According to the motto “Water for all, all for water”.

In this interview, we spoke with the managing director of Viva con Agua Carolin Stüdemann. We rewound time and asked how the idea behind Viva con Agua came about. Spoiler: Soccer plays a significant role here. Carolin also gives us a little insight into the various projects and what successes they have already celebrated. Maybe you have already heard about World Water Day. It takes place once a year, and we asked how important this day is. We also talked about the current Corona pandemic and its impact on Viva con Aguas projects. Sometimes there are positive impacts as well as negative ones. How you can support the aid organization, besides donating, and much more, you can find out here in this interview!

• Viva con Agua Instagram

The role of the St. Pauli neighborhood in Hamburg

FIV: Hello dear Carolin, how nice that it worked out with the interview today! Let’s start right away. We would like to turn back the clock to the beginnings of Viva con Agua. How did the idea of Viva con Agua come about?

Carolin: Viva con Agua was founded in and through the St. Pauli neighborhood in Hamburg. Benjamin Adrion, a professional soccer player for FC St. Pauli at the time, felt the need to get involved in something besides soccer after a training camp in Cuba. The idea was born to use the creative and social environment of the soccer club and the neighborhood to support social projects. With the first project – to improve water supply to kindergartens in Cuba – an incredible momentum was created. One year later, the non-profit association Viva con Agua de St. Pauli e.V. was finally founded with the vision “Water for all – all for water”.

Photo: Florian Quandt

Help without donating money? Yes, that is possible!

FIV: For our readers who don’t know Viva con Agua yet, how can people support you who don’t have the opportunity to donate?

Carolin: You can support Viva con Agua in many ways. The most important thing is to create awareness and attention for the important topic of drinking water among the general public. Because when we learn to appreciate water as a source of life, we also begin to protect this resource. Many also start a fundraising campaign with friends and acquaintances to collect donations for Viva con Agua. For example, they call on people to make a donation for drinking water instead of birthday gifts.*
Or they volunteer in one of the many city crews. For example, they are out and about at concerts and festivals with large deposit cup garbage cans and flags, collecting deposit cups that are donated to Viva con Agua. You can also support our work by buying our mineral water in the supermarket – the social alternative when you want something other than tap water.

Photo: Viva con Agua

Clean Drinking Water, Sanitation & Hygiene

FIV: What is your personal heart project?

Carolin: Any project that contributes to our goal of providing people with access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene is a project close to our hearts. I wouldn’t prioritize them.

Besides Nepal & India, focus on Global South

FIV: You support most projects on the African continent. Do you have other projects planned on other continents?

Carolin: Our focus is on the Global South, especially the African continent. After all, a lot can be achieved in East and Southern Africa to give people access to clean drinking water. We are also particularly well networked here, for example with other organizations. But we also support projects in Nepal and India. In India, we are currently starting to implement our Universal Language Approach For Behavior Changes. We are using the universal languages of sport, music and art to provide a more joyful approach to issues such as hygiene and sanitation.

Photo: Bastian Wülfing

Living situation of 3.7 million people improved

FIV: What has been your biggest personal success with your projects so far?

Carolin: To date, we have reached around 3.7 million people with our projects and sustainably improved their living situation. That makes Viva con Agua and me incredibly proud.

World Water Day: Reminder of “Water is Life

FIV: Once a year there is World Water Day. How does this day help? Does it change anything?

Carolin: For Viva con Agua, World Water Day is the most important of the year. Because water is increasingly seen in a negative context in the media in Germany: From flood to “Are we running out of water?”. World Water Day offers the opportunity to set other perspectives and to remind people that “water is life”.

Achieving the goal: Infrastructure in the Global South

FIV: Your goal is to make clean water accessible to all. What all has to happen for this goal to be achieved?

Carolin: The focus here is primarily on infrastructure in the Global South. Because in order to ensure a long-term and sustainable water supply, the responsibility for maintenance and repairs must be in local hands. And of course, the topic of water should also receive more public attention outside of World Water Day, so that awareness of the issue can be raised. After all, water is a global issue – water cycles concern us all!

Photo: Nico Malkov

Clean drinking water accessible to all by 2030?

FIV: What year do you expect to reach your goal?

Carolin: In 2015, the UN adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs for short). Among other things, the UN has set itself the goal of providing all people worldwide with access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. We can see today that this is ambitious, because climate change also poses challenges to this goal. However, I remain optimistic and will continue to work with Viva con Agua to achieve this SDG!

Strong focus on hygiene due to pandemic

FIV: The pandemic caused a lot of chaos. How has the pandemic affected your projects?

Carolin: Our water projects are always holistic, i.e. they also include hygiene and sanitation measures. This is called WASH for short. One positive effect was certainly that the corona pandemic brought hygiene in particular very much into focus. The new or rediscovered awareness of hygienic procedures here in Germany has once again shown many people how important hygiene is, also in terms of disease prevention. However, as many of our focus countries, such as Uganda or South Africa, were in long lockdowns, this naturally made our work on the ground more difficult and slowed it down.

*Donation campaigns can be created securely and easily online:
https://www.vivaconagua.org/spendenaktion/

FIV: Thank you very much for your time! We wish you all the best on your way!

Photo: Andrin Fretz

Photo: Kevin McElvaney

Photo: Stefan Groenveld

Photo: Lea May

More about Viva con Agua

Did you like the interview with Carolin Stüdemann about Viva con Agua and would you like to learn more about the aid organization? Then you can find more information about the background in this article!

What is Viva con Agua? – Water is a human right!

An international network consisting of people and companies, and a non-profit association with the goal of making water accessible to all. The focus is on clean drinking water and basic sanitation with a focus on the Global South. Thousands of people already support the organization and actively help according to the motto: “Water for all, all for water”! You can find all information about the aid organization here!

• Viva con Agua: What is it?

Photo: Tabea Przybilla

Career: From creative director at Gucci to fashion designer

Fashion designer Tom Ford is shaping an exciting success story. As a former art student, today’s successful man paved his way to becoming a designer for Gucci and YSL, until he founded his own brand in 2005. We introduce you to Ford’s inspiring career as a famous fashion designer and director.

Youth & Education

Tom Ford was born in Austin, Texas in 1961. In the course of his youth, Ford tried out many courses of study, including art history and art, which, however, did not make him happy. Even at a young age, the 59-year-old was interested in fashion. Thus, in his early 20s, Ford applied for internships with well-known designers, eventually landing a much-coveted internship with fashion label Chloé. During this time, he moved to Los Angeles where, in addition to many internships, he also took on modeling jobs, mostly for television commercials.

However, Tom Ford was determined to have a degree, so after his time in LA he decided to study architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York. He completed a year abroad at the French partner university in 1984 and 1985. Since Fort had discovered his passion for fashion, he took all his electives in fashion design. In 1986, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and interior design.

Marc Jacobs, Chloé, Gucci & YSL

For Tom Ford, designer Calvin Klein has always been a great role model. After his internship at Chloé, Fort was sure: he also wanted to enter the fashion industry to become a designer. After graduating from Parsons, he applied to Calvin Klein several times but was not hired. He had luck with the Korean designer Cathy Hardwick, where he worked for her in New York as a design assistant. Ford landed a second success in 1988 with Marc Jacobs, who hired him as a designer for the Perry Ellis jeans line.

But how did Tom Ford get his job as creative director at luxury brand Gucci? Ford was recruited 12 years after working at Marc Jacobs, by former Bergdorf Goodman chief buyer Dawn Mello to work for Gucci as a designer in Milan. The young designer accepted the job offer and moved to Milan.

Since Ford did his job as a designer at fashion label Gucci very well, he was appointed design director in 1992. Two years later, he was appointed creative director. In 2000, Gucci and fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent merged. Ford took on the role of women’s prêt-à-porter designer at YSL in Paris, in addition to his post at Gucci.

Vogue Interview: Tom Ford’s secret to success

In his interview with Vogue, Tom talks about his career, his success and his motivation as a designer and director.

Emergence of the designer brand Tom Ford

In April 2005, Ford announced the creation of the Tom Ford brand. Domenico De Sole, who was former president and CEO of Gucci Group, joined Fort. In the same year, the designer announced that he would collaborate with the Markolin Group to manufacture and sell eyeglass frames and sunglasses. He also formed an alliance with Estée Lauder to co-create the Tom Ford beauty brand. In 2007, his first flagship store opened at 845 Madison Avenue in New York. The opening ceremony coincided with the debut of Tom Ford’s men’s and accessories collection. The long-awaited showcase of the womenswear collection took place in September 2010. Since then, the Tom Fort brand has enjoyed a strong reputation, with quality and elegance combining to create a luxury fashion label. With his previous experience at Gucci, YSL and Marc Jacobs, the designer had the perfect prerequisites to start his own brand.

From fashion designer to film director

In 2009, the designer created the film “A Single Man”. Many then wondered why Ford suddenly became a director instead of just focusing on the fashion business. What many didn’t know, however, was that Tom Ford sees himself as a designer whose true artistic side lives from filmmaking. Doubts about his film career were finally laid to rest when it became known that the designer was making his directorial debut for the famous actors Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. Seven years later, Ford released “Nocturnal Animals,” his long-awaited second film. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams, the designer once again created a highly acclaimed film, which even earned him a Golden Globe nomination for his direction.

Awards

Tom Ford received many awards in recent years, for his film and design career. We present them to you!

• 2010: Nomination for the Menswear Designer of the Year Award (CFDA)
• 2009: GQ USA Men of the Year and GQ Germany Men of the Year
• 2007: Vito Russo Award (GLAAD)
• 2006: US Accessory Council Award for his sunglasses collection
• 2005: Anrdre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design
• 2004: Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award; International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame
• 2003: Fashion Design Achievement Award (National Design Award)
• 2001: US Accessory Council Award for his sunglasses collection; Best Fashion Designer (Time Magazine); GQ Designer of the Year
• 2000: Fashion Editor’s Club of Japan; British GQ International Man of the Year; Superstar Award from Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars USA
• 1999: Style Icon Award of the ELLE UK Style Awards
• 1997: People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People
• 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002: VH-1/Vogue Fashion Award
• 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008: CFDA Award

Family & Spouse

The now 59-year-old designer, has lived with Richard Buckley since 1987. Buckley, former editor-in-chief of Vogue Hommes International, met Ford at a fashion show in 1986. At the time, Richard Buckley was living in Paris but moved to Italy to join Ford as he was suffering from cancer. The editor-in-chief gave up his job at Vogue as the commute became u exhausting for him with his illness.

Tom and Richard became parents for the first time in 2012. Together they gave birth to their son Alexander John Buckley Ford in Los Angeles. Two years later, the couple decided to get married. Now the fashion designer lives with his family alternately in Los Angeles, London and New York.

Assortment, prices & target groups

Designer Tom Ford covers almost all areas with his fashion brand. From bags, fashion for men and women, eyewear and fragrances to beauty products: At Tom Ford you will find everything! For every season Ford designs a new collection, which includes jackets, pants, tops and many other garments. The brand is one of the high-priced fashion companies next to Gucci & Co. Since many garments are exclusive, they have to be requested. The prices can be compared with other companies like Chanel or Prada. There is no specific target group of the fashion label, the spectrum of buyers ranges from young to old.

Tom Ford fashion show

Have you wondered what a fashion show from the famous designers looks like? How they show you! Model icons like Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid have walked for the American designer.

Now also in the magazine: Tom Ford

You can also find the fashion brand guide with the luxury brand Tom Ford in the magazine! Now on fivmagazine.com, read the whole magazine online:

• FIV Issue #6

Virtual model Lil Miquela becomes an Instagram star

Miquela Sousa, better known as Lil Miquela is a 19-year-old Brazilian-American digital model, music artist and influencer with over two million Instagram subscribers. Her creators Trevor McFedries and Sara DeCou conceived Miquela in collaboration with Brud, a Los Angeles-based technology start-up specializing in artificial intelligence. The model also lives in Los Angeles, wearing real clothes from well-known streetwear labels like Supreme, Stussy and luxury labels like Chanel and Balenciaga. She made her big entrance in April 2016, where her first post was published on Instagram. However, the inventors of the model kept it secret at the beginning that Lil Miquela was an artificial person. However, this bomb exploded another virtual avatar, Bermuda. The perfect marketing strategy?

• Origin: LA, California – half Brazilian
• Inventor: Technology Company Brud
• Presents fashion, appears in magazines, gives interviews
• singer
• 2.7 million subscribers
• Miquela Sousa Instagram

All you need to know about Miquela Sousa!

In her Youtube video ”i’m Miquela” the virtual model introduces herself. In the video Miquela not only shares little insights of her life, but also proudly presents her past successes.

Not only does she convince with her look, but her personality is also very well received by her fans.

Fashion designers and fashion magazines, they all want Miquela!

Large designers like Calvin Klein use Lil Miquela’s fame for commercials. But the model is not only to be seen in videos, magazines like Vogue or Elle try to join the trend of virtual models. In May 2019, Calvin Klein made headlines when he had Lil Miquela appear next to supermodel Bella Hadid in a surprising campaign video. Of course, a kiss between Bella and Miquela should not be missing! 

Check it out:

Miquela’s successes and collaborations

Now, however, the question arises as to who benefits from the fame of the virtual influencer. How much has the model already achieved at this point in time, and with which brands has she already worked together? Celebrities like Paris Hilton are also fans of the bots.

Here you can find a short list of Lil Miquela’s achievements:

• Dior
• Chanel
• Prada
• Gucci
• Ugg’s campaign for the 40th anniversary
• Porsche
• Burberry
• Jacquemus
• Moschino
• Boramy Viguier
• AREA
• No Sesso
• And much more!

What makes she so special?

A sweet look and perfectly styled every day, that’s what her followers love about Miquela. And the best: the model never ages! While Naomi Campbell or Heidi Klum have been out of the model business for a long time, Lil Miquela’s career is just beginning. On Instagram we are always looking for the person who seems perfect for us. Perfect looks, perfect life and perfect friends; we try to find all of this in one person. But the ”perfect” life does not exist in the senses. Or is there?

Virtual models fill this gap, they present themselves to their followers and fans in an almost perfect environment. With their individual personality they inspire others and are role models for many people out there. Even if many claim that this is all just ”fake”, real people are behind the avatar. They don’t just let the model present the latest products, but create a character that other people look up to.

Success through an artificial person – inventor BRUD becomes rich

How much does the virtual influencer earn? With nearly 3 million subscribers on Instagram, it is popular for advertising campaigns of large fashion companies. According to the calculations of the Sponsored Post Calculator, the model earns around 7000 Euros with every paid cooperation on Instagram. Her income is thus higher than the average earnings in Germany. She is also the top candidate of the digital ”bots” in terms of income. Within one year, this results in an amount of around 10 million euros from advertising revenues alone.

Model and influencerin is enough? Miquela proves the opposite!

The model’s inventors are successful not only through collaborations with well-known designers, but also through Miquela’s singing career. In 2017 the avatar released her first single Not Mine. After that followed further songs like Hate Me, Speak Up or Money. </Meanwhile their music videos have received 4 million hits on Youtube. Their music is very well received and the singer swims in positive feedback. 

Are you interested? Then check out some songs of the virtual model!

Single-Speak Up:

Single Money:

Virtual influencers: Are they our future?

Meanwhile Lil Miquela is no longer the only virtual influencer. Shudu Gram, Bermuda, Noonoouri and Daisy Paige compete with her. The relevance of this new invention can be seen just now in this time of crisis. Due to the corona virus, Fashion Week and many other events are cancelled. The solution: Everything takes place digitally. Virtual models are perfect for this. They can wear the latest designer fashion just like other models, and all this without much effort. Another plus point: Virtual models are suitable for any garment, which makes it very easy for fashion companies to present them in their collections.

Inventor Brud created not only virtual person Miquela, but also numerous other digital models like Bermuda and Blawko. Bermuda currently has around 275 thousand followers, Male Model Blawko around 154 thousand. All three are friends and do many activities together.

Lil Miquela, Bermuda and Co. the perfect marketing strategy?

Especially for marketing strategies, this new invention is perfectly suited. Since these new models are not only time-saving, but also comparatively cheaper than the traditional influencers/models, they are simply the best choice for cooperations or advertising clips. It is no longer a rarity that there are no real personalities behind well-known influencers. Digital advertising, that is our future! Fashion and media companies are following this trend, and who knows, maybe in 30 years we will only see virtual faces on our smartphones.

Do you want to know more about the hype of the digital influencers? Then take a look here: Virtual Influencer (social media agency, external).

Inventor Brud’s method to bring Miquela to the top of the virtual influencers

Quarrel and drama, that’s what people want to see! And this is exactly what producer Brud staged between virtual models Miquela, Bermuda and Blawko. After an argument in the Bermuda influencer Miquela accused of not being a real person, all eyes were on her. Bermuda even deleted some of Miquela’s pictures and tried to convince followers of her opinion. By the time Miquela was outed, she not only had over a million more followers on her instagram, but had also become known to big companies. With this strategy, Brud’s company attracted so much attention to the influencers that it had a positive effect on their number of followers. Relationships between the influencers is the icing on the cake of Brud’s marketing strategy. Follower could thus follow the love life of Bermuda and Blawko as if they were real people. Separations, reconciliations and much more; there is nothing that the virtual influencers have not yet gone through.

• Staged drama to attract followers
• Miquela’s exposure as a marketing strategy
• Relationships and insights into their lives
• Activities with well-known personalities

Germany catches up, virtual models ”Ella, Linda and Zoe” compete

CM Models is the first model agency in Europe with virtual influencers.”Ella”, the first digital model by Stephan M. Czaja is supposed to turn the world upside down and outdo the avatars that have existed so far. Beside Ella there are also the virtual models Linda and Zoe, which are already guaranteed to be successful. ”Zoe” will run for the fashion show in Moscow. Ella even owns her first commercial on Youtube.

Check out the following article if you want to know more about Zoe: VR model agency.

Interested in Ella’s commercial? This is how a virtual campaign looks, example: VR food campaign.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEhXUdjqxTL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Who is she as a person? – successful in family and career

Cindy Crawford (born as Cynthia Ann Crawford) was born in Illinois on February 20, 1966. She has two sisters and one brother, who died of leukemia at the age of ten. At the age of 16 Crawford was discovered by a newspaper photographer and a few months later she was signed on by a model agency. Her trademark is a birthmark above the left corner of her mouth, which was even retouched away in the beginning – today it is hard to imagine life without it and the 1.78m tall beauty is directly associated with her birthmark!

Crawford in family and love

In 1991 the model married the actor Richard Gere, until 1995 the separation followed.

Since 1998 she has been married to Rande Gerber, with whom she gave birth to two children. Her offspring Kaia and Presley Gerber is not unknown either! Just like their mother, they have successfuly entered the world of modeling. Daughter Kaia soon seems to be the spitting image of her.

Her success and career

After graduating top of her class, she first had completely different plans. She started a scholarship study in chemical engineering, which she broke off after a short time in order to concentrate fully on her modeling career – luckily, because until today she is one of the most successful models ever. Especially in the 80s and 90s she placed the most famous magazine covers and ran on the hottest catwalks in the world.

Breakthrough

From 1990 Crawford had her final breakthrough, which she owes to a photo series of the British Vogue, in which she posed with Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz and Christy Turlington. In addition to her modeling career, Crawford has also appeared in numerous films, TV series and music videos, which – who would have thought it – also proved to be successful. The fitness video series “Cindy Crawford: Shape your body”, which she co-produced and hosted, sold worldwide and gave singer Prince the idea for his song “Cindy C”. The singer dedicated this song to her out of revenge, because when the two of them met in a bar, she did not want to go to his table and talk to him.

In 2018 Cindy Crawford was allowed to finish the show as a special guest at the Versace Fashion Show Spring/Summer 2018 alongside her supermodel colleagues Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Carla Bruni and Helena Christensen. The model legends caused quite a stir and were a real highlight of the show – no wonder with such icons in beautiful golden dresses.

Own brands

Since 2002, Crawford has only worked as a model on a small scale. Since 2005 she has concentrated on her own cosmetics line “Meaningful Beauty” and design furniture brand “Cindy Crawford Home Collection”. Furthermore, she is involved in leukemia research, which is probably close to her heart due to her tragic loss.

Meaningful Beauty” cosmetics line

“Meaningful Beauty” offers Anti-Aging Skin Care and promises great success when it comes to skin. Her customers confirm her promise and rave about Crawford’s miracle products:

“I am very pleased”

“Great Product”

“So Smooth.”

(Source: MeaningfulBeauty.de)

Design furniture brand “Cindy Crawford Home Collection

“Cindy Crawford Home Collection” offers furniture in a variety of styles. But mainly she concentrates on the sale of sofas.

Movies and series
1978: Days of Our Lives
1995: House of Style
1995: Fair Game
1995: Catwalk
1995: H3O
1997: Frasier
1998: Behind the moon just left
1998: Ellen
1998: Studio 54
2000: Séance – News from the hereafter
2000: Body Guards
2002: Again and again Jim
2009: The magicians of Waverly Place
2015: Cougar Town
Records and income

1995: with an annual income of 6.9 million dollars, Cindy Crawford was considered the best paid model ever

1997: a survey by the magazine “Shape” put her in 2nd place among the most beautiful women ever

2002: the magazine “People” ranked her among the 50 most beautiful people

On the list of the “Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century” from “Playboy” she took 2nd place

https://youtu.be/5BuZIpEBJug