About this Event
Break Free NYFW is an immersive runway experience of art, design, fashion, and social issues. The show will be held during New York Fashion Week on Monday, February 14th, 2022 at 7pm ET.
- 6 pm: Doors open to the venue, enjoy virtual highlights from our virtual panels or walk the red carpet
- 7 pm: The fashion show begins
Break Free NYFW is a runway show with a cause. We are looking to lead the discussion on mental health and substance use disorder within the fashion industry. We have invited mental health and addiction activists to not only walk in this show as models, but to be featured designers showcasing their collections for the world to see.
Leading up to the event, there will be a series of virtual panels for the designers and models to take part in discussing topics ranging from substance use disorder within the fashion industry to how to enjoy dressing for yourself again after a low mental health point.
A portion of the proceeds from this show will go towards 10,000 Beds, who provides scholarships to assist those seeking treatment for a substance use disorder to enter into a rehabilitation center.
We are thrilled to announce that this event is officially sponsored by Recovery Centers of America. And that our hair and makeup services are being provided by the New York Makeup Academy.
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*IMPORTANT*
*PROOF OF VACCINATION is required as per NYC regulations. As per NY state COVID guidelines, two doses of the vaccine are required for entry into all indoor events.
You will be denied access to the event if you cannot provide proof of vaccination upon arrival and a valid ID.
Temperatures will also be taken at the door and COVID tracking will be kept on file for ten days after the event.
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THE DESIGNERS
Break Free is excited to have the following designers on the runway this season: Zephyr, Jacqueline City Apparel, Love Disorder, Wu-Sah, Adorn Your Clothes, and LadyCat.
Kelsey, the creative mind behind the brand Zephyr is a proudly queer, disabled, multi-talented artist, designer, and advocate who creates magic in the Pacific Northwest. Over the past year she has focused full time on healing from cptsd, including discovering and understanding her dissociative disorder. As she unearthed her covert system and layers of trauma narrative, she started making self care products and wearable art to soothe internal facets that were feeling safe to express and heal. Now she hopes to use the healing skills and values she has developed to help others care for and express their whole selves.
Jacqueline City is a 24 year old disabled fashion designer and CEO of Jacqueline City Apparel. City suffers from dysautonomia and POTS as well as heart disease and PTSD. City has no professional training and has never taken a design class, but she has been an artist her entire life. Jacqueline taught herself to sew at just 6 years old and even went as a fashion designer to her 2nd grade "career day." Despite her health challenges, Jacqueline City continued to pursue her art and created Jacqueline City Apparel - a sustainable, vegan clothing line with inclusive sizing and affordable prices, which she deems "the new approach to fashion."
Inclusivity is important to City; her initial launch included women's, men's, unisex, kids and plus sizes up to a 5X. Since JCA's launch in 2019, City has since gone on to be featured in New York Fashion Week and British Vogue. City was recently honored by Marquis "Who's Who in America" list for 2021-2022 for her dedication to the future of fashion and her charitable works advocating for the disabled community. Jacqueline City's greatest passion lies in mentoring young women to go after their dreams and inspiring people through public speaking and sharing her story of hope and recovery.
Love Disorder’s mission is to inform society about mental health issues while teaching how to become aware & accepting of the disorders challenging the world today. Love Disorder is about understanding the disorders we may have and learning how to live with them. We should accept everyone for who they are. Help us make the world more aware by wearing the message.
Svetlana Chernienko is a Canadian-American Mental Health advocate, activist, TV news contributor, and sits at the head of Welcome To My Everyday - A Mental Health Non profit organization founded by Svetlana herself. She is also the CEO and founder of WU-SAH, her latest project. As of this year, Svetlana will be working on her eco-sustainable line, WU-SAH, publishing her books around mental health, and striving to reach a bigger audience to shed as much light on Mental Health Awareness as she possibly can.
Adorn Your Clothes© is a place that allows you to love and adorn your clothes however you like. We hope as you adorn and reinvent your clothes, you will cherish it in your wardrobe longer, send less clothes to landfills, and stop global warming together.
LadyCat is a design house that was officially established in 2019 by indie designer, Alexandra Nyman, and is a NYC based brand. In February 2019, LadyCat launched their first ready-wear collection, Therapy. The inspiration for Therapy came from Nyman’s younger brother and his mental health journey since his diagnosis with bipolar disorder type 1. In an interview Nyman went on to explain that, “[my brother] is my driving force and main inspiration in all I do. I wanted this collection to inspire others to seek help and to take their mental health seriously.”
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The OFFICIAL AFTER-PARTY
Break Free NYFW - February 14th, 2022 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm ET
LOCATION: 9 West 8th Street at Ideal Glass Studios
Mention “LADYCAT” at the door to get FREE ADMISSION
MUST SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION, Entrance is not guaranteed if you arrive late as space is limited.
Get to know our Models, Designers, Influencers, & the Break Free NYFW team as we celebrate another successful season. Mocktails will be served for all.
The Mocktail bar is sponsored by Lyre's Spirits, with mocktails provided by Curious Elixors, Fever Tree, Weller, CLEAN Cause, and Lyre's.
Music for the after party is being provided by DJ Hanzi of Reprieve.
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Press Passes are available upon request and will admit you free access to the runway show and after party. You will need to prove your credentials to qualify for a press pass to this event.
Contact Eve at [email protected] with your name, publication, and samples of your work for consideration to be issued a press pass.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Ideal Glass Studios, 9 West 8th Street, New York, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 150.00