BLUE JACKET FASHION SHOW TO DEBUT AT LA FASHION WEEK TO DRIVE NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT RACIAL DISPARITIES AND EQUITY IN MEN’S HEALTH AND PROSTATE CANCER

The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, a runway fashion show that elevates prostate cancer awareness, will host its first-ever Los Angeles (LA) Fashion Week event. Founded by fashion designer Frederick Anderson, the show has hosted eight annual events in New York City. This year will mark the first West Coast show, kicking off LA Fashion Week at 6 pm, Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, at the W Hollywood.

Above: James Aguiar

Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, The Blue Jacket Fashion Show brings top celebrities and media together to spotlight men’s health and prostate cancer awareness among communities of color. The event benefits ZERO Prostate Cancer and supports Johnson & Johnson’s efforts to elevate awareness and raise funding to help improve early detection and accelerate earlier treatment to reduce prostate cancer deaths.

Embracing the local LA community, the show will highlight the impact of prostate cancer on Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander men—for whom it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth-leading cause of death—while continuing to spread awareness among Black and Latino men. Black men are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed and die from prostate cancer than White men.

Designers such as NN07, Arjano Collection, Bonnie Young, Bugatchi, Elle Balleh, Epperson, Magpies & Peacocks, Paisley & Gray, Perry Ellis, Potro, Ruben & Chapelle, The Salting, Stephen-F, Terry Singh, and Urban Zen will reimagine the traditional “blue jacket” that models will wear down the runway. Fashion Group International assisted in curating the brands.

“It’s time for men – especially men of color – to drop the taboo and have conversations about their health and prostate. These conversations with our friends, family, and doctors can help us all live healthier and longer lives,” said fashion designer and founder Anderson. “I’m proud to say that The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, since its inception eight years ago, has sparked these conversations and provided free prostate cancer screening opportunities, with the ultimate goal of saving lives.”

“ZERO Prostate Cancer is proud to be the charity partner of The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, which has enabled us to amplify prostate cancer awareness and disease education so that all men, regardless of race, can benefit from earlier detection and treatment of prostate cancer,” said Sherí Barros, ZERO Prostate Cancer’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. “High-profile events like this play a critical role in encouraging men to speak with their doctors about their health and can bring us closer to eliminating racial disparities and barriers to healthcare in the larger community.”

ZERO Prostate Cancer is committed to ending racial and health disparities in prostate cancer. It plays a crucial role in focusing on education and early detection, clinical trial advocacy, financial assistance, and patient support. Johnson & Johnson will match donations made between now and December 1st, up to $10,000. Visit ZERO Prostate Cancer to learn more and make a donation.