Esther Mahlangu is a South African Ndebele artist. She is known for her bold large-scale contemporary paintings that reference her Ndebele heritage.

With 600 years of authentic Polish vodka-making tradition, the luxury vodka house, Belvedere, has been passionate about producing only the most premium vodka in the world.  They have been a proud partner of the non-profit organization since 2011 and it already generated enough money to provide over 30,000 women with access to life-saving treatment that helps stop the transmission of HIV to their babies—but the battle isn’t over and there’s still so much work left to do.

Filled with hope, the vodka brand recently launched a campaign called #MakeTheDifference as they pledge to donate 50% of the profits from every limited-edition bottle sold to the Global Fund to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. To make this possible, Belvedere brings together two talented artists, musician John Legend and celebrated South African artist Esther Mahlangu.

the (BELVEDERE) RED bottle features Esther Mahlangu’s specially commissioned artwork for the campaign.

Esther Mahlangu with Handpainted Bottle

John Legend, who is also chosen to be the Global Ambassador this year, brings his soulful artistic style to the (BELVEDERE) RED campaign, curating a unique program to Make The Difference. Together with Belvedere, he established the values that serve as the foundation of the campaign: unity, security, support and change. These four values embody the collective sentiment for all those joining the fight against HIV/AIDS. He also dedicated his new song “Love Me Now” to the campaign. 

Esther Mahlangu with Artwork

On the limited-edition bottle, an inspiring message from Legend reads, “This is no ordinary mission and this is no ordinary bottle. It is filled with hope and an unstoppable spirit for change. Working together, our efforts with (BELVEDERE) RED can make a real difference.”

The bottle is decorated with vibrant art and colorful symbols created by Mahlangu who was inspired by the traditional painting style of Ndebele tribe. "I was very excited when I saw Esther's design for the bottle for the first time. I think it is beautiful and very appealing and combines Esther's and Belvederes aesthetics. It combines both cultures and the people we are trying to help," says Legend.  

The limited edition bottle costs the same as the regular Belvedere bottle but aside from the beautiful art and Legend’s signature, Belvedere (RED) is special as it gives everyone the power to give back. The special edition Belvedere (RED) bottle is available for purchase at leading supermarket. Follow Belvedere on Instagram @belvedereph and like us on Facebook @BelvedereVodkaPH