Building Back You
The last weekend of July into August normally in New York City is a time to celebrate another big moment in the fashion industry, it’s the intimates, swimwear, and activewear items, with trade shows taking place as it looks ahead to Spring/ Summer for next year, one show that made its in-person debut on Saturday here in New York City is Evolution, a concept intimates show launching in August 2020 as a digital trade show during the COVID-19 pandemic, another long tenured pandemic addressed at Evolution was Breast Cancer, found in the Anaono collection.
Breast Cancer is one of the leading cause of deaths among women, those that are very lucky, and very fortunate enough to survive this horrible diagnosis are taking on another battle besides the disease itself, the fight to build themselves up as a fully confident woman again, Breast Cancer affects each and every woman differently, however they choose to rebuild themselves is their choice, whether it’s with prosthetics, living on without their breast, or rebuilding their breast surgically, that’s the whole idea of Anaono, creating a bra collection for whatever circumstance they’re in, reclaiming the womanhood and strength they though they lost going through Breast Cancer.
Meet Dana Donofree, who created Anaono in 2012, just 2 years after her Breast Cancer diagnosis (when Dana was just 27 years old), where both her natural breast were removed as part of her treatment, Dana made the decision to rebuild her breast, being one key part of her recovery, and a key component to building up her confidence again in what it means to truly be a woman.
Anaono offers bras named after Breast Cancer survivors, one that’s a bestseller for those post treatment of one’s choice is the Aurora Front Closure Bra, offering limited range of motion for recovering breasts, adapting to one’s treatment as it works to be comfortable and easy on the woman to support her breast during their rebuilding period, Aurora also provides Breast Cancer survivors encouragement to find a reason to march on and live another day, restoring confidence they lost in the Breast Cancer battle.
In the 8 and a half year history of Anaono, the newest item they have for this season comes from sleepwear they created, it’s pajamas adding another dose of encouragement and confidence with pink-based colors, but what makes these pajamas stand out for good are prints of diversified breasts, celebrating how each and every woman’s breast are different, they’re battles are their own, their choice of treatment also their own, and everybody’s unique struggle have one thing in common, they deserve respect.
This vital piece Anaono uses to emphasize its mission and celebrating a woman’s unique Breast Cancer struggle is the boob board, a boob diagram of the many breasts choose their own method of treatment, being there every step of the way from post treatment, to recovery, to reclaiming your life, and more importantly, raising awareness about Breast Cancer.