Turning the “zipper” scar left by heart surgery into a symbol for the Belgian Heart League.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women. Yet it remains too often overlooked, underdiagnosed and treated too late.

To remind women that we are all concerned, the Belgian Heart League and The Crew launched Women’s Hearts, a campaign built around an unexpected symbol: the “zipper” scar left by heart surgery.

At the heart of the campaign is a meaningful sweatshirt, created with Valentine Witmeur and Olivia Borlée from Ovale Creative. Its zipper runs down the centre of the chest, making visible the scars, both visible and invisible, left by cardiovascular disease.

On either side, two pockets represent the two halves of the heart. Hidden behind them is a secret pocket, symbolising the heart stories of thousands of women.

Women affected by cardiovascular disease wore the sweatshirt and shared their personal stories in a series of testimonials. Their voices were amplified by around 60 influencers and Belgian personalities, including Laurence Bibot, helping bring women’s cardiovascular health into the public conversation.

The campaign was rolled out across social media, YouTube, hospital screens and outdoor advertising, supported by 30,000 educational brochures and a dedicated landing page.

The sweatshirt was initially produced in a limited edition of 200 pieces and sold out within 24 hours. The next two restocks sold out as well. All proceeds support research into cardiovascular disease in women.

In a second phase, Belgian designers will join the movement by contributing pieces featuring a zipper, to be auctioned in support of the Belgian Heart League.

One idea runs through the entire campaign: making the invisible visible.