Things We Love
Montblanc creates a must-have bracelet for Texas Children's — and a $50,000auction wonder too
Photo by Anthony Rathbun
Photo by Anthony Rathbun
Photo by Anthony Rathbun
Photo by Anthony Rathbun
Photo by Anthony Rathbun
Photo by Anthony Rathbun
Only days after Texas Children's Cancer Center reaped a $32.2 million windfall thanks to Lester and Sue Smith's disco legends gala, Montblanc officially launched its own fundraising effort on behalf of the center. Montblanc North America CEO Jan-Patrick Schmitz jetted in from New York to make the formal presentation of the "Join to Care" bracelet.
Montblanc artists created the woven leather bracelet with a sterling silver link, engraved with the Texas Children's Hospital logo, specifically for this project. Fifty dollars from the sale of each bracelet will go directly to the cancer center.
"Montblanc has never done this before," Schmitz said.
"Today is a very special one for us," Schmitz said at Hotel ZaZa, where he took a break after touring the hospital and presenting bracelets to key executives and physicians.
"Montblanc has never done this before. For the first time ever, we've designed a product which we will use for two different goals." The first is raising funds for the cancer center and the second is making people aware of the fight against cancer in children and encouraging them to join that fight. "The awareness is not there," he said.
In the past, Montblanc's charitable efforts have been directed to programs such as UNICEF, Best Buddies and the Princess Grace Foundation. "I'm really proud to be able to say that we have inaugurated this first-ever fundraising campaign with Texas Children's Hospital," Schmitz said.
The Houston-based hospital attracted the CEO's attention because of its stellar reputation, the quality of researchers and physicians and the global reach of the hospital. The goal of the fundraising effort is, he said, "to support Texas Children's in its excellence in patient care, education and research."
The "Join to Care" bracelets, priced at $345, are available in the Montblanc boutique in the Galleria and online.
Montblanc and Schmitz hosted a launch party in the Galleria store later in the day. On display for the evening was the one-of-a-kind "Join to Care" bracelet in gold with diamonds. The piece is valued at $50,000. It will be sold during an on-going auction that will conclude in September with all proceeds going to the cancer center.
