The third annual “Stride for a Cause Fashion Show” will be held Oct. 29 at TPepin's Hospitality Centre in Tampa.

  • Fashion show to support breast cancer survivors
  • "Stride for a Cause Fashion Show" on Oct. 29 in Tampa
  • Clothes made by Bay area designers
  • More information? Call 813-843-2455

This year, the show will not only support breast cancer survivors, but it will also feature clothes made by local designers that assist survivors in healing from lumpectomies and mastectomies.

The idea came from one of the organizers, Marchina Smith. Her mother, Carol Anderson, is celebrating six years of being breast cancer free. After her lumpectomy, she said she struggled finding clothes that fit and had to wear one or two inserts daily. 

"I was really self conscious on how I looked and things,” Anderson said.

Anderson told her daughter to have the designers feature clothes that addressed this challenge.

"She's my everything," said Smith, who is also a model. "To see her have to go through that and be able to bring awareness not only just for me being a child and seeing her go through that but there will be other people who have to stand by their moms and see them go through it as well.”

Markquis Kordale is one of the designers in the show. He's excited to showcase his breast cancer-friendly designs which are a little more loose fitting, allowing a woman to add enhancements if she desires.

"This project was really, really touching to me because so many people are affected and so many people are ignorant to the fact that this is going on,” said Kordale.

Lakeshia Tunstall is another fashion designer in the show. She took a different approach by creating interior pockets in her clothing.

"After looking into the breast cancer world, looking at everything that they do have available, I just noticed that there were only the bras that catered to the visual unevenness, and I just wanted to create pieces that did more, she said.

They’re two of four designers that will be featured in the show.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Entry is free for breast cancer survivors.