(Filed Under Fashion News). In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Wacoal kicked off its biannual Fit For The Cure fundraiser at Bloomingdale's 59th Street flagship Thursday.

The two-day event, which Wacoal holds at each of its major department store retailers, including Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue, provided women with free bra fittings and information about breast cancer from Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Wacoal donated $2 to the foundation for every woman who signed up for a fitting, and two more for every purchase of a Wacoal, Donna Karan or DNKY bra (the latter two are made by Wacoal through a licensing agreement).

Fit For The Cure hits its 10th anniversary next year. By the end of this season, it will have raised nearly $2 million for Komen, fueled by a boom in the last few years, said Gail Oliver, Northeast regional consultant manager for Wacoal. Each season, regardless of sales, Wacoal guarantees about $250,000 in donations, she said.

"It took us the first six years to raise $1 million, but in the last two or so years we've raised another million - it's been great," Oliver said.

The drab economy appeared irrelevant in the intimate apparel department at Bloomingdale's Thursday. By 2 p.m., about 60 women had participated in fittings, and 250 were pre-registered to get a fitting by the end of the day, said Wacoal consultant Larisa Elyash.

Women were flowing steadily through the fitting area, asking questions, noshing on pink frosted graham crackers and picking up Wacoal key chains shaped like pink boxing gloves printed with the clever "Fi(gh)t For The Cure." A model wearing a set from the new Wacoal Luxe collection wandered through the department with a pair of real boxing gloves around her neck.

Wacoal's goal was to sell 250 of its brands' bras each day of the event, and it was "well on its way" as of Thursday afternoon, Elyash said. Wacoal spread the word through advertising in major media, including The New York Times.

"It's the best-selling bra on the floor [at Bloomingdale's]," Elyash said. "People buy it because of its great fit."

Yesenia Durand, a certified bra fitter at Bloomingdale's, agreed that Wacoal is the best-selling brand on the floor, followed closely by Calvin Klein. She also agreed with the frequently cited statistic that most women are wearing the wrong-sized bra.

"Almost everyone that comes in is wearing the wrong size," Durand said.

The most common bra problems among Bloomingdale's intimates customers, who Durand described as "not really young, but definitely not old," are too-small cups and two-large bands. This is especially common among larger-chested women, she said.

Women who shop Wacoal especially look for minimizing bras, she said.

"They want more control, more coverage," she said. "And, of course, Wacoal's great for fit."

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Published 10-20-2008 by Raquel Christie