BELIEVE IN LIFE: Cher will sing “Happy Birthday” to amfAR to celebrate its 30th year, with the legendary singer joining this year’s lineup at its annual Cannes gala held at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 23.
“I have such wonderful memories of being invited to host one of the first amfAR events in Cannes by my friend Elizabeth Taylor. I am extremely proud to be returning for this event’s 30th anniversary, and to continue to support the incredible work of this organization. It will be a very special evening,” Cher said.
Cher has a long history with the organization. She served as one of the gala’s chairs, alongside Taylor in 1996, back when it was still hosted at the Moulin de Mougins restaurant in the hills of Cannes. The singer was also honored with amfAR’s Award of Inspiration in 2015.
“We are thrilled to have Cher back in Cannes with us for the 30th edition of this event. Cher has been a steadfast supporter of amfAR and people living with HIV [and] AIDS since the early days of the epidemic and we could not be more proud to have her with us once again for what promises to be an unforgettable evening,” said amfAR chief executive officer Kevin Robert Frost.
Last year’s theme was “Icons,” and celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Orlando Bloom, Kate Beckinsale, Alex Pettyfer, James Marsden, Troye Sivan, Teyana Taylor, Daphne Guinness and Eva Longoria hit the annual fundraiser, which raised $17 million for the AIDS research charity.
It featured performances from Halsey, Gladys Knight, Adam Lambert and Bebe Rexha.
Editor Carine Roitfeld will be back once again for her curated fashion show with contributions from some of the industry’s biggest names. Last year’s collection included looks from Giorgio Armani, Dior, Valentino, Chanel, Prada, Tom Ford, Moschino, Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Alaïa, Off-White, Richard Quinn and Miu Miu.
Designer Jeremy Scott presented the collection old-school style, narrating each model and the designer she was wearing as they hit the runway, including Helena Christensen, Alessandra Ambrosio, Isabeli Fontana, Lily Aldridge, Stella Maxwell and Jourdan Dunn.
The collection eventually sold for 600,000 euros. This year the festival will be sponsored by the Red Sea International Film Festival, and Asian couture house Homolog, founded by designer Emily Cheong.