfortunate event of a miscarriage, and to offer extend sponsored grief counselling for employees and their spouse or partner in instances of stillbirth or neonatal death, beyond their entitled maternity and paternity leave.

Sweaty Betty launches bra donation To mark this year’s International

Women’s Day, Sweaty Betty will donate a bra to a young girl in need for every bra purchased between March 3 and 9 through the Sweaty Betty Foundation.

The buy one, give one initiative is in response to research by Portsmouth University that revealed that breast concerns are the main reason 73 percent of 11-18-year-old girls drop out of sports and exercise at school. Sweaty Betty is hoping to change that by providing bras to as many young girls as possible.

Sweaty Betty chief executive, Julia Straus, said in a statement: “We’re so proud to encourage teenage girls, no matter what background they’re from or where they live, to get active. There is a huge inequality in opportunities for young girls and we really want to redress that. Our buy one, give one initiative is an incredible way to get our community involved in the important work the Sweaty Betty Foundation does.”

Boux Avenue launch ‘Together’ campaign for IWD

British lingerie brand Boux Avenue has launched a new campaign called ‘Together’ to celebrate “all women,” on International Women’s Day to encourage its community to feel empowered every day using positive affirmations.

Boux Avenue said: “We encourage you to feel celebrated, inspired and unapologetically you! Join the conversation by reminding loved ones, friends of how amazing they are with a positive affirmation. Spread the love further by sharing stories and positive comments on your social platforms with the hashtags #Together #BreakingTheBias.”

Hind Palmer, chief marketing officer at Boux Avenue, added: “We believe in the importance of supporting and celebrating each other, not just this month but every day of the year! We are all different, and we should always celebrate our wonderful bodies in all their glorious shapes and sizes.

“As a brand we stand Together, continuing to break the bias, whilst lifting each other up. We are better together, supporting each other, and remembering one size doesn’t fit all.”

Orelia London collaborates with Smart Works

Orelia London is partnering with Smart Works for International Women’s Day 2022 to ensure that women have access to a wardrobe that instils confidence when seeking employment.

The partnership, which is in its third year, will see the jewellery brand donating one item to Smart Works for every item sold between March 7 – 13.

Collette Flood, co-founder of Orelia London, commented on the initiative; “It’s important for women to feel confident and worthy in the working world, and to support a charity whose sole mission is to make that happen is a privilege. An outfit can make a lot of difference when it comes to self-confidence, so to know that Orelia are adding that finishing touch to a woman’s ‘back to work’ look, which could potentially be life changing, is an honour.”