That is not exactly what you would expect to hear from a children's clothing designer but Valeria Attinelli is far from typical. Yes, her lively, bohemian-chic creations are staples in the wardrobes of celebrity offspring like Lourdes Ciccone, Madonna's daughter; and Jade Hallyday, the daughter of the French rocker Johnny Hallyday and his wife, Laeticia.
But in the past few years, the Sicilian-born, Paris-based créatrice has become more concerned about the message she sends than who is wearing her designs.
Since 2005 Attinelli has been partnering with Unicef, the children's humanitarian organization of the United Nations, raising thousands of euros for the group's French branch. The goal? "To help give children back their childhood," she says.
The Unicef collaboration began in November 2005 with the annual Frimousses des Créateurs, or Designer Dolls, auction organized by the charity to raise money to vaccinate children in developing countries. Attinelli's doll, a happy-go-lucky girl called Blabla, with spiral pigtails and an "I am a Princess" logo on her dress, was sold to the Hallydays.
Last year Attinelli and Laeticia Hallyday teamed up to organize a televised concert for Unicef's 60th anniversary, raising €400,000, or more than $560,000, for the organization. Then Attinelli designed two collections for the French clothing retailer Vertbaudet (www.vertbaudet.fr), committing €1.50 from each item to Unicef for a contribution that, so far, totals €150,000. The fall/winter line is available until the end of the year.
"I love the message of hope she gives," says Maureen Marchal, a Parisian who has bought some of Attinelli's Unicef creations for her 4-year-old daughter. "I think it's wonderful to encourage children to think about children" in the developing world.
Meanwhile, Blabla has become a mascot for Unicef France, and plenty of new projects featuring the doll are in the works to help raise awareness and connect with children involved in Unicef's endeavors.
Attinelli is writing and illustrating a series of children's books and is creating a musical starring Blabla and her friends, again with the intention of donating some of the profits to Unicef.
The organization has welcomed the collaboration. "She's creative, she's dynamic, and she lets children dream of a better future," says Christine Chevalier, the head of events and publicity for Unicef France.
Attinelli has just designed her third doll for the Frimousses auction, this time for the De Beers diamond company. (All of the dolls will be on display at the Petit Palais from Nov. 20-25; the sale will be at the Drout Montaigne auction house on Nov. 29.) Also, she plans to open a new Paris boutique in the spring.
In short, she is a busy woman on a mission. "The more happy children we have in this world," she says, "the better it will be."
