New York Fashion Week goes pink for Planned Parenthood
New York Fashion Week kicked off on Thursday, and this year it’s drawing attention to more than just the designs on the runway.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has been distributing magnetic pink pins to support an initiative that raises awareness for Planned Parenthood. The pins say “Fashion Stands with Planned Parenthood” and feature the organization’s logo. Each button comes with a card explaining facts about Planned Parenthood’s mission and ways to get involved.
“Planned Parenthood’s millions of supporters, including the CFDA, are mobilizing to protect access to reproductive health and rights for everyone, including the 2.5 million patients we serve,” Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement.
So far, more than 40 designers are supporting the pink pin, including Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Spade New York, Tory Burch and Proenza Schouler.
The CFDA has been encouraging designers, modeling agencies, PR agencies and guests of New York Fashion Week to wear the pins and promote the message on social media with the hashtag #IStandwithPP.
“By creating a visually engaging and fashionable pin, we hope to create an organic social media movement promoting awareness and education,” said designer Tracy Reese, the CFDA board member leading the campaign.
The campaign is part of the fashion group’s “civic responsibility,” said CFDA president and CEO Steven Kolb.
The fashion designers’ campaign follows the Women’s March on Washington and a surge of activism in response to plans by the Trump administration to cut funding for Planned Parenthood and repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Fashion designers Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford have also taken a political stance in recent months by publicly refusing to dress the first lady. But their view is not universal in the industry; without commenting on politics, designer Carolina Herrera said she’d consider it an honor to outfit Melania Trump.
New York Fashion Week runs from Feb. 9 through Feb. 16.
