For Immediate Release:

October 8, 2013

Fashion Forward to End Violence Against Women

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Eco Fashion Week seventh edition highlights community, sustainable, and socially progressive enterprise My Sister’s Closet second hand store run by Vancouver’s Battered Women’s Support Services.

Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) takes on its third appearance at Eco Fashion Week (EFW), orchestrating a provocative program for the runway at Robson Square, October 9th at 6 pm. Billed as “Fearless,” their collection is a platform for vintage and thrift fashion teamed with an honest, candid discussion of violence against women.

“As the third-most environmentally damaging industry on the planet, the $300 billion global fashion industry leaves a large waste footprint. As one of the most pressing social issues of our time, violence against women is endemic, an epidemic and continues unabated. We must take every opportunity to engage our community to take action to address these global concerns through local solutions” says BWSS Executive Director Angela Marie MacDougall.

My Sister’s Closet was first opened in the 1990s as a means to connect with community —providing free clothing to women and families escaping domestic violence, unable to return home and needing to start anew— and helping to support the organization’s counselling, violence prevention programming and advocacy activities. Today proceeds from sales go to fund BWSS Youth Ending Violence prevention program and Women’s Safety and Outreach, a mobile response for women victims of physical and sexual violence living in Vancouver Downtown Eastside.

Wednesday evening runway show “Fearless” was curated by nine women, including two artisans who have designed unique pieces for the event, and features the thrift and vintage clothing donated by members of the community.

“Just because it’s thrift, doesn’t mean you have to give up quality or beauty, we are all becoming much more aware and My Sister’s Closet joins the ever expanding number of thrift and vintage shops opening throughout Vancouver.” says My Sister’s Closet Manager Samantha Kearney.

With over 25,000 reported incidents of violence against women in one year alone, BC carries the reputation of having the third highest rate of reported violence in Canada. This grim statistic speaks to the urgent need for organizations like the BWSS and projects like My Sister’s Closet, both in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia.

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For more information:

Angela Marie MacDougall

Executive Director, Battered Women’s Support Services

Tel. (604) 808 0507

E-mail: director@bwss.org

My Sister’s Closet is a thrift boutique with women and men’s clothing and local women artisans’ designs. All proceeds from My Sister’s Closet go to funding BWSS services and programs for girls and women who have experienced violence.

My Sister’s Closet is located at 1092 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC.

Battered Women’s Support Services established in 1979 with the goal of the elimination of gender violence. They provide crisis intervention, support groups, counselling along with training and education programs responding to over 10,000 direct service requests annually.

Please visit below links for more details about My Sister’s Closet:

My Sister’s Closet at Eco Fashion Week 7th Edition: http://ecofashion-week.com/designers/07/mysisterscloset.html

My Sister’s Closet, a social enterprise of Battered Women’s Support Services: https://www.bwss.org/support/programs/social-enterprise/my-sisters-closet/

Tickets for Eco Fashion Week 7th Edition are available here: http://ticketstonight.ca/includes/events/index.cfm?action=displayDetail&eventid=8290