HOW THE BLUE JACKET FASHION SHOW IS INCREASING PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS
By: Hillary LeBlanc
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among cisgender American men and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in cisgender men. These startling facts led designer Frederick Anderson to help increase more awareness.
Anderson launched The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, which is now in it’s 9th year and continues to elevate prostate cancer awareness. Celebrities hit the runway at the annual event donning pieces by various illustrious designers. The show benefits ZERO Prostate Cancer, USA’s leading advocacy, awareness, and support foundation. ZERO serves as the voice of the prostate cancer community, and funds raised will provide lifesaving early detection and treatment resources to reduce mortality.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Blue Jacket
The Blue Jacket Fashion Show is supported by Fashion Group International, a non-profit organisation aiming to promote educational programs devoted to fashion. Fashion Group International streamed the fashion show on their website and had viewing parties across the USA. Additionally, community members, event participants, and guests were invited to get screened for prostate cancer with a quick and easy prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test provided by Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
When Anderson founded The Blue Jacket Fashion Show 9 years ago, he wanted men to be able to speak about health as freely as women did, but it’s also personal. “Not only am I in the high-risk category, I also have had many friends that have been diagnosed or are in treatment for prostate cancer, so this is the least I can do.”
Further to having Fashion Group International as partners on streaming the show, some designers have been given the Rising Star award by the organization and put forward to Anderson. “I love to support other designers and use this as an opportunity to lift up fellow creatives who are doing amazing work.”Fashion Group International has also set up a GiveLively page for donors. Funds raised provide financial support to patients in need with personalized solutions to alleviate the many financial stressors of their diagnosis including treatment costs, transportation, insurance navigation, and more; research to discover new treatments and diagnostics; awareness to help understand the importance of early detection and allow education and awareness efforts happen nationwide; emotional support through in-person and virtual support groups and mentors across the country; and health equity removing barriers to critical support for those at the highest risk for the disease who for way too long have suffered inequities.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Blue Jacket
The New York show of The Blue Jacket Fashion Show on February 4th at LAVAN included celebrities such as Alex Lundqvist, Don Lemon, Kalen Allen, Nigel Barker, various local journalists, Dr. Errol Mallett who is a urologist, Frederick Anderson himself and BIll Nye - whose catwalk footage has gone viral since the show! Designers include Terry Singh, AKNVAS, Alexander McQueen, Tommy Hilfiger, Thom Browne, and A. Potts who is a prostate cancer survivor.
In 2025, almost 300,000 people will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis, and more than 35,000 people will die from the disease. People of color are at a higher risk when it comes to prostate cancer, which is about 70% higher in Black individuals than in white individuals and the most common cancer diagnoses among Latinos. For transgender people, while there are significantly lower rates of prostate cancer, they may have almost double the mortality rates compared to cisgender males. For all men and people with a prostate, having a father, brother or family history increases the risk of prostate cancer.
This past Blue Jacket Fashion Show had returned to New York after a special show in Los Angeles in November. Anderson tells us, “LA is an amazing sister market and provided us with a great network to start the conversation about health and prevention. We’re looking forward to returning in the fall.”