This week, the inaugural Blue Jacket Fashion Show took place at Pier59 Studios as part of New York Men’s Fashion Week.
In partnership with Johnson & Johnson, the Blue Jacket Fashion Show benefited the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), founded by philanthropist and financier Michael Milken.
The Blue Jacket Fashion Show brought together the fashion, entertainment, sports, healthcare and media worlds around a national platform to openly discuss men’s cancer issues, with an emphasis on prostate cancer. Coinciding with February’s Cancer Prevention Month and New York Men’s Fashion Week, the Blue Jacket Fashion Show included designers such as John Varvatos, Nick Graham, Joseph Abboud, Nicole Miller, Proper Cloth, Stephen F, Maggie Norris, Theory, Gustavo Moscoso, Craft Atlantic, Rag and Bone, Thom Browne and Haspel who used their creative talents to “reinvent” the traditional blue blazer.
Those walking the runway wearing one-of-a-kind blue jackets included models, actors, athletes, members of the media and business titans. Among those who walked are: actor Mario Cantone, musician and model Ian Mellencamp, New York Giants Wide Receiver Victor Cruz, TV personality Carson Kressley, science educator and host of the forthcoming Netflix series Bill Nye Saves the World Bill Nye, New York Yankees Pitcher CC Sabathia, New York Post’s Richard Johnson, model Alex Lundqvist, and CNN Anchor Don Lemon. Following the show, all of the specially designed jackets modeled were included in a live auction, with proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, statistics show that prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America. It affects every one out of eight men at some point in their lifetimes. Every 3.3 minutes a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, and millions of men and their families are fighting this disease on any given day across the globe.
As the world’s largest healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson is committed to creating and bringing to market life-changing cancer therapies for the people who need them most. In addition to partnering with the Blue Jacket campaign to help raise awareness of prostate cancer prevention and treatment options, Johnson & Johnson has also committed to donating $1 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation for every photo shared using the free Johnson & Johnson Donate a Photo app. For every 30 photos that are shared, one hour of research and development for breakthrough cancer treatments will be funded.
“Today, our work being done in precision oncology research is unprecedented with new discoveries happening daily,” said Jonathan W. Simons, MD, president and chief executive officer of PCF. “Our continually expanding global research enterprise brings together the brightest minds in prostate cancer research and other scientific areas to collaborate across borders and institutional lines. This team approach has sparked and accelerated innovative projects that deliver life-saving results and are bringing us closer than ever to a cure. We are very pleased to team with the Blue Jacket Fashion Show to help raise awareness and additional funding for prostate cancer research. Curing together, we can change the future for all cancer patients.”
“As partners of the Blue Jacket Fashion Show, we have an important opportunity to continue our efforts to raise awareness of prostate cancer symptoms, prevention and treatment options,” said Joaquin Duato, Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson. “Johnson & Johnson and our Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies have a strong history of innovation in prostate cancer, including investigational new medicines in our pipeline. We are also proud of our commitment of collaborating closely with healthcare systems, policymakers and advocates to ensure access to our medicines. Together, we can transform how cancer is treated so patients can experience more of life’s meaningful moments.”
