On Sunday, October 6th, the Break Free Foundation will host its seventh fashion showcase, Recovery on the Runway, an immersive event highlighting the intersection of fashion, mental health, and recovery. This year’s show, held at DCTV, located at 87 Lafayette Street in New York City. This season’s show promises to be an unforgettable evening featuring live entertainment, cutting-edge fashion, and powerful messages of hope and resilience.
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Doors open at 5 PM with mocktails provided to all guests served by Michael Toscano of Pathfinder, followed by the much-anticipated fashion show at 6 PM. The showcase brings together an array of inspiring designers, including NYFW legend Ana Ono, Thistle and Spire, Andie Swim, Dmarxx Designs, BOLD Swim, Chablis Designs featuring Just Us Teenz, and Project Runway’s Nancy Volpe Beringer, who will present their latest collections. These designers share a commitment to promoting inclusivity, mental health awareness, and breaking the stigma surrounding substance use and co-occurring disorders within the fashion industry and beyond.
At Recovery on the Runway, fashion is more than just clothing; it’s a vehicle for change. Designers like Devan Markiewicz of Dmarxx Designs infuses her personal recovery journey into her work. Dmarxx’s hand-crafted leather bags are a testament to creativity as a tool for healing, and Devan’s sobriety story is interwoven into each piece. Or like BOLD Swim founded by Tiffany Asamoah who challenges conventional beauty standards, creating timeless swimwear that empowers women to feel confident in their own skin.
Or like renowned Project Runway finalist Nancy Volpe Beringer who will showcase her innovative, sustainable designs, continuing her mission to advocate for inclusivity and adaptability in fashion. Her pieces, born from a desire to amplify unheard voices in the fashion world, prove that fashion can be both impactful and environmentally conscious.
This season’s runway show is made even more meaningful by Break Free’s partnership with Flat Out Love, a nonprofit organization supporting breast cancer survivors who choose to live without breast reconstruction following a single or double mastectomy. A majority of the models walking the runway will be members of Flat Out Love, demonstrating the beauty and strength of living flat. October, recognized as both Sober October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is the perfect time to celebrate both recovery and resiliency.
Proceeds from this year’s showcase will be split between the Break Free Foundation and Flat Out Love, two organizations committed to supporting individuals on their paths to recovery—whether from substance use, co-occurring disorders, mental health, or breast cancer.
At Break Free, recovery extends far beyond substance use. We believe recovery is for everyone—whether you’re overcoming mental health challenges, risky behaviors, disordered eating, trauma, or you are a breast cancer survivor. Recovery on the Runway challenges the fashion industry to embrace and celebrate all forms of recovery, offering a platform for voices that are often unheard.
In celebration of National Recovery Month, we are offering $5 off tickets with the code RECOVERYMONTH. If you are in recovery and cannot afford to attend, please email [email protected] to request complimentary access.
Break Free Foundation: Dedicated to helping individuals and families living with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders by providing scholarships to those seeking recovery treatment.
Flat Out Love: Empowering individuals who have chosen to live flat after breast amputation, promoting body acceptance and mental health after breast cancer.
This event is supported by Clean Cause, Pathfinder, The Sober Curator, NAMI NYC, and Sober is the New Cool, organizations committed to advocating for sobriety, mental health awareness, and support for those in recovery.
Join us for a night where fashion, mental health, and recovery intersect, and witness firsthand the transformative power of storytelling on the runway. Together, we are breaking barriers, ending stigma, and celebrating life after recovery.
For press inquiries or more information about Recovery on the Runway, please contact: [email protected].
Please note, this article includes mentions of mental health and substance use disorders. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to a trusted healthcare professional or call 988.
