Olympus Press Release 06/11/03

Photos taken by the rich and famous raised over ?40,000 for the fashion industry?s leading AIDS charity - Fashion Acts -  last night. The auction, supported by Olympus for the fifth year, saw a host of famous faces including Mariella Frostrup, Jimmy Choo, Graeme Le Saux and Peter Gabriel turn up and bid for the celebrity snaps. The event took place at Bonhams in Knightsbridge, where 40 photographs were auctioned for as much as ?2,000 each! Further photographs are still available for silent bid.

Over forty stars including Dannii Minogue, David Bailey, Mario Testino, Nigella Lawson, Peter Gabriel, Manolo Blahnik, Bryan Adams, Matthew Williamson and Julien MacDonald took on the role of paparazzi with their personally engraved, stylish Olympus Mju 300 digital camera. The two best snapshots from each then went up for sale - one for auction last night, and one for the silent bid.

The silent bid photographs will be exhibited at two locations where the general public will be able to bid for them:

- 6th -11th November - InsideSpace gallery on the lower ground floor of Selfridge?s Oxford Street store
- 12th November ? 10th December at Westover Hall, Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire.

To place a silent bid, please send details of the photo and the amount you wish to [email protected] or by post to: Kathy Davies, Fashion Acts, 30 Elgin Crescent, London, W11 2JR. Bidding closes on 15th December 2003, and no money is due unless your bid is accepted by Fashion Acts*.

Fashion Acts is the UK fashion industry’s principle charity for raising awareness and funds for HIV and AIDS. 

Note:
* If bidding for more than one photograph all bids accepted will be due for payment. The highest bid entered for each photograph will be accepted and the lucky bids will be notified by Fashion Acts by 15th December 2003 and delivered on receipt of payment. We regret that we cannot notify unsuccessful bids.