Fashion + AIDS

Fashion designers, volunteers, press and locals joined at the launched of the new fashion collection the last 25th of October in Antwerp Central Station. 

Hosted by the Belgian model Hannelore Knuts, the 25% of the money raised will help fund AIDS prevention programs and support services, such as rental assistance, for county residents. Besides, I knew the designers, as they are part of the European Voluntary Service (EVS), so I am. The previous days we were told by the designers we could have an interview with the DAA founder, Ninette Murk and model Hannelore. 

For that reason, we thought De Wereld Morgen should do a report about it.

On arrival we realized things were not happening as expected. A JBC screen in the middle of the station, showing commercials and this empty station with a hotspot in the middle. A small room full of fashion designers and main media. After explainning the press coordinator who we were, she mentioned us we will have to wait a long time for the interviews. Strange feeling, not nice at all. Besides, I asked her if there were other interesting people we could interview to in the meantime, from others NGO´s, AIDS associacions or charity. Not at all. Only people from DAA, JBC, fashion designers and media. 

The thrid time I asked this press coordinator and after making clear we were part of Indymedia (she had no idea what was it, so I explained to her and left clear the big social influence of this media), she said to us she would do her best to get those interviews for us. But we had the feeling that was never going to happen, so it was.

The forth and last time I asked her, she said there were not going to do interviews anymore. Then Hannelore and the founder came down to the main hall of the station, people approached to see what was going on, attracted by the big cameras and the flashes, stayed there for hardly 5 minutes, took some pictures and everybody left quickly by 14:00 hous. That room now was as empty as the station starred by the massive JBC screen. 

After half an hour and some phone calls trying to rich the people gone, one of the EVS confim to us we could have an interview with DAA founder, Ninette Muks. The surprising fact is that it would have to be at their home. I must mention DAA offices, DAA fashion design workshop and the home itself of Ninette and volunteers is all in the same place.

This situation would have never happen to a main-commercial media. This video is a resume of the day, things as clear as they were.