the 9th annual prevention meets fashion condom fashion show brings sexual health awareness to philadelphia

At ONE®, we believe safer sex education should be accessible, engaging, and sometimes even a little glamorous. That’s why we’re proud to continue our ongoing partnership with Prevention Meets Fashion (PMF) as part of our ONE® Project Condom program. By combining condoms with fashion and sex education, PMF transforms public health advocacy into runway activism that is as impactful as it is creative.

This year marked the ninth Annual Condom Fashion Show and Education Event hosted at the Braid Mill in Philadelphia and was held during Black History Month, National Condom Month, and Teen Dating Awareness Month (TDVAM). The event brought together youth designers, community advocates, and public health supporters to raise awareness around HIV prevention, sexual health education, and condom accessibility.

Founded by Nhakia Outland, MSW, SIFI, CSE, Prevention Meets Fashion launched in 2018 to raise sexual health awareness among youth and help destigmatize condoms through art and fashion. Since then, the organization has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, using innovative programming to educate and empower Black and LGBTQ+ communities.

This year's theme, “In The News,” highlighted current events and policy issues impacting sex education. Designers used their garments to explore topics such as:

• Gender stereotypes

• Access to contraception

• Condom use

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

• The ongoing lack of comprehensive sex education

The event also addressed public health concerns surrounding sex education. According to the SIECUS U.S. Sex Ed Report Card, Pennsylvania received a C grade for sex education and an overall grade of D+, highlighting gaps in comprehensive sex education across the state. All the while, Philadelphia continues to face some of the highest sexually transmitted infections (STIs). According to national health data, there are more than 20 million new STI cases in the United States each year, with nearly half occurring  among people ages 15-24 – highlighting the importance of accessible and accurate sexual health education for young people.

The designers in this show were primarily youth between the ages of 14-26 that were hand-selected through an application process. Each look reflected the “In the News” theme – real-world conversations happening across the country demonstrating how fashion can be used to tell powerful stories about sexual health, access, and education. Designers worked both individually and in teams, incorporating approximately 50–75% of the donated condoms directly into the garments, showcasing the creativity and innovation behind condom couture. 

As a longtime partner, ONE® Condoms supported this year’s show by donating condoms and prevention resources used in both the runway designs and community education efforts. In addition to the runway show, the event featured an educational resource area where attendees could build their own safer sex kit and gain hands-on experience with sexual health products. The kits featured ONE® Flex® condoms, our newest condom innovation. Flex is enhanced with the wonder material graphene, creating a next-gen condom material that is super thin, flexible, and features 85% better body heat transfer than standard latex. ONE® also provided custom co-branded condom carrying cases featuring the ONE and Prevention Meets Fashion logo, giving participants the tools and information to confidently carry their condoms in style. Fun fact: You can design your own condom carrying case, here. 

Over the years, ONE® has proudly collaborated with Prevention Meets Fashion (PMF) to bring Project Condom fashion shows to life, transforming fashion into a platform for safer sex advocacy. Our ongoing partnership has helped highlight the creativity of youth and young adult designers, showcasing wearable art and avant-garde latex designs on the runway. 

From product support to community storytelling, this collaboration continues to demonstrate how creative partnerships can amplify sexual health awareness. You can explore some of our past collaborations and event highlights with Prevention Meets Fashion here:

• ONE® x Prevention Meets Fashion, Inc.

• ONE® Partners with Prevention Meets Fashion for Condom Fashion Show 

• ONE® Condoms Partners with Prevention Meets Fashion for 8th Annual Condom Fashion Show

The night concluded with a powerful runway performance featuring an all-Black modeling group from Widener University, bringing energy, representation, and celebration to the stage.

Events like the Prevention Meets Fashion’s annual Condom Fashion Show demonstrate how creative approaches like fashion, art,  storytelling can spark meaningful sexual health conversations and help empower the local Philadelphia community.

Reflecting on her work, Nhakia shares:

“I truly believe that we need to look beyond the traditional medical and therapy spaces, theories and interventions that have and continue to pathologize BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities in prevention services and look at creative mediums. My passion for sexual health and wellness, fashion, prevention and using creativity to engage and bring historically excluded communities into prevention conversations is Prevention Meets Fashion! It’s time that we take a creative approach to sexual health. We have tried medical and behavioral models and they have very little impact due to misogyny, racism, homophobia and transphobia. People are tired of being a number and want to be seen as whole human beings- a human being that makes mistakes, needs help or guidance from time to time, and who deserves to learn about sex and sexuality that is sex-positive, pleasure-focused and doesn’t always lead with risks.”

Through creative partnerships, innovative programming, and interactive education,  Prevention Meets Fashion is empowering communities in Philadelphia with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to take charge of their sexual health, relationships, and overall well-being. By turning education into a hands-on visually striking experience, PMF demonstrates that learning about sexual health can be both impactful and unforgettable. 

This partnership is also part of ONE® Project Condom, a program launched by ONE® Condoms in 2008 that helps organizations, student groups, and individuals host condom fashion shows in their community. Learn more about Project Condom and apply to host an event.