Last Wednesday, inside the Glasshouse at Bryant Park, Gilead Sciences hosted All The Feelings, a deeply personal and visually striking health awareness campaign. Created to spotlight Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), which is a rare, chronic autoimmune liver disease, the event merged storytelling, fashion, and community.
The space was thoughtfully lit and curated, and the room featured emotional quotes lining the walls and a runway set for something far more intimate than just clothes. At the center was a custom collection designed by Project Runway alum Mondo Guerra, who translated the real-life experiences of people living with PBC into tactile, expressive garments.
“I used itchy and textured fabrics intentionally,” Mondo shared. “PBC causes intense skin itching, and I wanted the designs to express that reality. It’s not just about how the clothes look, it’s about how they feel and what they represent.” One of those stories belonged to Carrington, a beauty influencer and PBC advocate. “Before my diagnosis, I was always the fashion girl,” she said during the panel. “But when the symptoms hit, I couldn’t even wear clothes comfortably. It touched every part of my life.” Seeing her story walk the runway, interpreted into design, brought a wave of emotion. “Invisible doesn’t mean weak,” she added. “I had to turn that into my power.”
Another standout voice from the morning was Jenny, a longtime PBC patient and caregiver. She described the emotional rollercoaster that followed her diagnosis, including grief, anger, and fear. “I thought my life might be cut short. I thought I wouldn’t see my kids grow up,” she said. “But I realized I had a choice. I could stay in that place or fight to find meaning.” Jenny credited a simple but powerful practice for helping her shift her mindset: gratitude. After breaking down in a doctor’s appointment, she was encouraged to start a gratitude list. “Now, even on the hard days, I write what I’m thankful for, like my sister, my husband, my pets. It brings me back to what matters.” That moment of vulnerability became part of the event itself, inspiring the creation of a custom gratitude journal gifted to attendees.
This journal isn’t just swag,” Mondo said. “It’s a tool for reflection, advocacy, and staying grounded.”
Credit: Tina Sokolovska
Beyond the fashion and storytelling, the event addressed one of the most damaging misconceptions in medicine. Dr. Tamar Taddei, a liver specialist, spoke about how outdated stereotypes have led to missed or delayed diagnoses. “This isn’t just a disease that affects middle-aged white women,” she said. “I’ve diagnosed Black women, Caribbean women, Asian women, and men. When we only look for PBC in a narrow box, we miss it in real people.”
She also emphasized that PBC is far from symptomless. “The fatigue, the itching, the emotional exhaustion, which are real, common, and often dismissed. As healthcare providers, we need to take the time to ask and really listen.”
That message was echoed again and again throughout the morning. When Carrington met the model wearing the look inspired by her story, it was an emotional moment. “The second I saw her, I said, ‘You must be mine,’” she said with a laugh. “We just hugged. There was this energy. She wasn’t just modeling the clothes, she was carrying my story.” As the event wrapped and the room began to empty, the weight of what had been shared lingered. All The Feelings didn’t just raise awareness. It reframed the narrative through fashion and authenticity, and it made clear that people living with PBC are not invisible. They are vibrant, resilient, and worthy of being seen.
