On February 1st, the 8th annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show was held at Moonlight Studios, in New York City. Founded by Laura Miller and Frederick Anderson, the two worked with ZERO Prostate Cancer organization for this year’s show. ZERO is a nonprofit organization for prostate cancer. They believe that health equity should not only be an aspiration, but a necessity. For the past eight years, this event has been sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. Tyrone Brewer is the president of Janssen Oncology, a pharmaceutical company aligned with J&J. He spoke at the fashion event, advocating for more open discussion on such topics. The Blue Jacket fashion show sheds light on the racial disparities between those affected by prostate cancer. This show also touches upon the treatment options, and the telltale signs beforehand. Since 1 in 8 men are usually affected by this disease, this event pushes for audiences to take prostate cancer more seriously.
In line with the show’s theme, the ensemble of models showcased a large array of designs, all playing on the simple concept of a blue jacket. Some of the outfit choices would differ from a light blue plaid blazer paired with dark blue trousers to a bright blue puffer jacket and loose-fitting pants. Many designers joined together to create this year’s Blue Jacket fashion line. This included Tommy Hilfiger, Rubin & Chapelle, Magpies & Peacocks, and Michael Kors. Even Frederick Anderson’s own collection appeared during the show, alongside other designers like Thom Browne, Carlos Campos, and Epperson Studio.
The show’s ‘blue-carpet’ also featured a number of important names wearing their fashion line. From celebrities Billy Porter and Nigel Barker, to broadcasters such as Don Lemon and Carlos Greer, down to artists like Young Paris and Eric West, they had it all. Even so, this stacked modeling lineup didn’t stop there. It also involved celebrities from other backgrounds, like popular faces from entertainment, sports, and fashion, such as J. Harrison Ghee, Marus Samuelsson, Luis A. Miranda Jr., Holly Robinson Peete, and Untitled’s fashion editors Ty-Ron Mayes and Phillip Bloch.
There were multiple viewing parties available across the United States for those unable to attend the Manhattan show. These were all hosted by Fashion Group International, a Blue Jacket fashion partner. Locations including Dallas, Saint Louis, DC, Philadelphia, and South Florida were included in the viewing parties hosted by the FGI, and paired with an FGI fashion designer. The dress code for all was, unsurprisingly, blue jackets!
The Blue Jacket Fashion Show photos by Jeffrey Grossman
