The model Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief project was the subject of a “serious incident” report filed with the Charity Commission after it claimed to be a fundraising partner of Unicef, it has emerged. Fashion for Relief put on a spectacular star-studded fashion show and charity auction held at the British Museum in 2019 at which it said it was working with the global children’s charity to raise funds for it and a third charity, the Mayor’s Fund for London. However, Unicef UK said it had never been a partner of Fashion for Relief, had been unaware of the event, and received no proceeds from the fundraiser.
It submitted a serious incident report about Campbell’s charity to the commission in 2022. This is understood to outline concerns that the Unicef brand had been used at the event without the agreement of the charity and in a way that misled potential donors. Unicef has also asked for clarification as to why Campbell was referred to as a Unicef “envoy” at an official government meeting with the then foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, in 2018.
It said Campbell had never held an official role with the charity. Campbell received a five-year ban from running a charity last week after a highly critical commission inquiry revealed financial misconduct and chaotic management at Fashion for Relief, the charity she founded and was a trustee for. The inquiry report revealed Fashion for Relief had raised nearly £4.
8m in five years up to 2020 but gave just a fractio.