The Fatigues to Fabulous™ Campaign Launches at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to Support Women Veterans

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Fashion Industry is using its collective power to help the nearly 2 million women veterans in America by supporting the Fatigues to Fabulous (F2F) campaign.  Many women veterans face serious challenges obtaining housing, employment training as well as continuing psychological and physical healthcare.  For example, 70% of women veterans need VA healthcare, yet only 14% have access.  F2F's mission is to initiate a national dialogue on the issues affecting military women as well as raise funds to support research and services.  

"Fashion is powerful.  It's the zeitgeist that captures American's attention and can influence change unlike any other medium, which is why we are launching Fatigues to Fabulous at Fashion Week," says Ronnie Denn, Executive Producer, Fatigues to Fabulous. "Our women veterans have made significant sacrifices for our country and face serious challenges.  Through fashion, we can raise awareness and important funding."

The show will feature F2F veteran ambassadors dressed by American designers, including: Bill Blass, Calvin Klein, Carmen Marc Valvo, Charlotte Ronson, Donna Karan and the Kardashian Kollection for Sears.  In addition, Amy Oresman, Neutrogena Cosmetics Ambassador and celebrity make-up artist, will create the looks for the F2F tribute fashion show.

The F2F Veteran Ambassadors include:

• Genevieve Chase, an Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom VII, and currently the founding director of American Women Veterans.  Chase will be dressed by HSN
• Jennifer Crane, an Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, and currently a spokesperson for Give an Hour™. Crane will be dressed by CHARLOTTE RONSON
• Christina Dibble, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, and currently in charge of military spouse and veteran hiring at Sears.  Dibble will be dressed by KARDASHIAN KOLLECTION FROM SEARS
• Ann Marie Faison, a 21 year Army veteran who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Kuwait as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom, is currently completing her BS in Social Work at Methodist University Class of 2012 while working full time at Fort Bragg.  Faison will be dressed by CARMEN MARC VALVO
• Sarah Franson, a Navy veteran of the Fighter Squadron 102 (the "Diamondbacks"), and currently an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton.  Franson will be dressed by BILL BLASS
• Serena Hayden, an Army veteran deployed to Iraq with the 3rd Brigade combat team and was awarded the Bronze Star for her service, and currently the Director of Strategic Initiatives for I SUPPORT VETS. Hayden will be dressed by CALVIN KLEIN
• Meredith Smith, a Marine veteran deployed with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-169 (the "Vipers") to Helmand Province Afghanistan, and currently completing a General Surgery residency program.  Smith will be dressed by DONNA KARAN

To celebrate the F2F campaign launch, DKNYC is unveiling a very special commemorative watch featuring military "dog tags" styling that will be worn by each of the F2F veteran ambassadors during the event.  The watch is available now for $ 59.95 exclusively through HSN.com and on HSN September 8, 9 and 11.  For each watch sold, a $10 donation will be made to the campaign's non-profit partners, the Society for Women's Health Research and Give an Hour™. Both organizations are working to help women veterans with the challenges they face transitioning home.

"SWHR is proud to partner with the Fashion Industry in raising awareness for women veterans' issues. Women are returning from deployment with the same injuries and conditions as men – plus some unique ones. There is a significant lack of treatments that adequately account for sex and gender differences among our veterans," said Phyllis Greenberger, MSW, President and CEO, Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR). "Finding the best, evidence-based treatments for women and men can only happen with more funded research. We are launching the F2F campaign to advance the dialogue and raise funds to support that important research."

The F2F campaign is made possible by the significant sponsorship of campaign partners including (in alphabetical order): Booz Allen Hamilton, DKNYC, HSN, IMG Fashion, Neutrogena and Sears.

In addition, generous in-kind support has been provided by (in alphabetical order): American Airlines, Cisco, East Six, Greenroom Salon, Marriott St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne.  

Background Information
About Fatigues to Fabulous™ (F2F)
Fatigues to Fabulous (F2F) Fatigues to Fabulous™ (F2F) is the first national campaign dedicated to raising awareness of the unique issues facing women veterans by tapping into the power of the fashion industry.  Its mission is to begin a national dialogue on the issues affecting military women as well as raise funds to support research and services.  For more information about this campaign, please look for us on Facebook or go to FatiguesToFabulous.com.  You can also follow along on Twitter @Fatigues2fab.  

About Give an Hour
Give an Hour™ is a nonprofit 501(c) (3), founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization's mission is to develop national networks of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. GAH is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of the troops and families affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We provide counseling to individuals, couples and families, and children and adolescents. We offer treatment for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, sexual health and intimacy concerns, and loss and grieving. In addition to direct counseling services, our providers are working to reduce the stigma associated with mental health by participating in and leading education, training, and outreach efforts in schools and communities and around military bases.

About Society for Women's Health Research
The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR), a national non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., is widely recognized as the thought leader in research on sex differences and is dedicated to improving women's health through advocacy, education, and research. SWHR advocates for increased funding for research on women's health, encourages the study of sex differences that may affect the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, promotes the inclusion of women in medical research studies, and informs women, providers, policy makers and media about contemporary women's health issues. SWHR is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization.  SWHR advocates for a greater exploration of the sex-based differences in both the physical and psychological conditions affecting women veterans.

About DKNYC:
Donna Karan International is one of the world's leading fashion design houses.  It designs, markets and distributes collections of apparel, sportswear, accessories and shoes under the Donna Karan and DKNY brand names.  The Company has selectively granted licenses for the manufacture and distribution of beauty and beauty related products, jeanswear, activewear, men's sportswear and furnishings, men's tailored clothing, hosiery, intimate apparel, coats, children's apparel, watches, eyewear and home. Since November 2001, Donna Karan International has been part of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury goods group.

About HSN:
Headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, HSN is a leading interactive multichannel retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to its customers. HSN incorporates entertainment, inspiration, personalities and industry experts to provide an entirely unique shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in Health & Beauty (e.g. Benefit, Carol's Daughter, Coty, Elizabeth Arden, Andrew Lessman, Lancome, My Life Mary J. Blige, Perlier, Serious Skin Care, Shiseido, Signature Club A, Stila, Wei East, ybf Beauty); Jewelry (e.g. Heidi Daus, Iris Apfel, R.J. Graziano, Rarities: Fine Jewelry with Carol Brodie, Amedeo Scognamiglio, Tori Spelling); Home/Lifestyle  (e.g. Jeffrey Banks, Nate Berkus, Bissell, Colin Cowie, Dyson, Easy Exotic by Padma Lakshmi, Todd English, Emeril Lagasse, Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler, Joy Mangano, MoMA Design Store, Wolfgang Puck); Fashion/Accessories  (e.g. American Glamour Badgley Mischka, Joan Boyce, Curations with Stefani Greenfield, Libby Edelman, Sam Edelman, Chi by Carlos Falchi, Diane Gilman, IMAN Global Chic, "Timeless" by Naeem Khan, Twiggy LONDON, Sharif, Serena Williams Signature Statement); and Electronics  (e.g. Sony, Kodak, Acer, Olympus, GE, Panasonic).  

A leader in transactional innovation, HSN is the only retailer offering live streaming video in HD on three screens: TV, online and mobile.  HSN broadcasts live to 96 million households in the U.S. in HD 24/7 and its website – hsn.com – is a top 10 e-commerce site, featuring more than 15,000 product videos.  Mobile applications include HSN apps for iPad, iPhone and Android.  HSN, founded 34 years ago as the first shopping network, is an operating segment of HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI).

SOURCE Fatigues to Fabulous (F2F)