September is a huge month for members of the recovery community as it is National Recovery Month and Suicide Awareness Month. This season, Break Free will have a live art installation of paper butterflies, inviting the attendees to share stories of loved ones lost to suicide or an overdose, to share their story of recovery, or to write a letter to their younger self.
It is no secret that the fashion industry has a long history of substance use and a lack of acceptance towards those who struggle with their mental health. After surpassing a historical landmark of 109,680 overdose deaths in a one-year period last year, now more than ever we need to continue this national discussion on the runway.
Founded by Alexandra Nyman, “Break Free is my plea to society to open up about their struggles with substances and mental health, in doing so, we may come to realize that we are not alone in our struggles. The more we recover out loud, the more we can help others to come out from the dark and into the light.”
This season we have some incredible designers showcasing with us from around the globe including, OIT Fitness from the UK, RaccoonGuts from Toronto, NYFW Veterans Heritage India Fashions, Sonal Couture, & JulissaDesigns, and NYC natives, Just Us Kidz, and Rehab Studios.
Break Free’s NYFW Designer Showcase will be held on Monday, September 11th at 230 Fifth in the Empire Ballroom. Doors open at 6pm with mocktail hour powered by Curious Elixirs with a tasting of select items from their elixirs. The show begins at 7pm, and the after-party will once again see a tasting from Curious + a pop-up of Third Place, a non-alcoholic bar pop-up in NYC.
A majority of the proceeds from this showcase will go to the Break Free Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to assist those seeking treatment for a substance use disorder through attending a rehabilitation and outpatient center at low to no cost to them.
This event is open to the public, with early bird pricing available until Monday, August 28th. Tickets range from $35-100 and are available on eventbrite.com.
Photo Credit Break Free NYFW
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