The Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin’s signature fundraiser, Art Bra is one of the most energizing events you can attend in Austin. I have attended this event for many years, and each year attendance gets bigger and the designs get more refined. Austin designers are now working with models to create the best design possible. Austin designer Kendra Scott’s design went for auction and the bid was for $2750 and another design garnered more than $4,000! Austin designer Ilonka SP helped design a beautiful black and lace piece, very similar to her Austin Fashion Week design for her mash up team. In all the tally from the runway auction was more than $10,000.
The runway show featured an eclectic collection of bras, decorated and paired with all the other accessories to complete a total look. Each model as greeted with cheers from family and friends. Some of the names of the looks were as fun as the design, such as The Rack and Man’s Breast Friend. Each bra and ensemble were all modeled by breast cancer survivors and from my perch on the second floor of the Austin Music Hall, it was certainly an amazing showing of diversity, strength and courage. Inspiring.
I spoke to survivor, Michelle Martinez, and a floor model who was working the crowd and she shared with me that she found her breast cancer from just noticing that her breasts appeared “different”. She has been cancer free since February.
Models for the show were: MaryAlice Andrado-Tello, Ricci Burbank, Darla Burns, Mindy Byron, Deborah Carroll, Belinda Clark and dog Rusty, Diane Coleman, Georgia Coleman, Roxxane Collins, Janelle Comiskey, Ruby Cortez, Allison Cummings, Casey Damen, Christina Duhon, melanie Foster, Elisa Graves, Trisha Greenway, Jasmine Guha-Castle, Beth Hallmark, Amanda Halm, Ristin Riggs Hampsten, Julia Hix, Sheree Huntley, Martha Ilger, Val Jones, Kelli Konopczyk, Suzanne Kosarek, Courtney Lasater, Misty Lindholm, Maria Mabra, Debi Martin, Shauna Martin, Jana McClusky, Kristie McFarling, Lisa McVey, Donna Mercer, Debbie Baladad Miles, Patricia Messer, Jean Mishler, Barbara Misle-Freund, Kendra Monk, Christina Morgan, Arati Moses, Jessica Nieri, Tammy Notley, Jenny Peterson, Lana Fraley Rich, Jenifer Salas, Valerie Schwarzwaelder, Michelle Sharer-Clanton, Cathy Shoemaker, Bridgette Stahlman, Colleen Urry, Lisa Viets, Gayle Wismar.
Click Here to see the entire picture gallery of these brave and inspiring women.