(October 13, 2010) New York-based fashion line Tibi is creating a printed t-shirt for the Diabetes Research Institute to honor Alfred Shaheen, who passed away on December 28, 2008 from complications of diabetes. Tibi owner and designer Amy Smilovic has drawn inspiration from Shaheen’s colorful, aloha prints since the beginning of her line, 13 years ago.
Shaheen was an industry pioneer who designed, printed and produced his famous shirts and ready-to-wear clothing all in post-war Hawaii. Tibi is offering its printed shirt as part of the Resort 2011 collection, which will hit stores in November 2010 and will retail for $198, of which $100 will be contributed to the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI), a recognized world leader in cure-focused research.
The shirt’s print draws from a classic Shaheen motif, interpreted for the Tibi line. It will sell in the Tibi store and select retailers nationwide. In conjunction with the garment’s debut in stores, Tibi and the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation will host a party at the Tibi Soho store on November 16. The shirt will also bear a special hang-tag featuring the DRI Foundation logo and its singular goal of finding a cure for diabetes now.
“I was inspired by Alfred Shaheen not only during his life and through his creative designs, but now I have been moved to honor his memory by supporting an organization that is solely dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes,” said Smilovic. “I’m honored to be able to contribute a portion of the sales of this shirt to the Diabetes Research Institute.”
Diabetes is a serious, chronic condition that occurs when the body cannot make or effectively use its own insulin. It affects people from all social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. It is estimated that nearly 24 million Americans and approximately 171 million children and adults worldwide have diabetes. People with undiagnosed, untreated or long-term diabetes are at risk of developing complications, such as blindness, heart and kidney disease, coma and even death.
“To so many families, the Diabetes Research Institute is the best hope for a cure. With Amy Smilovic’s generous contribution and effort to spread the word about our work, I believe we’re even one step closer to achieving our goal,” stated Robert A. Pearlman, president and CEO of the DRI Foundation. To learn more about the DRI, visit DiabetesResearch.org.
Media Contact:
Lauren Schreier
954.964.4040
lschreier@drif.org