Fashion for Breast Cancer

A new collaboration between breast cancer survivors and an Irish design company aims to raise funds to help support those with the disease. The Embrace is a limited edition t-shirt for a great cause… and available now.

Muireann O’Connell with Gillian Henderson and Jill Deerling

A new limited edition t-shirt in support of breast cancer is being launched this International Women’s Day. The idea was inspired by Breast Cancer Ireland Ambassador and cancer survivor Paula McLean. This first collaboration is with Irish design duo Jill & Gill but is part of a wider Style Unravels Breast Cancer (SUBC) initiative. All funds raised from the sale of the limited run of 500 SUBC x Jill & Gill T-shirts will go to Breast Cancer Ireland to support their work. 

Paula explained:  “This inaugural campaign is a very special one. In collaboration with Jill & Gill, I wanted to create, not just a fashionable piece, but a style staple that would act as a means of creating conversations amongst women of all ages about the importance of being breast aware.” 

The idea for the t-shirt design was created, she says, when “five incredibly strong women, and fellow Breast Cancer Ireland Ambassadors, came together and shared their brave and powerful stories around their diagnoses.” Gill & Gill then captured the essence of their stories in creating ‘The Embrace’ design.

Jill Deering, Paula McLean and Gillian Henderson

(From left)

Jill & Gill’s Gillian Henderson speaking about the collaboration said: “As designers we tell stories visually. When Paula approached us to create artwork for a design to raise funds for Breast Cancer Ireland we knew that whatever we created needed to speak to everyone, not just to those women that have experienced this disease.”

“ Most importantly, the concept of ‘The Embrace’ came from the raw and honest discussions about how a hug became far greater than a simple embrace – each hug became tighter and longer, largely because of the fear of leaving loved ones, children, parents and partners – an embrace that came to mean so much more,” she says.

Over 3000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer and CEO of Breast Cancer Ireland, Aisling Hurley welcome the fundraising initiative: “This is a wonderful, creative and much welcomed initiative, through which vital funds will be raised, allowing us to continue our work with the very best cancer research experts in the world with a view to developing newer, more effective drug therapies ensuring greater survival rates amongst patients, ultimately realising our goal of transforming this disease into a long-term treatable illness.”

Each limited edition SUBC x Jill & Gill T-shirt is sustainably sourced and ethically made using 100% organic cotton all proceeds going to Breast Cancer Ireland, price of €50 exclusively available for pre-order at styleunravelsbreastcancer.com