Saks Fifth Avenue has announced that Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Vanessa Bayer, Cecily Strong and Colin Jost have been named as the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) ambassadors for Saks Fifth Avenue’s 2014 Key To The Cure campaign, representing talent from Saturday Night Live’s past and current casts shot by famed SNL photographer Mary Ellen Matthews.
Celebrated New York designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville of rag & bone have created the limited-edition tee exclusively to benefit the campaign, which coincides with the Emmy Award-winning show’s 40th Anniversary season. The celebration will continue with exclusive merchandise inspired by notable Saturday Night Live characters from seven New York designers.
“We’re proud to have Will, Ana, Cecily, Vanessa and Colin serve as the faces of Key To The Cure in support of this deserving cause,” said Lorne Michaels, Creator & Executive Producer for Saturday Night Live.
“Key to the Cure has been a philanthropic focus for Saks Fifth Avenue for many years, and I am thrilled to continue this collaboration with the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund,” said Marigay McKee, President, Saks Fifth Avenue. “I’m proud of the contributions that Marcus & David of rag & bone, Saturday Night Live and our designer partners have brought to this year’s campaign and look forward to raising awareness for such an important cause.”
Now in its 16th year, Key To The Cure has taken a new approach, offering a unisex tee for the first time. The shirt will retail for $35 at Saks Fifth Avenue stores, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and online at saks.com. 100% of the proceeds from each shirt sold will be donated to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund, benefiting charitable programs dedicated to finding new detection methods, better treatments and, ultimately, cures for women’s cancers. The tee debuts at Saks Fifth Avenue on October 1.
“We are very proud to partner with Saks for Key To The Cure and lend our support to such an important cause,” said rag & bone designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville. “EIF’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund is incredible. To play even the smallest of roles to raise money on their behalf is an honor. We really hope that people will go out and buy the limited-edition unisex T-shirt as 100% of the purchase price will benefit, through Saks’ Key To The Cure, the amazing Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund.”
Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Vanessa Bayer, Cecily Strong and Colin Jost will appear in a national public service announcement (PSA) wearing the rag & bone limited-edition tee. The Key To The Cure PSA will appear in major fashion and lifestyle magazines in September and October. Saks Fifth Avenue’s charity shopping weekend will take place Thursday through Sunday, October 16 to 19, at all Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores nationwide and on saks.com. During the shopping weekend, 2% of participating vendor sales up to $500,000 will be donated to our national beneficiary, the Entertainment Industry Foundation. In the 15 years since the inception of the Saks Fifth Avenue charity shopping weekend, the retailer has raised over $35 million for cancer research.
In addition to the partnership for the annual Key To The Cure campaign, Saks Fifth Avenue will sell exclusive merchandise inspired by notable Saturday Night Live characters from seven New York designers. These items, curated by Saturday Night Live’s Emmy-nominated costume designer Tom Broecker, will be available in Saks Fifth Avenue’s New York flagship store and on saks.com during the Key To The Cure shopping weekend, October 16 to 19. The merchandise includes Mango’s shorts as interpreted by Alexander Wang, The Nerds outfit as interpreted by Alice + Olivia, a dress fit for The Californians as interpreted by Diane von Furstenberg, Spartans Cheerleading uniforms as interpreted by Elizabeth and James, hats fit for The Coneheads as interpreted by Eugenia Kim, Mary Katherine Gallagher’s school uniform as interpreted by rag & bone, and Gilly’s dress as interpreted by Suno.
“The SNL-inspired collection pieces created by Tom, Saks and the designers are an incredible tribute to the show’s history,” Lorne Michaels said.
SNL’s Tom Broecker said, “As one of the show’s costume designers, I am thrilled to be working with Saks and all the amazing designers they have brought on board to help realize this creative collaboration between TV characters and the fashion world.”
