We are urging visitors to Field Days next week to bring along any unwanted bras (underwire or otherwise).
CEO, Sweet Louise, Fiona Hatton said of their unorthodox request of Field Days visitors; “We are aiming to collect 570 preloved bras.”
Each bra will represent one of Sweet Louise’s current 570 members spread throughout New Zealand which range in age from mid twenties through to late eighties.
The Sweet Louise team are planning on creating a giant chandelier using the bras to shine a light on incurable breast cancer. The work of art will be unveiled in Auckland in the lead up to NZ Fashion Week and those who donate their bra will go into the draw to win two front row seats at a designer show at NZ Fashion Week.
Hatton is hoping that the expected haul of bras of all shapes, sizes, colours and styles will represent the diversity of New Zealanders who are impacted by incurable breast cancer. “We wanted to create a piece of art that becomes a conversation starter, something visual that would remind people that incurable breast cancer is not about statistics – it is about real people and their families and their unique hopes and dreams.”
An estimated 600 New Zealanders each year are delivered the devastating news that they have incurable breast cancer. Sweet Louise touches the lives of over 90% of them and relies solely on donations as it receives no government funding.
Visitors to Field Days can drop their donated bras to the Sweet Louise site which is part of the Health Hub space.
Donated bras will be displayed on fence wire at the site in a nod to the popular Wanaka fence line of bras.
Hatton added; “We don’t care what condition the bras are in, as like us, they all have an authentic story to tell.”
Visitors who arrive at field days without a bra in hand can still help Sweet Louise with a cash donation.