Naomi Campbell and Famous Friends Walk the Runway for Charity
EMPICS Entertainment/ABACA
Naomi Campbell brought her supermodel power to the runway for her 2008 Fashion for Relief charity catwalk show benefiting the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood. Naomi welcomed everyone to the show in a wool Alaia dress and Alaia ankle boots, telling reporters, “This is what the fashion world is doing to give back. I won’t ask people to do anything unless I think it’s really important. I only ask when I think it’s something they will be passionate about. All these people here tonight feel the same way.” Singer Estelle was the first to strut down the runway to the sound of her hit song “American Boy.” Runway turns followed from Chanel Iman, Tyson Beckford, Kim Stewart and Naomi herself. Supporter Mischa Barton watched from the front row, telling PEOPLE, “I do lot of work with Save the Children. Today I was doing press with them and they told me this charity is affiliated with theirs. I learned up on it, and Naomi is doing a good thing with it. She has always been very friendly and caring to me. She’s really sweet.” Though she has walked countless shows, the supermodel was still nervous — one of her models ran a little late — but the feeling backstage was perfectly summed up by Estelle, who told PEOPLE as she came off the runway, “Wicked! They cheered and stuff. It felt like a show. I was smiling, dancing and everything. I want to go and cry now.” –Reporting by Monique Jessen
