After Beating Breast Cancer, [noun] Collection’s Claire Yellowlees Is Turning Black Friday into “Breast Friday”

WORDS: Ocean Road Editorial Staff PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

After surviving a year-long battle with breast cancer, Australian fragrance founder Claire Yellowlees is relaunching her luxury non-toxic perfume brand, [noun] collection, with a renewed sense of purpose — and a powerful message for women everywhere.

This year, Black Friday takes on a different meaning for Claire. Instead of simply offering discounts, she’s flipping the script with “Breast Friday,” a campaign encouraging women to check their breasts while saving on clean, conscious fragrances.

A Brand Built from Courage — and a Crisis That Changed Everything

Claire launched [noun] collection in December 2023 after bootstrapping the brand herself — even sacrificing her hard-earned house deposit to bring her vision to life. But just nine months later, at only 38 years old, she was diagnosed with hormone-positive breast cancer, a form increasingly affecting younger women.

Her own cancer developed from a hormonal cell mutation, a type that can be influenced by multiple factors — including exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are commonly found in conventional fragrances and beauty products.

“Everything changed overnight,” Claire says. “I underwent surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment that put me straight into menopause. During that time, my mission became even clearer. I founded [noun] collection to create beautiful, meaningful fragrances that don’t compromise our wellbeing. After living through cancer, that purpose feels more important than ever.”

From Survival to Purpose: The Birth of ‘Breast Friday’

Now cancer-free and returning to the brand she built from the ground up, Claire is relaunching [noun] collection with a refreshed identity — and a heartfelt call to action:
Take two minutes to check your breasts this Breast Friday.

“This campaign is about awareness and self-care,” Claire says. “Yes, it’s a sale, but more importantly, it’s a reminder. Those two minutes could save your life, not just money.”

Running from 26 November to 1 December, Breast Friday offers shoppers 30% off across the brand’s online store, with 1% of profits donated to the McGrath Foundation to support breast cancer nurses and early detection advocacy.

Clean, Conscious, Gender-Neutral Fragrance

All fragrances in the [noun] collection are gender-neutral, ethically made and free from harmful chemicals — giving wearers confidence in what they’re putting on their skin and into their bodies.

Each scent begins with a word — its meaning, mood and story — with packaging designed like a book, complete with poetic pages and dictionary-style labels. It’s a fragrance experience that blends scent with storytelling.

Here’s a glimpse into the collection:

Azimuth
An aquatic woodland scent that awakens the explorer within — opening with pepper and cypress, grounded by bark, moss, wet soil and rain.
A fragrance for direction, clarity and finding your true north.

Elysium
A clean, crisp and ethereal scent that lifts you into a hypnotic state. Pear and citrus float into soft jasmine, cedarwood, musk, juniper berries and incense.
Pure bliss in a bottle.

Syzygy
Smokey, sensual and intergalactic. Oud takes centre stage, softened by raspberry, bergamot, musk and Ambroxan.
Bold, opulent and beyond this world.

During the Breast Friday event, each fragrance will be priced at $160.30.

A Celebration of Strength — and a Reminder That Could Save Lives

For Claire, this relaunch represents far more than a sale.

“I’ve come back with a new look and a stronger sense of purpose,” she says. “This isn’t just about a feel-good fragrance. It’s about feeling empowered — and feeling your breasts to make sure everything’s OK.”

After facing the unthinkable, Claire is using her platform to fuel awareness, support women, and redefine what a Black Friday sale can stand for.

Breast Friday is not just a campaign.
It’s a celebration of survival, strength, and starting again.

For more information, visit here:  nouncollection.com