Picture a typical lingerie model and it’s likely you’ll have some version of a Victoria’s Secret Angel sashaying around in your head. But at New York Fashion Week on Monday, 16 women shattered that stereotype.
The women came from different ethnic backgrounds, had varied ages and diverse body types. But it was what these women had in common that made the show truly special:
All have battled breast cancer.
Image: Getty.
The models were representing AnaOno Intimates, a lingerie brand dedicated to women who have undergone a mastectomy or reconstructive surgery.
Some bared their scars and changed chests, others walked with fists in the air, triumphant.
Of those 16, seven have metastatic disease, meaning their cancer has spread beyond their breasts. Of those seven, four were diagnosed at stage IV. (Post continues after gallery.)
For designer Dana Donofree, the historic show was a chance to use the runway to illuminate an important cause.
"Breasts do not define beauty. Breasts do not define femininity," she wrote on the AnaOno blog. "And whether you are a woman with your natural breasts altered by a lumpectomy, or have new breasts surgically constructed, no breasts, or even some combination of all of these - you are still you and you are still beautiful." (Post continues after audio.)
Donofree launched the company in 2014 after being diagnosed with Infiltrative Ductal Carcinoma at the age of just 27. After a double mastectomy and reconstruction, sports bras and camisoles seemed like her only option.
So she created another one.
"I always dreamed of having my own fashion line, of running my own company, I never thought I would get to experience this dream because cancer threw me a curveball," she wrote on anaono.com. "But here we are, and here I am."
Top Comments
Can't wait until brave testicular cancer survivors strut their stuff also. #BecauseEquality
It is disturbing how we as a society are beginning to normalise cancer. This is not to say that sufferers being open about their experiences are not welcome but do we really need to embrace the disease as a normal part of life? Cancer is a lifestyle illness caused by a decline in our state of health and nutrition. Just because conventional medicine has conveniently not labelled it this way, does not mean it is not the truth. Normalising cancer allows authorities to cease pressuring modern medicine to cure it, allowing that industry to continue to profit from it. We should not just accept cancer as part of human life. It has in recent times exploded in occurrence and most people would agree that they want it gone from our existence. The medical approach till now has been largely unsuccessful in curing cancer. Whereas the natural approach is experiencing increasing success, despite not having the big dollars to support it. Why are we not researching the role of nutrition in cancer and investigating other ways to approach it? It is imperative that we challenge the power of doctors and big pharma and insist on exploring all options.
What a load of bollocks. You've well and truly consumed the Kool-Aid.
I whole heartedly agree!
You think cancer sufferers/survivors should be ashamed of their scars? Hidden away and treated like lepers? Not allowed to have underwear that fits their new body shape AND looks good?
Cancer IS normal (as sucks as that is). Lifestyle may contribute to cancer rates, but even the healthiest, fittest person living in a pollution free environment can still get cancer. It's been around as long as people have (and probably much much longer). Most of the increase in rates is due to people living much longer than ever, because age increases your risk significantly
I agree that "big pharma" probably doesn't put as much effort into finding a cure as they could. But without "big pharma" the treatments we have today - which have led to more people surviving than ever - would not exist.
Natural therapies do fuck all to treat cancer, and nothing to cure it. At best they may help manage some of the symptoms and side affects. (and I hate to break it to you, but they care about the big money as much as the pharmaceutical companies do).
What more would you ideally want pharmaceutical companies to do, out of interest, if you believe they're not doing enough already?