One hundred fifty designers, including Donna Karan, Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch and Oscar de la Renta, will create customized papier-mâché hearts to be auctioned off on eBay starting today, April 22, until May 2 at ebay.com/fashionforhaiti.

All proceeds of “Fashion for Haiti: One Million Hearts” will benefit the Haitian Artisan Project, an initiative of Karan’s Urban Zen organization. The event is jointly produced by eBay Celebrity, eBay Fashion, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Urban Zen.

To kick-off the auction, eBay hosted a designer and influencer cocktail event in New York City on Thursday, April 11^th at the Urban Zen store and studio space. Notable attendees included Hugh Jackman, Kenneth Cole, Vera Wang, Rachel Roy, Olivier Theyskens and Monica Botkier.

“Through ‘Fashion for Haiti: One Million Hearts,’ eBay will serve as a catalyst for positive change in the world by celebrating original design and raising awareness and financial support for this important cause,” said Alan Marks, senior vice president, Global Communications, eBay Inc., who attended the kickoff event in New York.

“This unique sale not only features the creativity and talent of CFDA’s designers but gives the eBay community a chance to bid on a one-of-a-kind gift that gives back,” added Richelle Parham, chief marketing officer of eBay Marketplaces, who also was at the New York event.

eBay is a strong supporter of original design through collaborations such as You Can’t Fake Fashion and the Holiday Collective, and works closely with the CFDA. eBay also enables charitable giving: Since 2003, the eBay community has helped raise over $300 million for more than 22,000 nonprofit organizations by shopping, selling and donating through the eBay Giving Works program.

“By bringing together CFDA’s community of designers to reimagine one-of-a kind hearts and providing a place for them to be sold through the leading charitable giving platform, eBay, we are amplifying the message that we, collectively, believe in improving the lives of the people of Haiti,” Karan said.

You Can’t Fake Fashion customized designer tote bags. Photo courtesy of eBay Inc.

You Can’t Fake Fashion, eBay’s collaboration with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, launched its spring 2013 collection of designer tote bags today.

The You Can’t Fake Fashion campaign celebrates original design and raises awareness of counterfeiting. Ninety of America’s foremost designers — including Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg, Prabal Gurung, Rodarte and rag & bone — have joined the campaign, each customizing a canvas tote to create a one-of-a-kind bag to be auctioned on eBay.com.

“As the world’s largest online marketplace, our business depends on a climate of trust,” said eBay Global Marketplaces President Devin Wenig. “eBay is committed to delivering an inspiring, personalized and trusted shopping experience—where you can find an unparalleled selection of authentic fashion.”

“So much time, effort and creativity go into creating a collection,” noted participating designer Tabitha Simmons. “Designers shouldn’t have to worry that their work will be compromised by piracy.”

The designer bags are available at auction beginning at $100, while an updated version of the standard tote bearing the You Can’t Fake Fashion logo are available for purchase at a fixed “Buy It Now” price of $50. Free global shipping is also available.

eBay Inc. partners with brands, retailers, and law enforcement to combat the global counterfeit trade through a variety of education and prevention efforts. Watch a video about You Can’t Fake Fashion and the designers who bring it to life.

The app is also ranked #2 in the Lifestyle category and is getting thousands of downloads a day.

Modeled off the U.S. eBay Fashion app, eBay Moda is a fully Russian-language experience with flash sales specific to Russia. It includes a social experience featuring top Russian fashion bloggers and will soon add the ability to shop the bloggers’ favorite looks.

“All of that combined is a very unique experience, we don’t have it today in any other app,” said Ryan Melcher, senior director of mobile products for emerging markets.

Photo: eBay Moda iPhone app.  Courtesy of eBay Inc.

All the attendees received a lookbook in print and digital form, and at the end of the show, well-known Russian designers Katya Dobryakova and Kostya Gayday chose the best looks.

Trendwatching blog Look at Me has also been feeding the buzz about eBay Fashion, running posts fashion trends linked to eBay by Russian bloggers based in New York and London every week in October.

There also is a fashion contest running on Facebook and Vkontakte, the two key social networks in Russia. Fans choose a look among eBay fashion items through an app called “Choose your look” for a chance to win a trip for two to New York and London, and fashion prizes from eBay.

Rue La La® on eBay launched on Oct. 15, featuring some of the most sought-after brands in fashion, accessories, jewelry and home – at private-sale prices.  This partnership builds on the success of Rue La La – an exclusive online destination for private sales that is 30% eBay-owned.

Rue La La on eBay will involve eight sales per week, each lasting 48 hours and featuring items exclusive to eBay for the duration of the sale. While all shopping takes place on eBay, Rue La La handles the shipping and returns.

The launch week lineup includes sales with an abundance of fall boot and designer handbag brands and more.  Fashion enthusiasts can also bid on a fashion lover’s dream trip to Fashion Week 2013 in New York City.

Download the eBay Fashion app to shop and receive notifications of future events on the go.

eBay.co.uk’s designer pop-up shop with House of Holland launched in time for London Fashion Week. The designer exclusive came about through eBay U.K.’s collaboration with the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Forward initiative, established to help support up-and-coming British design talent.

Through Sept. 18, a specially curated collection from Holland’s Autumn/Winter 2012 collection is available through the pop-up shop.  eBay customers will receive a free pair of the brand’s iconic tights with each House of Holland purchase.

“This is the first season that eBay is supporting the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Forward initiative and I’m honored to be the first designer to open a pop-up shop on eBay,” Holland said. “It’s an all-in-one fashion opportunity with the best of both seasons – shopping Autumn/Winter on eBay and watching the Spring/Summer catwalk show on the eBay fashion blog website.”

That’s right: eBay’s fashion blog, Style Collective, will live-stream the House of Holland Spring/Summer catwalk show live from London on Saturday, Sep. 15, at 6 p.m. British Summer Time.

Also for London Fashion Week, eBay.co.uk is hosting an auction of “Minnie Mouse Must-Haves,” one-of-a-kind garments and accessories by leading designers including Giles Deacon, Richard Nicoll and Lulu Guinness, inspired by the classic cartoon. Proceeds will support the Fashion Arts Foundation.

And a Save the Children designer auction, through Sept. 23, features the best of British fashion. Alexander McQueen, Temperley, Burberry and others have donated items from their latest collections exclusively for the auction, which benefits the charity that works to save children’s lives.

Chris Benz and eBay’s You Can’t Fake Fashion totes at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.

eBay and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) debuted the third season of their You Can’t Fake Fashion design collaboration, which raises awareness of counterfeits and celebrates original design, last week in New York.

The 2013 You Can’t Fake Fashion tote collection was unveiled during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at a festive event attended by eBay’s Alan Marks, Senior Vice President, Global Communications; Steven Kolb, CFDA chief executive; The Inside Source blogger Jauretsi; and designers Chris Benz and the Ruffian duo Claude Morais and Brian Wolk.

Benz and Ruffian are among the hot designers who customized one-of-a-kind totes for the 2013 collection, which will be sold exclusively on eBay in March. The designer totes will be available at auction, while an updated standard tote will retail at a fixed, Buy It Now price of $50.

The first You Can’t Fake Fashion tote collection, in 2011, sold out in 24 hours; the second sold out in 47 minutes. For 2013, almost 100 designers joined the collaboration, and we can only imagine how fast the bags will sell out. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the CFDA Foundation and support the fight against counterfeiting.

Watch last year’s behind-the scenes video with some of the participating designers:

Some of the clothes came from eBay’s Fashion Gallery, and others from Top Rated eBay sellers based in Ireland and the United Kingdom,

Fashion blogger Lorna Claire Weightman, TV presenter Darren Kennedy and fashion intern Sian O’Carroll were included in the stylish octet.

Check out a behind-the-scenes video below:

Fashiontribes editor Lesley Scott recently covered eBay’s upcoming designer holiday collection  in a post titled, “Stuff from the eBay Holiday Collective 2012 to Make You Look Like You Have Gift-Giving Supa-powers!” In reviewing the catalog of gift items designed by Fallon, Chris Benz, Steven Alan and others, Lesley commented, “After all, [eBay is] the world’s largest online shopping destination. Whether it’s Lady Gaga fans trying to dress like Mama Monster or label-loving fashionistas on the hunt for those elusive Isabel Marant wedge-sneakers, eBay has the goods.”

Perhaps most importantly for eBay, the lookbook gives Fashion Gallery the opportunity to share product from merchants in a tightly edited and up-to-date way for shoppers and media alike.

The lookbook was launched in July in Sydney to an audience of influential fashion media, industry influencers and designers. A smaller, more intimate event was also held in Melbourne. The imagery features model Nikki Phillips, renowned London-based street-style photographer Candice Lake and stylist Ryan Lobo. It’s being widely seen by commentators Down Under as “an ideal tool for fashion editors seeking to source key pieces for the new season,” said Head of Fashion Jo-Ann Hicks.

With editorial content including insightful interviews with trendsetters, the site will offer “expertly curated style inspiration to the 7 million people who visit ebay.com.au each month,” Jo-Ann added. Monthly reshoots of product will keep the lookbook fresh.

“Fashion is a huge driver for consumers coming to eBay.com.au and Fashion Gallery shoppers love to mix and match high-end pieces with fast finds,” Jo-Ann said. “They’re savvy about securing value and looking for new inspiration, so we see the lookbook as providing that and more, with regular product updates, fresh looks for each season and interviews with our amazing campaign faces.”

In addition to the lookbook launch, the team has also updated its Style Seeker program, in which editors and fashion influencers present their favorite fashion edits onsite and through eBay’s social media channels.

“It’s exciting to join the likes of [past contributors] Justine Cullen, Kerrie McCallum and Candice Lake in eBay’s Style Seeker Program,” said lookbook model Nikki, who was MC at the July launch event.

“I’m looking forward to scouring the fashion offerings and sharing my favorites – and with brands like Lisa Ho, Suboo and Fleur Wood to choose from, I’m sure there’ll be no shortage of those.”

A key focus of the Fashion Gallery has been to grow the depth and breadth of brands on the site, added Jo-Ann, while the launch of five social media platforms has given customers many touchpoints and specially curated content.

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eBayFashionAU
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eBayFashionAU
• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ebayfashionau/
• Tumblr: http://ebayfashionau.tumblr.com/
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/ebayfashiongallery