Daphne Guinness, FIT and BCRF: Distance yourselves from Leviev.

Open letters were posted online today and sent to fashion icon Daphne Guinness, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) asking them to sever their ties with Israeli diamond and settlement mogul Lev Leviev.

 

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Press Release

For Immediate Release:

New York, NY – Fashion icon Daphne Guinness and New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) have been asked by US and UK human rights groups to sever their ties with Israeli diamond and settlement mogul Lev Leviev. Representatives for FIT and Guinness responded that they are taking into account the groups’ concerns, but have not explained how, nor given any timeframe for a more specific response.

Announcements and posters for the exhibition of Guinness’ clothes at the Museum at FIT note that the exhibition "has been made possible in part through the generosity of LEVIEV Extraordinary Diamonds." Leviev also hosted a September 12 event celebrating Guinness and FIT’s Couture Council that Guinness attended, apparently at his New York City jewelry store.

The groups also called on the US charity the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which also recently accepted funds from Leviev, to distance itself from him. Leviev has touted his support for FIT and BCRF in the media, calling the grants the first in "a broad based initiative that will benefit a variety of local and international charities."

Press Release

For Immediate Release

December 8, 2011, New York, NY – Fashion icon Daphne Guinness, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) were emailed follow-up letters this morning with comprehensive new documentation explaining why they should distance themselves from controversial Israeli diamond and settlement mogul Lev Leviev (see letters below). Today's letters followed upon initial  November 21 letters from the same US and UK human rights groups calling on Guinness, FIT and BCRF to sever ties with Leviev over his companies’ Israeli settlement development and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.

In an email response and phone calls to Adalah-NY two weeks ago, and discussions with reporters last week, Daphne Guinness, FIT and BCRF indicated that they were all looking into the issues raised in the initial November 21 letters. According to a November 29 report in report in Women’s Wear Daily FIT had said that it “needs some time to make a decision and is pursuing the matter very actively.” Neither Guinness, FIT or BCRF has commented since.

Press Release

For Immediate Release

New York, NY, December 17, 2011 – Sixty New Yorkers sang parody holiday carols calling for a boycott of Israeli settlement-developer and diamond magnate Lev Leviev this afternoon outside Leviev’s Madison Avenue jewelry store. Twenty-five protesters continued on to the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) where they sang, chanted and distributed flyers in front of Daphne Guinness’ clothing exhibition there, which is sponsored by “Leviev Extraordinary Diamonds.”

Outside Leviev’s high-end Madison Avenue jewelry store, the carolers, many wearing Santa hats, greeted holiday shoppers for the fifth consecutive year with favorites from the Anti-Apartheid Caroling Songbook including, “We Wish You a Loss of Business” (“We Wish You a Merry Christmas”), “Oh, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott” (“Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel”), and “Lev We All Can see the Folly” (“Deck the Halls”). They sang new songs, including “Lev’s Dirty Rocks” (“Jingle Bell Rocks”) and “Diamond Mines” (“Silver Bells”). To the tune of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” they recognized West Bank communities like Bil’in, Jayyous and Nabi Saleh that are protesting Israel’s seizure of their land for settlements, and sang:

Press Release

For Immediate Release

January 6, 2012, New York, NY – In a letter today, the Land Defense Committee from the West Bank village of Jayyous implored fashion icon Daphne Guinness, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) not to “help Lev Leviev to whitewash his illegal settlements on Jayyous’ farmland.” An exhibit of Daphne Guinness’ clothes at the FIT Museum, funded by diamond and settlement mogul Lev Leviev, is closing on January 7th, as scheduled after almost four months. Leviev has also recently donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In November 21 and December 8 letters, a coalition of US and UK human rights groups, including Adalah-NY, CODEPINK: Women for Peace and Jewish Voice for Peace, called on Daphne Guinness, FIT and BCRF to distance themselves from Leviev. The groups cited Leviev’s companies’ development of Israeli settlements in violation of international law, and involvement in human rights abuses and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.

Initiative Action Alert: 

Why are the Fashion Institute of Technology and Breast Cancer Research Foundation taking money from human rights abuser Lev Leviev?

Adalah-NY's recent attention to LEVIEV's sponsorship of the Daphne Guinness exhibit at FIT and donations to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) has put Lev Leviev's settlement development back in the news. With UK VogueWomen's Wear DailyNew York Magazine, and other media reporting on his companies' human rights violations, the pressure is on.

Initiative Documents: 

Document

 

Dr. Joyce F. Brown
President
FIT
New York, NY

Valerie Steele
Director
The Museum at FIT
New York, NY

November 21, 2011

Dear Dr. Brown and Ms. Steele,

As groups committed to human rights in the Middle East we were concerned to read reports[1] and find confirmation on your website that the Fashion Institute of Technology recently accepted a grant from the LVD Foundation, which is headed by businessman Lev Leviev. Evidently, Leviev’s funding is being used to finance an exhibition of British designer Daphne Guinness’ clothing at the Museum at FIT.[2]

Document

November 21, 2011

Dear Ms. Guinness,

As groups committed to human rights in the Middle East we were concerned to learn that the current exhibition of your clothing at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in Manhattan is being funded by diamond mogul and Israeli settlement-builder Lev Leviev.[1] As you would have seen during your November 3 visit to FIT,[2] Leviev’s name as a sponsor is prominently displayed just below your name on exhibition signs outside and inside the museum.

We expect that you were not aware that Lev Leviev’s companies have become notorious for their involvement in Israeli settlement construction in violation of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and for human rights violations and questionable business practices in the diamond industry in southern Africa. Because of this many respected organizations - including Oxfam America,[3] CARE[4] and UNICEF;[6] governments - including Norway[6] and the United Kingdom;[7] major investment firms and Hollywood stars[8] have all sought distance from Leviev’s companies.

Document

Myra Biblowit, President

Margaret Mastrianni, Deputy Director
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
New York, NY

November 21, 2011

Dear Ms. Biblowit and Ms. Mastrianni,

As groups committed to human rights in the Middle East we were concerned to read reports[1] that the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) recently accepted a grant from the LVD Foundation, which is headed by businessman Lev Leviev. We also found confirmation that Leviev has sponsored BCRF events in Manhattan and London.[2]

We expect that you were not aware that Lev Leviev’s companies have become notorious for their involvement in Israeli settlement construction in violation of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and for human rights violations and questionable business practices in the diamond industry in southern Africa. Because of this many respected organizations - including Oxfam America,[3] CARE[4] and UNICEF;[5] governments - including Norway[6] and the United Kingdom;[7] major investment firms and Hollywood stars[8] have all sought distance from Leviev’s companies.

Document

December 8, 2011

Dear Ms. Guinness,

We were pleased to learn via a November 21 email from your assistant Jenna and through reporters who contacted you that you are concerned about and considering our November 21 letter to you in which we called on you to sever ties with Lev Leviev, a funder of your exhibition at FIT. As we documented, Leviev’s companies are involved in settlement construction in violation of international law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories and in human rights violations and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.

We are writing to follow up on our original letter, and to offer more details about Leviev’s illegal and unethical practices in order to aid you in your decision.

Document

Dr. Joyce F. Brown
President
FIT
227 West 27 St. room C908
New York, NY 10001-5992

Valerie Steele
Director
The Museum at FIT
227 West 27 St. room E304
New York, NY 10001-5992

December 8, 2011

Dear Dr. Brown and Ms. Steele,

We were pleased to learn by phone from FIT General Counsel Steve Tuttle and from media reports that you are actively pursuing the issues raised in our November 21 letter to you in which we called on FIT to sever ties with Lev Leviev, a funder of the Daphne Guinness exhibition at the Museum at FIT. As we documented, Leviev’s companies are involved in settlement construction in violation of international law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories and in human rights violations and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.

We are writing to follow up on our original letter, and to offer more details about Leviev’s illegal and unethical practices in order to aid you in your decision.

Document

Myra Biblowit, President
Margaret Mastrianni, Deputy Director
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
60 East 56th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY

December 8, 2011

Dear Ms. Biblowit and Ms. Mastrianni,

We were pleased to learn via reporters who contacted the Breast Cancer Research Foundation that you are concerned about and considering our November 21 letter to you in which we called on BCRF to sever ties with Lev Leviev, a recent donor to BCRF. As we documented, Leviev’s companies are involved in settlement construction in violation of international law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories and in human rights violations and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.

Document

January 6, 2012

Jayyous has some of the most fertile agricultural lands in Palestine, providing 75% of Jayyous' income and fruits and vegetables to people throughout the West Bank. Furthermore, this area is significant because it contains artesian water wells which irrigate more than 8000 dunams (approx. 1977 acres) of land planted with all types of citruses and other fruits. These wells also irrigate 120 dunams (approx. 30 acres) of greenhouses which, throughout the year, are planted with tomatoes and cucumbers. These lands and those in Qalqilya and the village of Falamya are situated on the western drainage basin, which is this biggest of drainage basins in the West Bank, containing 362 million square meters of water per year. With this taken into account, Israel’s annexation wall was built and settlements were expanded to isolate 75% of these fertile lands as well as the drainage basin, thus depriving the citizens of their lands and water. In addition to this, the settlement of Zufim was built on parts of Jayyous’s lands. Initially, 200 dunams (approx. 49 acres) of these lands were confiscated by the Israeli army under the pretext of building a military camp, but, in 1991, they were used as a site for constructing the settlement of Zufim, which itself began to expand at the expense of Jayyous' neighbouring farmland.

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Initiative Press Coverage: 

Press Coverage

AdobeAirstream

Abstract: 

A late-in-the-day political controversy implicated the Daphne Guinness show at FIT with the politics of its funder, diamond dealer Lev Leviev, accused of illegal encroachments on Palestinian land settlements in open letters to FIT by protesting groups. Fashion is political, across the culture spectrum.

Press Coverage

Hyperallergic

Abstract: 

In a letter released today, the Land Defense Committee from the West Bank village of Jayyous asked FIT, as well as the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which Lev Leviev also donates to, to distance themselves from the controversial diamond magnate and illegal settlement developer.

Press Coverage

Hyperallergic

Abstract: 

One of the sponsors of the Daphne Guinness blockbuster exhibition at the Museum at FIT, Leviev Extraordinary Diamonds, has recently come under fire for some shady activities involving shall we say “questionable” diamond trades, upsetting several media outlets and human rights organizations.

Press Coverage

New York Magazine

Abstract: 

One of the principal backers of the exhibition of Daphne Guinness's clothing collection at the Fashion Institute of Technology is Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev. However, Leviev's association with the exhibit is now under some scrutiny because of alleged human rights violations and his company's apparent flouting of international laws.

Press Coverage

Women's Wear Daily

Abstract: 

Daphne Guinness and the Fashion Institute of Technology have been asked to end Leviev Extraordinary Diamonds’ sponsorship of the exhibition about the heiress fashion icon that is now on at the school’s museum.

Press Coverage

Racked NY

Abstract: 

The Daphne Guinness exhibit currently on view at the Museum at FIT has come under a bit of scrutiny lately, due to one of its sponsors. The human rights group Adalah-NY has asked the exhibit to sever its ties with Leviev Extraordinary Diamonds, because of its owner's ties to the West Bank.

Press Coverage

Vogue UK

Abstract: 

Daphne Guinness has been asked to end a sponsorship agreement with jewellery brand Leviev after a complaints from human rights group Adalah-NY.

Press Coverage

Jezebel

Abstract: 

Daphne Guinness's current fashion exhibit at the Museum at FIT has drawn the ire of peace groups including Adalah-NY, Code Pink and Jewish Voice for Peace because of the show's principal sponsor, one Lev Leviev.

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