Breast cancer awareness continues to be a cause close to the hearts of many including the eyewear world. THE EYEWEAR DESIGNERS OF THE COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA (edCFDA) is the latest to join the fight against the disease, uniting to create “Frames For a Cause,” a special capsule collection of eyewear benefitting Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC), the charitable initiative of the CFDA Foundation that raises funds and public awareness for breast cancer in the U.S. and worldwide.

The participating CFDA eyewear designers are: Robert Marc (1); Patty Perreira for Barton Perreira (2); Blake Kuwahara (3); Daniel Silberman for Illesteva (4); Grant Krajecki and Natalie Levy for Grey Ant (5); Jeff Press for Morgenthal Frederics (6); Christian Roth (7); Shane Baum for Leisure Society (8); Selima Salaun for Selima Optique (9); and Barbara McReynolds and Gai Gherardi for l.a.Eyeworks (10). Each designer commissioned a special frame inspired by FTBC’s blue and white circular symbol. Initated by Ralph Lauren and subsequently entrusted to the CFDA Foundation, the FTBC name and symbol debuted in spring 1994 during New York Fashion Week and formally launched later that year at a special White House reception hosted by former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Nina Hyde Center for Breast Health at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University medical center was chosen as beneficiary at Ralph Lauren’s request, in memory of his friend Nina Hyde, former fashion editor of the Washington Post, who died of breast cancer in 1990.

“In today’s times when charitable efforts are needed more than ever, I am very proud that the edCFDA committee brought together 10 CFDA eyewear designers to create a collective capsule collection to benefit Fashion Targets Breast Cancer,” says edCFDA spokesperson Christian Roth. The Frames for a Cause collection debuted at Vision Expo East and is available in fine optical and fashion stores beginning this month.

–Christine Yeh