For Immediate Release
February 13, 2007
World-Renowned Fashion Designer Bradley Bayou Joins Popular Model Emme as Ambassador for National Eating Disorders Association
NEDA to Ring The Opening Bellsm Feb. 14th At New York Stock Exchange
NEDA Celebrates Valentine’s Day Message, ‘We Love Every Body!’
NEW YORK CITY — Feb. 13, 2007 — On the heels of New York’s Fashion Week and in anticipation of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW), world-renowned designer Bradley Bayou and popular model, TV host, author, lecturer and clothing designer Emme are joining with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to ring The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
As NEDA’s 20th annual NEDAW approaches, Feb. 25 – March 3, Bayou and Emme are helping the charity to
celebrate its themes of “Be Comfortable in Your Genes” and, for Valentine’s Day, “We Love Every Body!”
Bayou, a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, is an award-winning fashion designer who, during his time as creative director and head designer for Halston, revived the legendary label to its stature as a world-renowned brand. But he is best known for the couture designs worn by such celebrities as Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, Selma Blair, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Geena Davis, to name a few.
Bayou is also the author of the Science of Sexy, which tells women to “forget fashion models” and instructs them on how to dress for any of 48 body types that encompass women of all sizes and shapes. In January, Bayou and his 27-year-old daughter, Alexis, revealed in People magazine that she battled an eating disorder in her late teens and early twenties, speaking candidly about their experience.
Bayou joins NEDA ambassadors Emme; Paula Abdul (American Idol); Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos); Scarlett Pomers (Reba); actress Tracey Gold; model and producer Carré Otis; and author, lecturer and actionist Jessica Weiner.
WHAT: As his first official act as a NEDA ambassador, world-renowned fashion designer Bradley Bayou will join fellow NEDA ambassador Emme; Dr. Ovidio Bermudez, Chairman of the Board of NEDA; Lynn Grefe, CEO of NEDA; Joel Delmonico, vice president and market manager for Clear Channel Radio in Syracuse, which produced a PSA campaign for NEDA; and Diana Williams, anchor, WABC-TV, to ring The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 8:45 a.m. arrival.
WHERE: New York Stock Exchange, 2 Broad Street (Corner of Wall and Broad streets).
Security checkpoint, photo ID required. Group will be escorted to room 621.
“We are thrilled to have the support of Bradley Bayou,” said Grefe. “His work supports our message of ‘Be comfortable in your genes.’ Bradley’s tenacity and commitment will make an important difference in the fashion and entertainment industries and the fight for healthy sizes. We applaud his willingness to address the health of models suffering from eating disorders and take a fresh look at the message we are sending to young women.”
“As a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, I look forward to more definitive action in monitoring our industry and helping models who need it,” Bayou said. “My own daughter has fought this battle and, I am grateful to say, today she is happy and healthy. Her strength of character and conviction has inspired me to do what I can to save lives. I hope my voice is joined by others.”
Did you know...
- The peak onset of eating disorders occurs during puberty and the late teen/early adult years, but symptoms can occur as young as kindergarten.
- As many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. are battling eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, while millions more suffer from binge eating disorder.
- Eating disorders affect people from all walks of life, including young children, middle-aged women, men and individuals of all races and ethnicities.
- According to the National Institute of Mental Health, eating disorders are serious illnesses with a biological basis modified and influenced by emotional and cultural factors. They are not lifestyle choices.
- Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), headquartered in Seattle, Wash., is a not-for-profit organization advocating prevention, treatment and research funding for eating disorders; expanding public education and awareness; promoting access to quality treatment for those affected; and providing support for their loved ones. Since the inception of its Helpline in 1999, NEDA has referred more than 50,000 people to treatment and tallies more than 40 million hits annually on its Web site.
NEDA’s 20th annual National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW) is Feb. 25 – March 3. NEDAW is the nation’s largest eating disorders outreach effort. During NEDAW, activists across the country partner with NEDA to bring awareness to the seriousness of eating disorders and urge people to Be Comfortable In Your Genes. Wear Jeans That Fit the REAL You. The theme for NEDAW highlights the fact that body size and shape are strongly influenced by biological factors and calls attention to the new discoveries surrounding the role of genetics in the development of eating disorders.
During NEDAW, the Clear Channel Radio/NEDA PSA campaign announced in October will now go national. The campaign features top Hollywood celebrities, some of whom have themselves battled an eating disorder. Recording PSAs were NEDA ambassadors Paula Abdul, Scarlett Pomers and Emme, as well as chart-topping, multi-platinum songstress Wynonna Judd and award-winning, multi-platinum country music star Sara Evans (Dancing With the Stars). The PSA campaign is intended to raise public awareness about eating disorders and how to get help if a listener believes that they, or a friend, may have a problem. Seventeen individual spots will play in rotation and additional spots may be recorded later. Clear Channel Radio is making the PSAs available to its radio stations for airing across the country. Clear Channel Radio serves local communities across the U.S. with more than 110 million listeners choosing Clear Channel Radio programming each week.
# # #
For more information on eating disorders or treatment referrals, visit www.NationalEatingDisorders.org
Or contact NEDA’s live Helpline: 800-931-2237
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (PST)
Contacts: Greenleaf & Associates – 323-660-5800
Vicki Greenleaf – vgleaf@pacbell.net
Karen Brundage – karenbru@pacbell.net
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