WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - A North Carolina woman is working with her daughters to start difficult conversations about domestic violence through fashion.
Angel Fant created the "Surviving Angel" collection, featuring pieces like a long, white dress with a woman's outline on the front.
"This one was inspired by my prom dress," Fant said.
Her collection traveled with her to Paris for Fashion Week just days ago.
“It was great, I would do it again, and again, and again a whole bunch of times," she said with a laugh.
Fant and her daughters run the fashion line No Punching Bag from their Winston-Salem home.
She said the business is the product of a conversation she had with her daughters years ago.
“We wanted to make a difference with domestic violence awareness and we felt it was a conversation that was really uncomfortable for people to talk about. So we were like, ‘Let’s do something indirect, something we like to do,' and what we’re good at is art,” she said.
She said when they received an invitation to show a collection with Flying Solo, a group of New York-based designers, they jumped at the chance.
“[We] raised the money that we needed, which was $5,000, in four days,” she said.
The line features purple fabrics, the color used for domestic violence awareness, as well as strong women figures from history.
Fant, a survivor of domestic violence, said she didn't start telling her story until creating the line.
“I think it’s important that my story counts and everybody’s story counts no matter what it is,” she said. “I lived through this, I’m living through this. It’s not the easiest situation to be a survivor of domestic violence.”
Fant also speaks to school groups about dating violence and partners with other local organizations to help survivors of abuse.
