Fashion Targets Breast Cancer
Throughout the ages, fashion has reflected society. In the last few years, it has also provided some valuable aid. In the case of breast cancer, for instance, a T-shirt launched in the mid-1990s, became a hot fashion item and raised millions for cancer research. This campaign recently arrived in Greece. «The fashion industry survives thanks to its clients; they had to do something about these people,» says Marianna Milissi, who together with her business partner Marilena Stratopoulou brought the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) campaign to Greece (The campaign is primarily based on the sale of T-shirts featuring the FTBC’s powerful logo). A global statement It was back in 1989 when American designer Ralph Lauren, a board member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), took the initiative in leading the breast cancer movement. He did so in support of Nina Hyde, a beloved colleague and friend, and a former fashion editor at the Washington Post; a victim of breast cancer, Hyde died in 1990. While Lauren became the inspiration behind the subsequent campaign, the logo was created by Polo Ralph Lauren and given as a gift in trust to the CFDA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the CFDA, the body representing leading US fashion designers. Following this, the Fashion Targets Breast Campaign was officially launched in 1994, at a White House ceremony led by then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Featuring the most glamorous names in global fashion – imagine models Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer being photographed by hip photographers such as Steven Meisel – the campaign was promptly supported by both leading players of the fashion industry and the general public; in the first four months alone, the campaign’s organizers sold 400,000 T-shirts, thus raising $2 million for the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Today, besides the US and recently Greece, other FTBC campaigns have been launched in the UK, Australia, Brazil and Canada. The FTBC in Greece With a 15-year-old career in advertising, Milissi and Stratopoulou developed their Blue Concept agency eight years ago. Following the FTBC’s global success, they felt the campaign also touched home. They began developing the project in July 2001, facing great difficulties. For starters, the process worked backward: It is usually a charity which gets in touch with the country’s ruling fashion body, which in turn recommends a public relations firm to promote the campaign. In Athens, it was the Blue Concept agency which got in touch with the Hellenic Anti-Cancer Society – and, of course, there is no organized fashion body in this country. Once established, the Greek branch of the FTBC developed its strategy; divided into fundraising through the sale of T-shirts and awareness, it has already made a difference, both financially and, above all, morally. «So far the campaign has been successful,» says Milissi. «If we succeed in overcoming local taboos, we will have won a battle; every woman can use her social security in order to have a mammogram, for instance. But we don’t all do it, and in many cases we don’t even talk about these things.» A considerable success During its first six months, the Greek FTBC campaign raised 147,000 euros (45 million drachmas) for the Hellenic Anti-Cancer Society by selling 15,000 T-shirts. (For those in doubt as to whether or not the money reaches the foundation, the society is planning a press conference sometime this month in order to announce exactly where the money is heading.) Furthermore, the campaign was also embraced by local businesses, such as The Body Shop company in Greece, which was quick in establishing a distribution network through its various outlets. Beyond the sales of the T-shirts, the launch campaign also included a photo shoot featuring top local models wearing the ubiquitous T-shirts on location. These photos were then placed in the fashion press. Coming up is FTBC Hellas’s second major event. On April 23, in a rare moment of local fashion unity, four prominent Greek fashion designers are joining forces to present their collections during the course of one evening. These are Angelos Frentzos (who, besides his own collection sold in exclusive outlets globally, was recently appointed artistic director of Alma, a company which belongs to luxury giant LVMH); Deux Hommes, namely Grigoris Triandafyllou and Dimitris Alexakis; Giorgos Eleftheriades; and Harris and Angelos. The event will take place at the race track in Neo Faliron, while the catwalk show will be followed by a huge party (The evening’s sponsor is Greek detergent company Eureka). The campaign will continue even after the upcoming event. In accordance with the strict rules laid down by Ralph Lauren himself, such as in fabrics, the T-shirts will continue to be produced locally, at a fixed price of 32 euros. Besides the T-shirts, however, coming this spring is a broader collection which includes one-shoulder tops, a hat and a T-shirt dress. They will be available at the end of this month. «You don’t need to be a billionaire in order to participate. You can buy a T-shirt and wear it joyfully. You will be wearing something fashionable, while demystifying breast cancer,” says Milissi. “It also acts as a reminder to each and every one of us, and that is a huge step ahead.” For more information on the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign in Greece, call Blue Concept Advertising at 010.361.4488, 010.360.6440. Where to find FTBC T-shirts Fashion Targets Breast Cancer T-shirts are on sale at the following outlets and hair salons: Andreas Coiffures, Artisti Italiani, Attitudes, Beautyworks, Bebe, Boudoir, Connection Group (Connectible, Kenzo, United Sales), Darling, DKNY, Elina Lembessi, Giorgos Doudessis Coiffures, Harris & Angelos, Hondos Center, First, Freestyle Coiffure, Liana Camba, Lussile, Lambropoulos, Rose & Rose, Sotris, Stenia, The Body Shop, Tony & Guy Coiffures and Top Fashion Woman.
