Queen Latifah Launches 2006 CURVATION(SM) PROJECT CONFIDENCE(SM) Awards at Sugar Water Festival

Queen Latifah Launches 2006 CURVATION(SM) PROJECT CONFIDENCE(SM) Awards at Sugar Water Festival

Second Annual Search Aims to Honor Women Who Embody Confidence & Make a Positive Impact on Their Community

NEW YORK, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy Award-winning musician and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah will launch the 2006 CURVATION PROJECT CONFIDENCE Awards during the Sugar Water Festival, a national tour featuring herself, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu. The tour, which kicks off on Thursday, August 3 in Dallas, TX, is being sponsored by the CURVATION(R) brand.

The CURVATION PROJECT CONFIDENCE Awards is a nationwide search to recognize women who personify and project the power of confidence through contributions to their local communities -- via education, fund-raising, self-empowerment and volunteer work -- to help other women to gain confidence and self esteem. This is the second year the awards are being held.

"I was extremely inspired by the entries we received last year of amazing women who were, and still are, making a difference in other women's lives everyday," said Queen Latifah, the spokesperson, inspiration and creative advisor for VF Intimates' CURVATION(R) brand of intimate apparel for today's curvaceous women. "Building women's confidence ultimately helps them to live more fulfilling lives, so I am thrilled to be able to continue to honor these unsung heroes and I encourage people to nominate outstanding women that they know for these awards," said Queen Latifah.

Five finalists will be chosen by Queen Latifah and a panel of experts. The finalists will receive a $3,000 grant towards the program or cause with which they are affiliated, so that they can continue their work in building women's confidence. The panel will choose one national award recipient who will be awarded an additional $10,000 grant to support her project or program. All finalists will be honored at a CURVATION PROJECT CONFIDENCE Awards luncheon in New York City, hosted by Queen Latifah, in early 2007.

Queen Latifah and the CURVATION(R) brand are encouraging people nationwide to nominate inspiring women who embody the spirit of confidence for the second annual awards by visiting www.curvation.com or mailing in a completed entry form. Forms will be available by calling 1-800-787-6060 and for download on www.ywca.org. Entries must be postmarked by November 3, 2006.

Queen Latifah and the CURVATION(R) brand recently partnered with the YWCA USA to announce the CURVATION(SM) PROJECT CONFIDENCE(SM) YWCA Educational Outreach Program, a multi-faceted women's confidence research, training and education program executed through YWCAs nationwide. The program is designed to give women the tools and information they need to build their personal confidence, achieve their dreams and enrich their communities. The program was launched on the first annual NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFIDENCE DAY(SM), which took place on June 7, 2006 in Washington, D.C.

Exemplifying the spirit of NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFIDENCE DAY, the 2005 CURVATION PROJECT CONFIDENCE Awards national recipient was Yvonne Pointer of Cleveland, Ohio. Yvonne turned a heartbreaking personal tragedy into a one-woman quest to make the world a safer place and empower women and girls. She established the Gloria Pointer Annual Scholarship Award, funded by the proceeds of her self-published book "Behind the Death of a Child," which was written about the tragic rape and murder of her own fourteen year old daughter, Gloria. She also founded the non-profit Positive Plus, dedicated to motivating women to become responsible and seize control of their destiny; has been a role model for the Cleveland Public School's "Girl Power" program; and has spent time building the confidence and self-respect of inmates in women's and juvenile prisons. Yvonne is planning on using the winning grant to go to Ghana, Africa, where she is working to build a school for underprivileged children.

The other 2005 finalists include Lorraine Bowman of San Diego, California; Kristin Bradfield of Phoenix, Arizona; Jillian Bullock of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania; and Mattie Palmore of Alexandria, Virginia. Further information on all 2005 finalists can be found on www.curvation.com.

The CURVATION PROJECT CONFIDENCE Awards is part of the CURVATION(SM) PROJECT CONFIDENCE(SM) initiative, which also includes CURVATION NATION(SM), an online location where women who have embraced the power of confidence can inspire and share their ideas with an ever-widening community; NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFIDENCE DAY; and the CURVATION PROJECT CONFIDENCE YWCA EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM. For further information on CURVATION(R) product and event updates, women can log onto www.curvation.com.

Additional Sugar Water Festival concerts dates include Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta, Georgia on August 5; Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York on August 12; and Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on August 13.

About VF Intimates

VF Intimates is a division of VF Corporation, a leader in branded apparel including jeanswear, outdoor products, intimate apparel, image apparel and sportswear. Its brands include Curvation(R), Lee(R), Wrangler(R), Riders(R), Rustler(R), Earl Jean(R), Vanity Fair(R), Vassarette(R), Bestform(R), Lily of France(R), Nautica(R), John Varvatos(R), JanSport(R), Eastpak(R), The North Face(R), Vans(R), Reef(R), Napapijri(R), Kipling(R), Lee Sport(R) and Red Kap(R). VF Corporation's press releases, annual report and other information can be accessed through the Company's home page, www.vfc.com.

About YWCA USA

Founded in 1858 and headquartered in Washington D.C., the YWCA USA is a women's membership movement whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Strengthened by diversity, the YWCA draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people. Currently, the YWCA represents approximately 2 million women, girls and their families in the United States, and 25 million women worldwide. The YWCA has nearly 300 associations throughout the United States. The World YWCA is at work in more than 100 other countries. For more information about the YWCA, visit our Web site, www.ywca.org, or contact the YWCA USA at 202-467-0801.

Source: CURVATION

CONTACT: Charly Rok, Lippe Taylor, +1-212-598-4400, ext. 155,
Charly@lippetaylor.com, C: +1-917-912-2863; or Jamie Rudolph, Lippe Taylor,
+1-212-598-4400, ext. 162, C: +1-201-563-4951, jrudolph@lippetaylor.com

Web site: http://www.curvation.com/
http://www.ywca.org/
http://www.vfc.com/

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