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Versace's first show in China

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Marie Claire Fashion News: Donatella Versace and Jet Li

Donatella Versace held her first ever fashion show in Beijing and hosted a charity auction to help raise funds for China's earthquake victims.

The leader of the fashion house made a promise during a visit to China in 2006 to return and one day show a collection, and said she also wanted to do something to help children affected by the earthquake.

Versace designed and built a replica of their Milan Teatro in the courtyard of one of Beijing's most prestigious venues for the show, Legation Quarter, only a short distance from Tiananmen Square.

Donatella presented her latest Spring/Summer 2009 women's and men's collections to nearly 1,000 Chinese and Asian celebrities, business and style leaders. A charity auction followed the show.

Actor Jet Li also attended the show as part of the year-long partnership between his charity, the One Foundation, and Versace.

The foundation and Versace have been working together to open a centre dedicated to providing psychological post-trauma therapy and counselling for children in Sichuan province, the area hit by the devastating earthquake six months ago.

Earlier this week, Donatella and Li went to visit the Versace One Foundation Children's Centre in Sichuan.

Donatella said, 'As a mother, I instinctively wanted to do something for the families that are suffering. I believe this special programme that we have created together with the One Foundation will help give back to the community by providing centres where families can send their children to study, and most importantly where we can help them overcome the trauma of this tragedy by offering psychological counselling.'

Jet Li thanked Versace for their support and revealed plans to open further centres in Sichuan province. 'We hope our efforts will bring smiles to the children who have not been so fortunate due to the earthquakes,' he said.

The fashion event helped to raise more than $100,000 for the One Foundation.

TO SEE THE VERSACE S/S '09 COLLECTION CLICK HERE.

Friday 14 November 2008

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This is really great to see. Versace's gone up in my book but Jet Li, what a hero. He's done more than anyone to keep the Sichuan earthquake in the public eye and spread philanthropy in asia.
Comment by Adrian Conlon on November 15 20:35