“In the last few days, I was reading about Save Venice and what they’ve worked on in recent years. They restored Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin, which is in a church called Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, which I absolutely love,” Margherita Missoni tells me, calling from her home just outside Milan. “You know, it’s one of my favorites.”

Though the house of Missoni is often associated with Varese (the Lombardi town where the knitwear company was founded by Margherita’s grandparents) or Sardinia (where the family spends holidays) or Milan (where the label shows at fashion week), Margherita explains that Venice also plays a role in the family’s history. “Venice has been a big part of my life. My grandparents bought an apartment there when I was really young, so I grew up spending two or three weeks in June in Venice with my grandma and my nanny,” she says. 

So when she was asked to take part in this afternoon’s festivities (it will be evening for her), there was no question about it. Today at 3pm EST, Margherita Missoni will host the Select Aperitivo 1920 Auction, a live virtual charity auction to benefit Save Venice.

Since its founding in 1966, the aesthetes, historians, and conservationists at Save Venice have worked scrupulously to restore their sinking city. Built on a muddy lagoon, Venice has battled floods and rising water levels for decades. Last year, the city experienced its worst flooding in over 50 years—sections of Venice saw waters rise over six feet—and cultural, religious, and historically significant buildings are never spared. St. Mark’s Basilica tragically took in several feet of water. The city estimates last year’s flood caused more than $1 billion in damage. 

Though a successful and long-awaited dam system, deployed for the first time last month, will spare the city from future tides exceeding 4 feet, there is much more to be done in the preservation of Venice. Doing exactly what its name suggests, Save Venice has restored dozens of landmarks, including the organ at the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Church of San Sebastiano, and the Old Jewish Cemetery. 

To help raise funds for it all, Save Venice and Select Aperitivo have called upon Lauren Santo Domingo, Francesco Carrozzini (who donated a poignant portrait of his mother, the late Franca Sozzani), Olivia Palermo, and more to join the auction. “I’ve been a Board member of Save Venice since 2012, and during these unprecedented times, Venice reminds us of the power of art and beauty to unite and inspire us. Our mission to preserve the artistic heritage of Venice needs support more than ever,” says Santo Domingo, who presides over Save Venice’s lavish New York masquerade fundraiser each spring. “I’m looking forward to raising a delicious Select Spritz digitally with everyone who attends!”

Up for auction are fine examples of Italian craftsmanship from design houses Fiorucci, Fornasetti, and Tod’s, as well as stays at such institutions as the Aman Venice and Il Pellicano. The auction will be stewarded by Lydia Fenet, and all proceeds will be donated to Save Venice.

Some of the auction lots are below. Register to join the auction event here.