BADASS WOMEN
How It Works Martin and Phillips usually
start by asking stars which charities they’d like to
support. Then they connect with the nonprofits
to make sure they are on board with the idea and
to refine the message they’d like to convey. Next,
they ask the brands outfitting the celebrity to
donate to that person’s cause (they also charge
brands a creative-services fee for marketing).
Following their moment on the red carpet, stars
post about the charity they’re supporting on
social media with the hashtag #doradberad,
which encourages their fans to get involved. “No
one needs our permission to use their platforms
in meaningful ways,” Martin says. “But we bring
people opportunities to be true to who they are
that are personally and professionally fulfilling
at the same time.”
Becoming Buds Martin and Phillips met in
1997 at pivotal points in their careers (Martin had
just launched a VIP relations department for Prada,
and Phillips had started working with Madonna).
Their paths kept crossing over the next two decades
until a confluence of events, including the 2016
presidential election and the birth of Time’s Up
(Phillips was tapped to design the movement’s
pins), motivated them to challenge the red-carpet
status quo and found R AD. “We live in a time where
advocacy equals relevance,” Martin says. “Why not
use red carpets as a vehicle for sharing our ideals?”
Lessons Learned “For me, as a member of
the entertainment and fashion industries, there’s
this thing about knowing your place,” Phillips says.
“I think stepping outside that box and using my voice has
been the most badass thing I’ve ever done. It was as scary as
when I went skydiving.” Martin agrees: “What’s interesting
is, as much as R AD was born as a by-product of the election,
we haven’t been political. At the end of the day this isn’t about
politics. This is about social progress.” —SHALAYNE PULIA
90 InSTYLE NOVEMBER 2019
Why They’re Badass As industry veterans—Martin
is a former luxury-brand marketing executive, and Phillips
is a stylist and costume designer who has worked with
Madonna, Tom Ford, and, most recently, Quentin Taran-
tino on Once Upon a Time in HollywoodÑthe longtime
friends saw an opportunity to turn red-carpet events into
forums for giving back. They established Red Carpet
Advocacy (R AD), which links stars and their causes with
fashion houses like Gucci and Christian Siriano to raise
money and promote awareness on an international scale.
“We connect talent with brands through purpose, not
product,” Martin says. Since its launch in January at the
Golden Globes with Elisabeth Moss (who wore Dior, Neil
Lane, Tamara Mellon, and Roger Vivier), R AD has raised
over $1 million for various organizations, including the
ACLU and UNICEF. And this fall the agency expanded its
outreach by collaborating with high-profile studios on a
R AD film-screening series. “I’m proud that now, when I’m
not costume designing or styling, I have something to fill
my days with that gives me purpose and helps other people
in my industry use their platforms for good,” Phillips says.
RAD STARS
Elisabeth Moss
supporting
the ACLU at
the Golden
Globes,
Patricia
Arquette
supporting
Give Love at
the SAG
Awards,
Camila Cabello
supporting
Save the
Children at the
Grammys, and
Mandy Moore
supporting
UNICEF at the
SAG Awards
Red-Carpet
RAD-icals
CARINEH MARTIN AND ARIANNE PHILLIPS
ARE TRANSFORMING RED CARPETS INTO
HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST PLATFORM FOR CHANGE
From left:
Carineh
Martin and
Arianne
Phillips