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Fit for a Forest, Carlos Miele Creates Tees for Trees

Ecologically-conscious modes of activism have been getting a steady boost from the fashion set. Now Brazilian designer Carlos Miele has stepped in with his effort, a series of t-shirts featuring unique designs by some high profile fashion and entertainment figures being sold at his stores to benefit the Rainforest Foundation-US.

The Rainforest Foundation was started in 1989 by Sting and Trudie Styler in order to protect the indigenous peoples of the rainforest, as well as to preserve their environment, the project is an international effort. The New York-based non-profit organization Rainforest Foundation-US works with grassroots organizations in Latin America to protect human rights, help the indigenous peoples file claims for their land and lobby for policy reforms, among other things.

Miele and Vogue hosted a cocktail party on Wednesday night, April 30, to show off and sell the t-shirt designs created by Scarlett Johansson, Camilla Belle, Caroline Trentini, Michael Roberts, Diana Picasso, Alice Braga and Bebel Gilberto, with 100 percent of the evening's proceedings going towards the Rainforest Foundation-US.

"I've liked the work of the Rainforest Foundation for a long time," said Miele. "I think Sting was a visionary when he came to Brazil and he was really concerned about Amazonia and the rainforest. For me, it's great to support this foundation."

Miele wore the design by Brazilian actress Camilla Belle, who is in Brazil now shooting a new film, "Adrift." The image, an outline of Brazil, features a quote by an American nun, Sister Dorothy Stang, who was shot to death in the Amazon in 2005: "The death of the forest is the end of our life."

Miele said everyone involved was eager to be a part of the project.

"They're all friends, people who I talked to about the idea and they said, 'Oh, I'd like to help.'"

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