DSQUARED2 and MINI go neck and neck for fashion. Limited-edition designer scarf as a mark of solidarity.

Note: This press release is a 1:1 copy of the original issued by MINI headquarters in Germany. No adaptations have been made to cater for the UK market.

Munich. Canadian design duo DSQUARED2 and MINI have joined forces in the battle against HIV/AIDS. With their “Red Mudder Foulard by MINI & DSQUARED2” they are presenting a flamboyant neck scarf in a strictly limited edition. This high-quality collectors’ item will be available in the MINI Online Shop at www.mini.com/shop ( www.dsquared2.com) from 16 September with a price tag of 50 euros, with part of the proceeds going to AIDS LIFE.

This non-profit organisation is the driving force behind the Life Ball, Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event, and supports projects that combat the immunodeficiency disease. The collaboration with MINI is a longstanding one: since 2001 more than half a million euros has been raised for this organisation by specially styled Life Ball MINI models.

The motif on this fashionable accessory is based on the sketch of the MINI ‘Red Mudder’, which the creative twins Dean and Dan Caten designed for this year’s Life Ball – Europe’s leading AIDS charity event. The rugged off-roader, featuring a maple leaf on both doors and the DSQUARED2 logo on the front windscreen and tyres, bears the unmistakable signature of the design duo. The licence plate displays the birth year of the brothers, who have immortalised themselves with characteristic irony in the two raccoons hanging onto the roof rails. The scarf comes in an elegant black box embellished with the DSQUARED2 and MINI logo.

“Our scarf is the new season’s must-have for all fashion lovers who not only want to look good but are also active and committed types,” say Dean and Dan.

The “Red Mudder Foulard by MINI & DSQUARED2” celebrated its official premiere on the occasion of Vogue Fashion’s Night Out in Milan on 8 September. The first examples of the limited-edition scarf changed hands during the exclusive cocktail party in the DSQUARED2 store.

DSQUARED2 and MINI.

Dean and Dan have long been dedicated fans of the MINI brand. Last year, freely based on the slogan “Time to pack my… MINI Countryman”, they kitted out the MINI crossover model with what they regarded as the essential travel accoutrements for a perfect weekend: for the 2011 Life Ball the two designers stamped their own look on a MINI Cooper S. The MINI ‘Red Mudder’ is a robust vehicle that is suitably equipped for any adventure that may come its way.

The social commitment of the BMW Group.

Worldwide measures to combat HIV/AIDS are one of the main elements of the corporate and social policy pursued by the BMW Group. The company’s involvement in South Africa is particularly wide-ranging, covering a comprehensive workplace programme for employees and their families, plus a number of different projects in the local communities and further afield. The carmaker is also committed to fighting this pandemic in other affected countries, such as Thailand or India. Membership of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBC) underlines its long-term commitment at its various locations.

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The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles  and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 25 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

During the financial year 2010, the BMW Group sold 1.46 million cars and more than 110,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for 2010 was euro 4.8 billion on revenues amounting to euro 60.5 billion. At 31 December 2010, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 95,500 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.