Aug 1, 2009

Novica joins forces with Roberto de Villacis, haute-couture designer to the stars

LOS ANGELES -- August 1, 2009 -- Novica.com announced today that Roberto de Villacis, a designer and fine artist known for creating haute-couture as wearable art, has signed on to become Novica's first Design Ambassador. As a company spokesperson, de Villacis will host a new Novica fashion blog showcasing his favorite artisans and handcrafted treasures. Novica will also be launching a new fashion line designed by de Villacis and handcrafted by talented Novica artisans around the world. His first stop is the Andes.

Born in Ecuador, Roberto de Villacis was first discovered by Karl Lagerfeld in Paris upon graduating from the famed design school Studio Berçot. De Villacis has consulted for Missoni and Anna Molinari and has art-directed international fashion campaigns creating the slogans "Believe in Beauty" for Lancôme and "The Poetry of Science" for L' Oréal.

"I'm excited to work with artisans worldwide to safeguard the cultural heritage of traditional craftsmanship," de Villacis said. "There is no shopping mall in the world that can compare with Novica who supports 3,000 artisan groups who in turn support on average five others who in turn have families representing a 50,000 strong community. So it is with sheer pleasure that I embark on this new mission as Novica Design Ambassador to work with such talented artisans around the world."

"My first design assignment is to explore my ancestral Inca roots 13,000 feet up in the highlands," de Villacis said. "I am looking forward to reconnecting with artisans in South America."

"Our partnership with Roberto de Villacis is very gratifying," said Roberto Milk, Cofounder and CEO of Novica. "Artisans often ask for design guidance and here is a chance for them to work directly with a recognized figure in the design community. We welcome this new alliance and look forward to experiencing this new fusion of modern design and traditional craftsmanship."

ABOUT ROBERTO DE VILLACIS

The designs of Roberto de Villacis (http://www.devillacis.com) have been featured in Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, W, and Elle and stars like Penelope Cruz, Kirsten Dunst and Kate Moss have showcased his original designs in red carpet premieres, press photos and charity events. Having recently completed filming as a designer-contestant in Bravo's Launch my Line reality show airing this fall, de Villacis will soon commence work on co-producing a feature film entitled "Glamour Saves the World" showcasing his art and fashion shows in Brazil, France and India. Beyond his work as a designer, De Villacis is also a fine artist and has exhibited his fusion of fashion and the arts in major museums and galleries worldwide.

ABOUT NOVICA

Novica.com (http://www.novica.com), part of the National Geographic family, was founded ten years ago with the mission of aiding artisans and preserving ancient craft traditions. Novica has quickly become one of the largest handmade gift and home décor websites in the world, selling the works of more than 3,000 artisans through its offices in Asia, Africa and Latin America (nearly 30,000 limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts and home decor items, including fine handmade jewelry, clothing, gifts, home decor, and original paintings). Novica is the recipient of prestigious cultural and business awards, most recently the America Economia Excellence Award for Cultural Preservation and the Schwab Foundation Award for Social Entrepreneurship.