One of the UK’s most renowned fashion and portrait photographers, Rankin has for the first time in his career created magic both in front and behind the camera to design an exclusive range of T-Shirts and Aprons for Red Nose Day 2017 in collaboration with TK Maxx, HomeSense and Comic Relief.
TK Maxx and Homesense are being fronted by Jack Whitehall (A League of Their Own, Bad Education), actress Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), Hairy Bikers, Si King and Dave Myers. With additional support from Winnie Harlow, Heidi Klum, Will Poulter, Joanna Lumley, Caroline Flack, Alesha Dixon, Blake Harrison, Donna Air and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.Nadiya Hussain, Una Healy, The Hemsley Sisters, Ella Mills, Nadine Coyle, Lesley Joseph, Linda Robson, Fay Ripley, Vogue Williams, Susanna Reid, Kimberly Wyatt and Tim Lovejoy, to name but a few.
With an extensive portfolio, Rankin has shot the likes of The Queen, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Kate Moss and James Bond to name only a few. Fearless behind the lens, his imagery has become engrained in contemporary iconography and worked with some of the biggest and most celebrated publications and brands in the world.
TK Maxx will be selling nine different quirky animal designs created by Rankin for both adults and children. The designs were inspired by Rankin’s love for animals and even feature Rankin’s own dog Doris. Other loveable and furry friends from Coco and Eleanor the cute kitten, to Albert the dog are featured on t-shirts. This T-shirt has been wholly manufactured in Africa and is made with Fairtrade cotton sourced from certified co-operatives in Uganda. This means a fairer price for the farmers.
With prices starting at £6.99 for a kids t-shirt and £9.99 for an adult tee, at least £5 from the sale of the adult T-shirt will go to Comic Relief to help people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and across Africa; providing malaria nets, looking after women living in fear of domestic abuse in the UK, helping street kids to get an education, supporting families trying to move out of slums and caring for elderly people in Britain. TK Maxx has supported Red Nose Day since 2005, raising over £17m million for Comic Relief. They will be sold at, www.tkmaxx.com and www.rednoseday.com from 1st February 2017 and instore at TK Maxx from 13th February 2017.
Rankin said: “I designed this range especially for Comic Relief with my love for animals in mind. I wanted to be able to put a fun and creative spin on classic images for this specific campaign to put a smile on people’s faces for Red Nose Day and encourage everyone to make their laugh matter.”
The adult apron, priced at £12.99, will be available to buy in HomeSense stores from 13th February. With at least £5 from every adult apron sale going to Comic Relief, the money will help people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and across Africa.
The HomeSense Red Nose Day range, created by Rankin, also features a new children’s apron encouraging the whole family to join in the bake sale action by getting creative in the kitchen. Further products in the collection include a tea towel, also designed by Rankin, as well as a leather journal and a colouring-in notebook.
A TJX Europe spokesperson, said: “We are thrilled to have Rankin support us in our campaign for Comic Relief this year. We have no doubt that his fantastic range will appeal to all families across the UK, who without their generosity, we wouldn’t be able to raise life changing funds for Red Nose Day.”
Emma Freud, Director of Red Nose Day, added: “We are incredibly excited to be working with TK Maxx, HomeSense and Rankin again this year. The money raised from each sale will make a real difference to the lives of people living in poverty across Africa and the UK. We’re very much in love with the designs that Rankin has produced and plan on deifying him quite soon. We love the look of our animals on the chests of Jack Whitehall and Maisie Williams - the modelling dream team. Please join us by making your laugh matter this year.”
Michele Settle, Director, UK Campaigns & Brands at Comic Relief said: “Baking is one of the most popular Red Nose Day fundraising activities across the UK and this exclusive apron by Rankin enables you to look stylish in the kitchen and raise money too. So make your bake matter for Red Nose Day 2017.”
Red Nose Day 2017 takes place on Friday 24th March 2017, be it at school, work or home, people across the UK will put on Red Noses, don Rankin’s T-shirts and pull out all the stops to raise as much money as possible. When everyone has run out of fundraising juice they can tune into BBC One HD for some top entertainment from their favourite comedians and donate even more cash.