Livia Firth named global ambassador for Oxfam

Eco warrior and wife of Colin, Livia Firth, has been announced as Oxfam's latest global ambassador and will help the charity with its campaigning and fundraising work.

20 July 2012

Livia Firth models a Little Black Dress from her Livia Firth Designs collection

Livia Firth has become a global ambassador for Oxfam, joining the likes of her actor husband Colin, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Coldplay's Chris Martin, to partner the charity in its campaigning and fundraising work.

Italian-born Livia, who married Oscar-winner Colin in 1997, has supported Oxfam for years and has visited its programs in Bangladesh and Zambia. She has helped Oxfam to raise funds in the UK, America and Italy.

Livia also regularly supports Oxfam fundraising auctions and runs ethical e-commerce shop Eco Age , a shop-in-shop at online retail destination Yoox which sells only sustainable designs.

She donated the jewellery she wore to the 2011 Baftas and to the 2011 Oscars ceremony. Most recently she donated four gowns which she wore on the red carpet.

READ: Livia Firth kicks off her 2012 Green Carpet Challenge

The dresses by Armani, Valentino, Gucci and Prada are all bespoke sustainable pieces produced for Livia's Green Carpet Challenge, a project which pairs glamour and ethics to raise the profile of sustainable style at the world's most high-profile red carpet events.

Livia said: "An on-the-ground visit with Oxfam's partners really helped to open my eyes to the truth of the global supply chain for fashion. Meeting the women who produce our fashion brought me face to face with the realities of life in a garment factory and the urgent need for reform and equality in our supply chains.

"I am really excited to become an ambassador for Oxfam. I hugely respect the way that it works, supporting communities to find solutions to the problems they face, whether by safeguarding the rights of women, ensuring that people have access to health care and education or something as fundamental as making sure that everyone has enough to eat."

Claire Lewis, Oxfam global ambassador programme manager, said: "Livia is a wonderful ambassador to welcome into the organisation. She has a huge amount of energy and is passionate and committed in her support of Oxfam's work."