He’s ba-ack.
But this time around, German fashion designer Wolfgang Joop is trying to rehabilitate his slash-and-burn image by raising money for charity.
The high-falutin’ fashionista offended sensibilities worldwide by calling the World Trade Center towers “a symbol of capitalist arrogance” in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
He’s hoping his newest project, a celebrity cook book, will endear him to humans everywhere.
Called “Diva Dish,” the book will be an “irreverent and clever compilation of witty words, bold and colorful graphics and playful images that highlight the culinary attitudes of this diverse group of divas.”
A percentage of proceeds from the sale of “Diva Dish” will be donated to UNICEF’s special fund for Romanian children with HIV.
“I saw a heartbreaking UNICEF documentary about children suffering from AIDS,” Joop told The Post via e-mail. “I contacted UNICEF’s office in Germany and they suggested that the funds go to the children of Romania, which has one of the highest percentages of HIV infection of any European country. Here was a problem in my own backyard that no one really talked about.”
When asked why the book’s proceeds aren’t going to a World Trade Center charity fund, a spokesman said Joop’s project had already been underway by Sept. 11, with commitments made to UNICEF.
Such luminaries as Donna Karan, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Isabella Rossellini, Diane von Furstenburg and Britney Spears have already signed on to contribute diva-licious recipes. Others are expected to sign on in the next month or so.
Joop expects the book to publish in December 2002, though a publisher has not yet signed the deal. A spokesman for the project said, “There are three literary agents fighting over the rights, especially since in Germany, Joop is such a hot ticket.”