ANAONO

Dana Donofree (B.F.A Fashion Design, 2003) is a 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

          The day before Dana Donofree’s 28th birthday, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her whole life was in front of her, she was a college graduate, soon to be married, and the likes of Christina Aguilera and Avril Lavigne had worn her designs. Breast cancer came opposing all the good she had built in her life.

          From a young age, Donofree wanted to be a fashion designer. But she also wanted to be an astronaut. And a dancer on Broadway. It was ultimately during high school when she won a congressional art show that fueled her with the validation and courage she needed to pursue her “deep stomach dream” of being a fashion designer. Coming to SCAD, she found that it would combine three essential elements: what she was good at, what was paid well, and what she loved.

          In 2003 she graduated SCAD Magna Cum Laude with a daring all red senior collection titled “Cultivate a White Rose” in her portfolio. She flew out to New York without a job lined up and fiercely applied to job after job -- all while paying $1000 a month rent. There was rejection. A lot of it. Eventually she started designing at companies like Chico’s and White House Black Market. It was hard. It wasn’t her dream. But she kept working and doing a good job, and soon enough she was designing red carpet for a high end line. Somewhere along the way she ended up doing production for a company that distributed to Walmart, designing children’s socks and accessories, doubling the financial success of the company from $15 million to $30 million.

          To be so young and successful and then to be diagnosed with cancer could knock anyone down. Donofree wouldn’t let it get in her way.  She kept working and staying busy, adjusting to the new frustrations of life. Breast cancer is physically exhausting and she felt continually bored with the bra options for women with breast cancer; this called her to action. She had the knowledge from school. She had a new problem that was needing a solution- not just for her but the millions of women out there who struggle to feel beautiful and confident each day with breast cancer.

          To wake up each morning and have that intimate feeling of strength and confidence was something that had been missing from their lives for so long, and AnaOno bras returned it. Dana Donofree took the intimidating leap of starting an intimate’s line, leading life with purpose and newfound strength. 

          Donofree has been cancer free for five years.