Project Runway’s “Design Your Heart Out” Red Dress Challenge Honors Heart Disease SurvivorsCAMDEN, N.J., Feb 05, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) lit up Project Runway last night with a flourish of red fabric to raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. Heart disease survivors turned into runway models and served as inspiration for the competing designers, putting faces and names to the disease, the number one killer of women in America. The show’s panel of famous judges selected Plano, Texas designer Amy Sarabi’s silk red dress as the winner, worn with confidence by American Heart Association (AHA) ambassador Nadine Jenkins from East Orange, N.J.
Campbell sponsored the Project Runway challenge as part of the company’s “AdDress Your Heart” campaign, which has enlisted top fashion designers for the last four years to create Campbell red dresses. The red dress is the celebrated symbol for women’s heart health. The company’s campaign has also pledged to donate more than $3.6 million to the AHA by 2012.
As style consultant on the show and longtime champion for women’s heart health, Tim Gunn was moved by the stories and the inspired designs. “These women truly are role models and should be proud of all that they have accomplished in their fight against heart disease,” said Gunn. “They certainly ‘make it work’ on and off the runway.”
Jenkins, a 45-year-old mother of four, learned that she suffered a silent heart attack when she was just 33 years-old and had an implantable cardiac defibrillator placed into her chest five years later, at age 37. Jenkins is proud of the steps she’s taken to become a heart-disease survivor. “Remember, you can be young and beautiful and still have heart disease, so know your risk factors, eat right, exercise and always love your heart.”
The winning designer, Sarabi, was motivated by Jenkins’ perseverance and positive attitude. “I designed a dress to showcase Nadine’s confidence and demonstrate her spirit in the fight against heart disease. I am thrilled the judges chose my Campbell red dress design – it’s an honor to be a part of such an important cause.”
As part of the reward for winning the challenge, both Jenkins and Sarabi will joinTim Gunn on the red carpet at the Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards in New York City on Feb. 10, 2010. In addition, a limited edition replica of Sarabi’s winning dress will be sold on ProjectRunway.com with proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association. The dress will also become part of the Campbell red dress collection joining creations by noted designers Nicole Miller, Lisa Perry and Michael Vollbracht for Bill Blass.
Campbell’s Commitment to Heart Health
Campbell has been a proud national supporter of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement since 2006.
Campbell offers more than 85 great-tasting products that fit into a heart-healthy lifestyle, such as all 25 varieties of Campbell’s(R) Healthy Request(R) soups, Low Sodium V8(R) 100% vegetable juice, Prego(R) Heart Smart Italian sauces and Swanson(R) Premium Chicken, which have been screened and verified to meet the American Heart Association’s certification criteria and display their heart-check mark.
About Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup, baked snacks, and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including “Campbell’s,” “Pepperidge Farm,” “Arnott’s,” and “V8.” For more information on the company, visit Campbell’s website at www.campbellsoup.com.
About Go Red For Women
Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s solution to save women’s lives. With one out of three women still dying from heart disease, we are committed to fighting this No. 1 killer that is largely preventable. GoRedForWomen.org, a premiere source of information and education, connects millions of women of all ages and gives them tangible resources to turn personal choices into life-saving actions. We encourage women and the men who love them to embrace the cause. For more information please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278).
About Project Runway
Hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Heidi Klum, the hit series Project Runway provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eye of mentor and Liz Claiborne Chief Creative Officer Tim Gunn. The wildly successful competition reality series has proven to be one of television’s most talked about shows and, during its first season on Lifetime, was cable’s most watched reality program in 2009 among Women 18+, Women 25-54 and in households.
Models of the Runway, an exciting new companion series to Project Runway, gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the reality competition – from the models’ perspective. Viewers experience the drama, anxiety, joys, tears and frustrations as the models themselves face elimination each week and compete for a cash prize and photo spread in Marie Claire magazine.
Project Runway and Models of the Runway will be in high definition, where available, for the first time ever this season.
Project Runway and Models of the Runway are produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture. Executive producers include Bob and Harvey Weinstein (Co-Chairmen of The Weinstein Company), Jon Murray and Sara Rea of Bunim-Murray Productions, Heidi Klum, and Jane Cha and Desiree Gruber of Full Picture. Barbara Schneeweiss oversees the production on behalf of The Weinstein Company.
About The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979. TWC is a multimedia company that officially launched on Oct. 1, 2005.
About Lifetime
Lifetime Networks is a diverse, multimedia company committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming that celebrates, entertains and supports women. Through its award-winning public affairs initiatives, the company also advocates a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television(R), Lifetime Movie Network(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) (which includes myLifetime.com, LMN.tv, Lifetime Games, Roiworld.com, DressUpChallenge.com, MothersClick.com and LifetimeMoms.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A&E Television Networks, LLC. A&E Television Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: https://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6169235&lang=en
SOURCE: Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup CompanyJuli Mandel Sloves(856) 342-3717[email protected]orWeber ShandwickCaroline Thomas(312) 988-2305[email protected]