Expect gold on Emmys red carpet as St. Jude pins help raise childhood cancer awareness

Among the expected celebrities Sunday at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards — including Gwyneth Paltrow, Billy Porter, Zendaya, Sophie Turner and Kim Kardashian West — a gold profile of a child’s face likely will glisten amid shiny cuff links and multimillion-dollar diamond earrings.

Through Red Carpet Advocacy, a Los Angeles-based social-change agency started by Oscar-nominated costume designer and stylist Arianne Phillips and luxury marketing consultant Carineh Martin, hundreds of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital gold pins have been dispersed to celebrity stylists as part of an effort to accessorize their famous clients’ tuxedo lapels and gowns while raising awareness about childhood cancer. The tiny adornment is the latest symbol of the red carpet’s evolution.

“We love the red carpet. We love the fashion. We love hearing about the movies and TV shows. It’s also an opportunity to speak about causes that are important to us,” said Phillips, an inaugural member of the Time’s Up coalition and designer of the group’s logo. Thanks to social media, she added, “We see the most exciting talent is able to speak to their audience of the causes that are important to them. And their audience responds.”

Although based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude’s connections to Hollywood are solid. Since its opening in 1962 with funding from late actor Danny Thomas, it has flourished through endorsements from Jennifer Aniston, Sofia Vergara, Jimmy Kimmel and other celebrities. As September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, it’s set up a special fundraising platform to collect donations at stjude.org/september.

After first meeting in 1997, when Martin started Prada’s VIP department and Phillips began styling Madonna, the pair has accumulated much experience and esteem to boost RAD — and its Hollywood connections.

At January’s Golden Globes, Elisabeth Moss donned a navy Christian Dior Haute Couture minidress that resembled a tuxedo twisted into a strapless number. Although “The Handmaid’s Tale” star didn’t sport a philanthropic pin, she accentuated her polished but playful look with accessories from Neil Lane, Tamara Mellon and Roger Vivier — all of which donated to the American Civil Liberties Union on her behalf as part of an effort with RAD. “I am honored to be the first to partner with [RAD],” Moss wrote in a caption accompanying a photo of her ensemble on her Instagram page.

Karla Welch, Moss’ stylist, also posted on her own Instagram account: “Seems like a pretty cool way to reinvent the red carpet and use our platforms for good!”

Since then, other celebrity and designer efforts with RAD have included Mandy Moore with Jason Wu, Niwaka and Jimmy Choo on behalf of UNICEF at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Camila Cabello and Giorgio Armani supporting Save the Children at the Grammy Awards. In July, Levi’s not only made a donation to Youngcare but also hosted a dinner for Margot Robbie and Austin Butler, who both appeared in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” for which Phillips designed the costumes.

RAD and Patricia Arquette have such a good rapport that they’re repeat collaborators. Through her stylist Annabelle Harron, Arquette roped in Christian Siriano, Stephen Webster and Roger Vivier to support the ecological charity she founded, GiveLove, at the SAG Awards. On Thursday, RAD is having a dinner at Allbright Women’s Club in West Hollywood to celebrate Arquette’s double Emmy nominations for “The Act” and “Escape at Dannemora” and also to benefit GiveLove.

“We partnered with Michael Stars, who will be making a very generous donation to GiveLove,” Martin said, adding that all donations from the fashion labels are private and therefore she couldn’t disclose the amounts given.

For the Emmys, “we have a lot of enthusiasm from the nominees and the presenters that will be there,” Phillips said. RAD is waiting to make the big reveals on Sunday’s red carpet. It’s also sending pins to celebrities and behind-the-scenes players throughout September.

“You’ll see the pins not just at the Emmys but around town,” Martin said.