Louis Vuitton ups support for RED with new sneaker

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Nov 24, 2020

Vuitton previously supported RED, the global organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to fight AIDS, with special candle.

On Monday, Vuitton revealed the creation of a Louis Vuitton I (RED) Trainer and promised that for each LV trainer sold, $200 will be donated to RED’s fund in support of the battle against AIDS.

The original trainer was presented during Men’s Artistic Director Virgil Abloh’s debut Spring-Summer 2019 show for Vuitton, going on to become a classic menswear sneaker.

This new RED sneaker features the embossed Vuitton monogram on white leather with bright red piping and details. While monogram flowers are embedded across the sole of the low-top sneaker, which is produced in Italy. The new footwear starts retailing in selected Vuitton stores worldwide on December 1.

A whole slew of brands have previously linked up with RED, including Balmain, Beats by Dr. Dre, Montblanc, Giorgio Armani, NetJets and Vespa.

RED got its name because it is the color of emergency. In 2006, RED was founded to engage businesses, brands and people in a massive health emergencies, the AIDS pandemic. Today, as Covid-19 threatens to undo progress of the AIDS fight, RED is supporting the fight against two deadly pandemics, AIDS and Covid-19, by partnering with the world's most iconic brands to generate money for the Global Fund through RED-branded goods and experiences.

To date, RED has generated $650 million for the Global Fund to support HIV/AIDS grants primarily in eSwatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that RED supports have impacted 180 million people with prevention, treatment, counselling, HIV testing and care services.