BY Nkosazana Ngwadla
81-year-old South African contemporary artist Esther Mahlangu has teamed up with US’ RnB star John Legend and luxury vodka brand Belvedere in a campaign to fight the widespread of HIV/Aids.
Mahlangu and Legend, who is also the brand ambassador for Belvedere, joined forces to design a new limited edition bottle which is now available at selected retailers.
The two artists were recently brought together by Belvedere at a benefit concert at the famous Apollo Theatre in New York in the US.
Dubbed #MakeADifference, the campaign adds Mahlangu’s famous colorful, tribal Ndebele designs to the bottle. John’s signature is featured on the front of the bottle. He also provided the campaign with a new single titled ‘Love Me Now’. The song encourages people to love one another.
Half of the campaign’s proceeds will be put in a global fund to fight HIV/Aids in Africa.
Legend expressed excitement at Esther’s work, citing that her paintings are beautiful. He added that her art connects Belvedere to the culture and to the people they are trying to help.
Mahlangu is not new to collaborations with international brands. Earlier this year, a Swedish trainer company Etys hired her to modify its sneakers.
In addition, the talented artist has been invited to exhibit her artwork in top galleries with pieces dating back as far as 1989. She has in the past partnered with big brands such as BMW and British Airways.
Images: Twitter
