Louis Vuitton: More than 10 million US dollars to help the world’s most vulnerable children

Paris, February 21st 2020 – In the four years since the launch of its international partnership with UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, Louis Vuitton has raised more than 10 million US dollars through a global network of stores, customers and employees to support UNICEF’s programmes and help the world’s most vulnerable children.

Facing devastating natural disasters, violent conflict, infectious disease, and extreme weather events, historic numbers of children are in need of emergency assistance. One in four children lives in a country affected by conflict or disaster. By supporting UNICEF, Louis Vuitton promises to give vulnerable children hope for a better life.

Among the initiatives taken under this partnership, Louis Vuitton launched the Silver Lockit collection. Inspired by the lock Georges Vuitton created in 1890 to protect customers’ most precious belongings, the Silver Lockit is a symbol of protection. It was chosen as a symbol of sealing Louis Vuitton’s promise to help children in urgent need.

Today, Louis Vuitton reveals the first Silver Lockit bracelet designed by Virgil Abloh, Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton men’s wear collection. For each bracelet sold (390$), 100$ will be donated to support UNICEF emergency programmes.

Worldwide, approximately half of the people who live without sanitation and safe drinking water are in countries affected by conflict. Every day, UNICEF works in 190 countries to defend children’s rights and meet their basic needs, in order to ensure that every child is safe, protected and gets an education. The funds raised by Louis Vuitton for UNICEF have helped provide emergency support to children in countries including Syria, Jordan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

The Syrian crisis is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. More than 2.5 million children are living as refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. As part of the humanitarian response to this crisis, Louis Vuitton supports UNICEF’s programmes to help Syrian refugee children. In 2018, thanks to Louis Vuitton’s support, UNICEF was able to vaccinate nearly 3.5 million children under age five against polio, and improve access to drinking water for some 4.6 million people. In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the Rohingya refugee crisis continues to endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and their families. In 2018, UNICEF field workers vaccinated around 1.2 million people against cholera and provided almost 350,000 Rohingya refugees with access to drinking water.

 “UNICEF is pleased that Louis Vuitton has again renewed its promise to support children by launching this new Silver Lockit bracelet in collaboration with Virgil Abloh”, said UNICEF Executive Director Henriette Fore. “Funds donated thanks to the sale of the Silver Lockit will allow us to reach and protect even more vulnerable children.”

Since the partnership was launched, a group of voluntary Louis Vuitton employees have taken part in UNICEF’s emergency programmes every year, traveling as “LV for UNICEF Reporters” to see UNICEF in action. These employee witness first-hand how programmes to support children are run and how, thanks to the funds raised, UNICEF is helping the world’s most vulnerable children. When they return home, the reporters share their experiences with colleagues, friends and family to raise awareness of the important work being done with support from Louis Vuitton.

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.