NATIONAL: Discount department store Target is unlikely to spearhead the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) campaign next year, after organisers reaffirmed their commitment to a new format involving more retailers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) enlisted the support of high street womenswear labels Peep Toe, Cue, Metalicus and Seafolly for its 2010 fundraising program. Each brand has created a series of specially branded products to sell through retail stores, with 25 per cent of profits going towards cancer research.
This followed a high-end designer focus for FTBC last year, with Akira Isogawa, sass & bide, Easton Pearson, Willow and Collette Dinnigan enlisting in the 2009 campaign.
NBCF chief executive Sue Murray said the new retailer-focused approach was designed to take the program to a broader spectrum of consumers.
“We looked at brands which were highly accessible to the Australian public,” she said.
“Ones that had good fashion credentials but also had good reach through their own retail network or through distribution in other retail avenues.”
The campaign was launched in Australia in 1997 and the following year a FTBC t-shirt was released into Myer stores to be sold to raise funds. In 2001, Target became the official retail partner, with FTBC products sold in its stores for three months of each year.
In 2008 it celebrated its tenth year with the Alex Perry show at Sydney Fashion Festival, before shifting to the designer focus in 2009.
This year the retailers were asked to design a collection of products with a black and white theme. Murray said the colour palette model had proven successful for the campaign in the UK over its last two installments.
Peep Toe Shoes created a black and white high heel, ballet flat, purse and bracelet. Cue designed three t-shirts and Seafolly did a range of bikinis and one-piece swimsuits. The brands are supported by the NBCF with store signage, online marketing and swing tags to help educate consumers about the initiative.
Next year, Murray would like to see even more retailers from the fashion sector involved.
"We want the other retailers to see the leadership from these retailers and to see the success that they draw from their participation," she said.
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer was established in 1994 in the US by the Council of Fashion Designers and is now held in around 13 countries. The current Australian campaign will run until the end of 2010.
Melinda Oliver