Advertising Agency Tank Worldwide, Canada
Creative Director Pete Hill
Art Director Dilini Nirasha
Insight
Exposure to sunlight can significantly impact individuals living with lupus, often triggering increased disease activity. Symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, weakness, and fever are common. Approximately two-thirds of people with lupus exhibit heightened sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) rays, stemming from both natural sunlight and artificial light sources like fluorescent lighting.
Idea
Introducing a fashion-forward solution: a collection of clothing and accessories crafted with Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) fabrics. This line would be developed in close collaboration with lupus patients, designed to meet their needs for sun protection while offering stylish, confidence-boosting options. The philosophy is simple: Look good, feel good.
Event Proposal: "Butterfly Warriors – UPF Fashion Show"
Benlysta proudly presents a transformative initiative: a fashion show debuting a UPF clothing line tailored for lupus patients with photosensitivity. This event could take place on May 10, in recognition of World Lupus Day.
Benlysta proudly presents a transformative initiative: a fashion show debuting a UPF clothing line tailored for lupus patients with photosensitivity. This event could take place on May 10, in recognition of World Lupus Day.
Key elements of the initiative:
Inclusive Design Process: The clothing line could be designed by a fashion designer with lupus, a designer experienced with the condition, or through collaboration between lupus patients and professional designers.
Empowering Representation: The models walking the runway could be lupus patients themselves, highlighting diversity and celebrating the resilience of people of color (POC). Representation matters as lupus disproportionately affects African American, Hispanic, and Asian women compared to Caucasian women.
Purpose-Driven Innovation: The collection would merge functionality and fashion, ensuring lupus patients feel empowered to live freely and confidently, regardless of their sensitivity to UV rays.
UPF (Ultra Protection Factor) measures the amount of UV radiation that can penetrate fabric and reach your skin. UPF fabrics protect protect against harmful UVA & UVB rays.
Possible Fashion Designers Considered
Milene Hernandez, whose Make-A-Wish was to be a fashion designer
SKYLAR SOARES - ( HLH, Job syndrome, lupus,) designing a fashionable hat line
CLAUDIA CIVIDINO (CEO, Loro Piana North America)
FRANCINE HOUSTON – Award Winning Author, Designer, Lupus Advocate
LATIYA GHOLAR– Designer whose friend had lupus & has designed for ”L is for Lupus”
We also found a New York based fashion designer, Radhika Khanna, who had lupus.
Sadly she passed away in February 2022 of multiple organ failure as a result of her lupus condition
Make a documentary film about tracking down Milene and seeing if she is still into
fashion and being a designer. Should this be the case, the ideal scenario would be to
have Milene design a collection inspired by Radhika’s designs, as a tribute to a life cut
short as a result of this disease.
Radhika’s brother is a Michelin-star level chef and documentary film-maker, and as
such would be the one we would want to help us document this story.