In July 2018, one month after my daughter was born, I was diagnosed with grade 3, stage 3 breast cancer. I was 30 years young.
That June I started aggressive chemotherapy and in November I had a full single mastectomy followed by radiation. By mid 2019 the cancer was gone, I was finally feeling better and my hair was growing back.
One day I was getting dressed for an art event. Dress after dress, my frustration was building, as everything I put on looked totally awkward. I ended up stuffing a prosthetic in my bra with some double sided tape and felt so uncomfortable the entire event. Anyone who has ever worn a prosthetic knows they are hot and heavy and you never really feel secure about the positioning. Definitely don't wear anything showing cleavage at all.
When I got home I started looking online for clothes designs for women who are like me, lopsided. 🙂
Everything in the "adaptive fashion" market was designed for utility: medical-grade, beige, hiding. I didn't want to hide. I wanted to feel beautiful.
I looked at the clothes I'd been improvising and realized: women like me don't need sympathy clothing. We need fashion. Real fashion. Sexy fashion. Fashion that turns asymmetry into a design statement instead of something to conceal.
That's Audacia. We design for women who've had a single mastectomy and chose to stay flat. Our one-shoulder silhouettes, asymmetrical cuts, and bold prints aren't compromises—they're deliberate design choices that make a woman feel incredible walking into a room.
What makes Audacia different: we're integrating my paintings into our textile prints. Giving the option for each piece to be wearable art.
— Dusty Wideman
Founder, Audacia