Fashion Relief

This blog post is in no way funny, or self-depricating, or witty, or even necessarily fun to read...or write. Please continue anyway.

We've all seen the devastating images of the horrendous earthquake and subsequent unfathomable tsunami that hit Japan, wiping away entire towns, homes and over 3000 human lives. No one is unaffected by the atrocities, including the fashion industry. While some designers are going the Twitter route to convey their thoughts and prayers for those confirmed dead, missing or otherwise displaced, some designers and companies are putting their money where their well-fed mouths are.

Uniqlo, the Japanese-based mass retailer, has truly stepped up and put out. Not only did the company as a whole donate nearly $26 million, President, Chairman and CEO of their parent company, Fast Retailing, Tadashi Yanai made a personal donation of 1 billion yen, over $12 million. They have also donated $8.6 million worth of warm clothing and personal items and will eventually set up clothing and monetary donation bins in all of their stores.

Support the brands that support important causes. Put your own money where your mouth is.

The only state-side Uniqlo store is only in SoHo in New York and unfortunately their website isn't e-commerce capable but Fast Retailing also owns Theory, available at Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and many other department stores across the country.

Many of the fashion websites you and I visit on a daily basis are also making it very easy to donate money directly to the organizations that help the victims.

Groupon has set up a donation "deal" to send money to International Medical Corps. 100% of your money goes directly to the non-profit:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/international-medical-corps

Gilt Group has a link on their Gilt City site to choose a relief effort. Click on the Global Giving logo on the right side of the screen:

http://www.giltcity.com/welcome

If you aren't a member of Gilt Group, it's completely free to join. Just click the link below:

http://www.gilt.com/invite/rkerman

And of course, you can join the mobile campaign to donate directly from your phone.

• Text "Japan" to 20222 to donate $10 to Save The Children
• Text "Japan" to 80888 to donate $10 to The Salvation Army
• Text "redcross" to 90999 to donate $10 to The American Red Cross

Please help those in need. It's the fashionable thing to do.