Theory, the fashion company, auctioned a pair of electric cars to benefit environmental groups last month. Kenneth Cole and Theory president Andrew Rosen bought them for $20,000 apiece. But now one of the fund-raiser’s co-sponsors wants to know where its share of the auction proceeds is. “We were used as window-dressing,” says Donna Wingate, head of Precipice-Alliance, a nonprofit that sponsors eco-friendly artwork. Theory billed its event as “a celebration” of one of Wingate’s artists and paid her group a $10,000 donation to participate. But no auction money. Theory’s rep, Melissa Gellman, says no promises were made and noted that 80 percent of the auction proceeds have been disbursed to other charities already. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Riverkeeper (he spoke at the event) is getting $10,000, and the National Resources Defense Council, $15,000. Says Gellman, “One of the problems with altruism is you can’t always give to everyone.”

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• Archive: “Intelligencer”
• Articles by Geoffrey Gray