The Kering Foundation is preparing the fifth edition of its annual Caring for Women dinner in New York on Sept. 10, bringing celebrities and luxury brands together to raise money for groups that confront gender-based violence. The gala — hosted again by co-founders Salma Hayek Pinault and François‑Henri Pinault — promises a high-profile guest list, a live auction and a performance to be announced.
This year’s event matters because it channels the fashion group’s influence and resources into direct support for organizations that provide prevention, advocacy and survivor services — a focus that organizers say is increasingly urgent.
The cocktail of celebrity, couture and philanthropy is familiar at Kering events, but the Caring for Women dinner aims to be more than a glossy evening. It has become a primary fundraising vehicle for the foundation, which works to reduce gender-based violence worldwide.
Confirmed attendees include household names from film, sports and art: Pamela Anderson, Simone Biles, Benicio Del Toro, Nacho Figueras, Dakota Johnson and Lorna Simpson are listed among participants who will help amplify the evening’s message and bids.
The program will feature a live auction of exclusive pieces and experiences contributed by Kering’s maisons — among them Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato and Ginori 1735. Organizers also plan a special performance, details of which will be released closer to the date.
Last year’s edition generated more than $4.5 million for organizations combating gender-based violence, a figure the foundation highlights when recruiting supporters and partners for the September gala.
François‑Henri Pinault framed the dinner as a collective effort: he said it was created to mobilize a wider community around the foundation’s work and to put real resources into groups delivering frontline services. Marie‑Claire Daveu, Kering’s sustainability and institutional affairs chief, described the dinner as a concrete expression of nearly two decades of the foundation’s work to prevent violence, back survivors and break cycles across generations.
Funds raised at the 2026 dinner will be directed to several specialist organizations. Each one focuses on different populations and strategies, from legal support to community-led prevention:
- Activating Change — a U.S. nonprofit dedicated to ending violence against people with disabilities and deaf communities by advancing accessible prevention and support services.
- Fondo Semillas — a Mexico-based fund that provides grants, training and institutional support to women’s collectives and grassroots groups working on gender equality.
- JBWS (Jersey Battered Women’s Service) — a New Jersey organization offering trauma-informed services, education and advocacy to prevent domestic violence and support survivors in Morris and Passaic counties.
- New York Women’s Foundation / Girls and Young Women Fund — an initiative that invests in economic security, leadership and safety for women, girls and gender-expansive people in communities across New York.
For donors and attendees, the appeal is both symbolic and practical: the evening raises visibility for underfunded initiatives while generating earmarked cash for programs that provide legal aid, counseling, emergency shelter and prevention training. Organizers say that pairing high-profile fundraising with targeted grants helps ensure money reaches organizations with expertise in their communities.
Industry observers note a broader trend in which luxury groups are leveraging brand events to bankroll social causes, but the foundation’s long-term partnerships with specialist nonprofits are what distinguish the Caring for Women dinner. By focusing on evidence-based organizations, the foundation aims for measurable impact rather than one-off publicity.
Tickets, auction previews and performance announcements typically follow in the weeks before the event; Kering is expected to publish more details on how proceeds will be allocated as the date approaches. For readers tracking nonprofit financing and corporate philanthropy, the Sept. 10 dinner will be a bellwether for how fashion platforms are being used to address persistent social problems.
