Fashion Steps for A Cause

The beginning of New York Fashion Week not only laid down the runway for the year’s hit designer fashion, but also jump-started Nine West’s Runway Relief campaign for the second year in a row. Nine West, a division of The Jones Group, partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America'sFashion Targets Breast Cancer and created Runway Relief.

The models with Nigel Barker

"We are thrilled to see the Nine West Runway Relief Program return for the second year in a row,” said Stacy Lastrina, Chief Marketing Officer of The Jones Group and creator of the program. “This program and our exclusive partnership with The CFDA reaffirms Nine West's dedication to raising money for breast cancer awareness and prevention, a cause that is embedded in the brand's DNA. We are confident that the fashion community will join us once again in giving back, and supporting this powerful movement."

To represent Runway Relief, Nine West designed a limited edition trendy tee with Fruit of the Loom ($25), black boots ($199), and a tote bag signed by renowned photographer Nigel Barker ($59) all of which have the Runway Relief logo printed on them. The whole concept behind Runway Relief is of course to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research, but Nine West came up with a twist in the campaign to link it to fashion week.

Nine West has some of fashions top models participating in New York Fashion Week, wear the Runway Relief boots that have a pedometer built in them designed by Fit Bit. The pedometer will track the steps that the models take during Fashion Week from various castings, fittings, and post- fashion show events. For each mile the models walk, Nine West donates a dollar to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. 

Model Jessica White, who is a participant in Runway Relief was quoted at a campaign shoot, said, “We’ve all heard the saying before, 'money doesn’t grow on trees', but what about from beneath the soles of 40 of your favorite top fashion models?  I don’t think many people realize that models take so many steps, and for Nine West to include models in the initiative is genius,”

According to the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Nine West is going to become an exclusive brand partner for Fashion Targets Brest Cancer in 2012. With the edgy styles created by Nine West for this years campaign we can be sure great things are in store in the future for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.

Kathleen Etzel