Olivia Wilde reminds us that it’ll take more work to rebuild Haiti with this cute messenger bag. The actress designed the casual purse in conjunction with American Apparel to help relief efforts following the Caribbean nation’s 2010 earthquake.
The handbag is crafted from vintage army canvas embellished with antique brass hardware. Strangely though, it’s also trimmed with authentic leather. Olivia Wilde might be a vegetarian, but it sounds like animal welfare isn’t at the top of her list of concerns. The bag is very versatile though, as it converts from a messenger into a backpack.
Wilde has been a longtime supporter of Haiti relief efforts. She even cofounded Campaign Happiness to assist development projects in the region. But her latest work doesn’t benefit this initiative. Money raised from the bag’s sales will reach the Academy for Peace and Justice, a secondary school in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The school, which educates children devastated by the earthquake, was founded by acclaimed filmmaker Paul Haggis through his charity Artists for Peace and Justice.
Wilde recently told Vogue magazine she carefully considered how best to combine “conscious commerce” with her passion for fashion. Collaborating with Alternative Apparel made sense for the actress, who wears the company’s “sweatshirts every day.”
Olivia Wilde’s charity message bag for Haiti is available for $138 from Alternative Apparel and Shopbop.
