Art Against Knives

Amid the new talent spotting, trend digesting and party buzz surrounding LFW, it’s

thought provoking to hear about real life causes, which the fashion pack are putting their names to. Namely a charity, ‘Art Against Knives.’ Born from a brutal attack in East London on 28 August 2008, when 21 year old Central St Martin’s student, Oliver Hemsley, was stabbed from the behind by six strangers, fashion circles stood up and took action. ‘Art Against Knives,’ the resulting charity started as a tribute to Hemsley and as a one-off fundraiser to create awareness and money for his care, now paralysed from the waist down. And Tim Walker, Vivienne Westwood, Giles Deacon, Christopher Kane were just some of the fashion names who donated items.

The cause has struck such heart with the East London community, it has now become an ongoing charity with projects in the pipeline. Firstly, January saw the launch of an initiative, ‘Our Space,’ to establish creative workshops for young people, including a youth panel made up of East-end residents. Then there is a series of six workshops hosted by innovative business’ and the outcome will be an anti knife crime music video. And now, a ‘creative space,’ which will be ‘designed, built and sustained’, by this young fashion conscious community.

As for funding the project, it is largely through donations, and currently AAK is working with online luxury boutique, Couture Lab, selling dresses donated by some of London’s hottest design names.

‘Selling a Christopher Kane dress can run a workshop for about 6 months’ laughs Helmsley.