The Barneys New York Foundation Launches "We Will Be" Women's Empowerment Windows For Fashion Week

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barneys New York Foundation, the charitable arm of the luxury specialty retailer, announces today the launch of "We Will Be," an initiative celebrating women's empowerment.  Launched in 2016, the Barneys New York Foundation prides itself as a proponent of human rights, and has placed increased focused on raising awareness for women's equality over the years. With this project, The Barneys New York Foundation is taking a stand to support and inspire women everywhere at a time when it is most important.  Through partnerships with MAKERS, the High School of Fashion Industries, The Barneys New York Foundation created custom video content that highlights strong women in society, which launches February 3^rd through the end of the month to coincide with Fashion Week.  "We Will Be" includes window displays at both the Madison Avenue and Downtown Flagships in New York City, regional in-store visual impact areas, and a social campaign #GirlPossible. 

In partnership with the High School of Fashion Industries, which provides career and academic training for New York City students, The Barneys New York Foundation created a short film entitled "I Will Be."  Featuring 34 female students from the school discussing their hopes, dreams, and goals for the future, the film sends an inspiring message about how all girls have the opportunity grow into future leaders and role models in society.  This video content will be prominently displayed in the Madison Avenue window just north of the main entrance, as well as in regional in-store displays, and will be showcased through Barneys New York's various editorial and social media channels. 

The Barneys New York Foundation has also partnered with MAKERS, a women's media and leadership platform. Utilizing video from MAKERS extensive library, The Barneys New York Foundation created exclusive content that highlights the empowering messages of iconic women including Madeleine Albright, Christiane Amanpour, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lena Dunham, Jane Fonda, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Alicia Keys, Helen Mirren, Michelle Obama, Gloria Steinem, and more.  This content will be displayed in two 20 short films, which will be shown in the northernmost and southernmost Madison Avenue window in New York.

The Barneys New York Foundation will also feature a custom video including recognizable moments in history that spotlight strong women.  Ranging from athletic pursuits to legendary films, and live concerts to women's rights movements, the breadth of content in this window emphasizes the many ways in which women have impacted society.  Notable clips include Aretha Franklin performing at President Barack Obama's Inauguration, Billie Jean King playing tennis in the "Battle of the Sexes" against Bobby Riggs, Malala Yousafzai at the Youth Assembly at the UN, Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot, and the many faces at the Women's March on Washington this year.  This video will be highlighted in the Madison Avenue window just south of the entrance, as well as in regional Barneys New York flagships across the country. 

For the Downtown windows, the Barneys New York Foundation has compiled inspiring quotes from noteworthy female designers along with looks from the corresponding women's collections, including Lisa Perry, Nili Lotan, Maison Mayle, Ambush, Maria Cornejo, Warm, Isabel Marant, Ulla Johnson, and Raquel Allegra.     

The Barneys New York Foundation has been actively supporting women's rights as a company for many years.  Fostering partnerships with Michelle Obama's Let Girls Learn, a United States government initiative to ensure adolescent girls get the education they deserve, The Girls Lounge, community of corporate women who connect, collaborate and activate change together, and Amy Schumer and stylist Leesa Evans' STYLEFUND, which is aimed at the cultivation of personal well-being by guiding women on how to find their individual style and silhouette to create true confidence, the Barneys New York Foundation has dedicated time and support to organizations that fight for women's empowerment. 

The "We Will Be" campaign and window displays bring awareness to strong female icons in society, and juxtaposed against the younger students, elicits a powerful message about the opportunities for today's youth to grow into future role models.  "We Will Be" will also have an in-store impact area in each of the Barneys New York flagship locations, highlighting key clips from the Madison Avenue window display.  For more information on "We Will Be," please visit the luxury editorial site TheWindow.Barneys.com, and to watch the full videos please visit the Barneys New York YouTube Channel. 

Link to hi-res imagery: https://barneys.box.com/s/rgwqz540b5v3jq540ou1waujg96jtxja

ABOUT THE BARNEYS NEW YORK FOUNDATION
The Barneys New York Foundation was launched in 2016 as the charitable arm of the luxury specialty retailer.  Based upon pillars of human rights, education, and the arts, the Barneys New York Foundation allows the company to contribute in an even more impactful way. By championing the arts, the Barneys New York Foundation is able to ensure a future for creative thought, while the human rights component continues to build on advocacy for equality to all.  The educational branch allows the company to support various causes relating to health and wellness research, as well as children's programs.  Through the implementation of a mentorship and employee giving program, the Barneys New York Foundation harnesses the power of community to focus on the core values of human rights, education, and the arts. For more information on the Barneys New York Foundation, please visit TheWindow.Barneys.com. 

ABOUT BARNEYS NEW YORK
BARNEYS NEW YORK (Barneys) is a luxury specialty retailer renowned for having the most discerning edit from the world's top designers, including women's and men's ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and gifts for the home. Barneys' signature sense of wit and style is manifested in its creative advertising campaigns, original holiday themes, and celebrated window displays. Founded as a men's retailer in 1923 in downtown Manhattan, it became an international arbiter of high style for both women and men in the 1970s, renowned for discovering and developing new and innovative design talent. Today, Barneys New York operates flagship stores uptown on Madison Avenue and downtown in Chelsea in New York City, as well as additional flagships in Beverly Hills, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, along with a preeminent luxury online store, Barneys.com, as well as 16 other stores and outlets across the United States. For more information about Barneys New York, please visit www.Barneys.com and explore its luxury content site, The Window, for an insider's look into the Barneys world: a behind-the-scenes visit with exciting designers, fashion, events, and the Barneys team.

ABOUT MAKERS
MAKERS is a video platform for the trailblazing women of today and tomorrow. Launched in 2012, it is comprised of Emmy-nominated documentaries, award-winning web and mobile-first video content, and live events. MAKERS is the largest collection of women's stories ever assembled and uses the stories of today to shape the leaders—or MAKERS—of tomorrow.  Today, MAKERS.com features over 4,500 original videos and over 400 MAKERS interviews.

SOURCE Barneys New York