Material girl launches Gucci store at charity fundraiser

by Nikki Sandison, Brand Republic 07-Feb-08, 09:15

LONDON - Madonna courted controversy yesterday by combining a fundraising event for her Malawi orphans charity and Unicef on the lawns of the United Nations in New York with the launch of the city's new Gucci store.

Gucci paid for the entire event and said all money would be split between the charity, Raising Malawi, and Unicef.

Actors including Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow and a heavily pregnant Jennifer Lopez attended the dinner.

The event has been criticised for using the UN grounds to open a Gucci store on Fifth Avenue. Concerns have also been raised about the links between Madonna's Raising Malawi charity and The Kabbalah Centre, a spiritual organisation that teaches Jewish mysticism and is followed by Madonna.

A number of bloggers have made accusations based on the fact that Raising Malawi's founder Michael Berg is also co-director of The Kabbalah Centre.

Madonna told Reuters: "I don't really pay much attention to that. I am grateful that Gucci has underwritten this event -- that's all that matters to me -- their generosity. There's always controversy surrounding anything that involves change."

Philippe van den Bossche, executive director of Raising Malawi, said that it was "absolutely not true" that any money raised would benefit Kabbalah. He said the organisation was a non-profit, registered, non-sectarian organisation.

The evening involved a live auction, compered by comedian Chris Rock, which aimed to raise $2m to be divided between Raising Malawi and Unicef.

Madonna, who adopted a Malawian boy with her husband Guy Ritchie, has been accused of using her fame and wealth to flout the country's adoption laws.