When Eileen Kelly started a blog, “Killer and a sweet thing“, in 2016, focused on mental and sexual health, it was rare to see sites devoted entirely to such topics – let alone ones filled with levity. “Society’s attitude toward mental health has evolved significantly,” Ms. Kelly said, pointing to the memeification of mental health on the Internet.
After being hospitalized for mental health reasons for five months in 2019, she launched a podcast, Become mental, on which she candidly discussed with interviewees about depression, her own struggle with borderline personality disorder, and other similar topics. Her guests included notable celebrities and personalities, including Amanda Knox, Michael Cohen, Bella Thorne, Madison Beer and Alex Cooper. Ms. Kelly, 28, adopted the way many Gen Z and millennial Internet users talk about mental health and approach serious topics: with a casual, memorized open-mindedness that is both serious and comical. (The banner photo for Ms. Kelly’s podcast shows her leaning against a white tiled background, looking disheveled and wide-eyed, with her hands raised, as blood pours from her mouth and runs down her chin and down her neck.)
Last year, Ms. Kelly launched into fashion with a range of mental health-themed products. The selection included a “Depressed but Make It Hot” shirt and a variety of antidepressant-themed sweatshirts reading “Lexapro,” “Prozac” and “Zoloft.” They sold out quickly.
Ms. Kelly isn’t the only creative professional integrating mental health into the fashion sphere. During the Covid-19 pandemic, There was a 25 percent increase in the number of people suffering from anxiety and depression worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Designers, in turn, responded to the crisis through clothing.
Bella Beepya 2000s-inspired brand founded in 2019, haunts the sidewalks of downtown New York with its “I hate my anxiety” hat. Praying, a cult clothing line, sells hoodies printed with phrases such as “stress, nervousness and anxiety” And “You matter, don’t give up.” Lingua francaa high-end knitting company, offers a cashmere sweater embroidered with “It’s normal to feel blue.” The brand targets an older demographic and donates 20% of its profits to Your mommy cares, a nonprofit organization specializing in mental health. Other fashion brands like Bianca Chandon And Saint Michel sell anxiety-themed T-shirts.
Emily Oberg, executive director of Sporty and richan athleisure brand, takes a more Goop-esque approach to well-being. The brand recently launched a “Wellness Club” collection, featuring preppy clothing with the words “Wellness” and “Health” printed on it. “The clothes we make are a way to spread a positive message,” Ms. Oberg said. “It is important that people are encouraged to look after themselves. »
For Ms. Kelly, the merchandise is a step toward destigmatizing mental health treatment. “I really wanted to make sure that no one was ashamed of having to take these medications,” she said, adding that she took Lexapro daily and didn’t want to think of it as “depressing and sad.” She designed the clothing in pastel colors, inspired by college clothing, in the hope that people would proudly wear their medications the same way they would wear their college name.
Dr. Shannon Bennett, clinical director at Center for Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian, believes that the trend is positive. “The goal of raising awareness, reducing stigma and contributing to a culture of shared support is a good thing,” she said.. “Seeing someone on the street who you can relate to validates your feelings and helps you feel less alone.”
The fashion trend also resonates deeply on TikTok — the hashtag for anxiety has over 34 billion views and empowers Gen Z and millennial users to reclaim their mental struggles as a form of self-expression. Although style varies between brands, younger consumers are the constant. “Basically every successful young person I know suffers from anxiety,” Willa Bennett, 29, said. She is the editor-in-chief of Highsnobiety, a fashion and media brand, and a leading figure at fashion weeks. “It’s just no longer a taboo subject to talk about. » Ms. Bennett herself is the proud owner of Beepy Bella’s “I Hate My Anxiety” hat.
In February, When Highsnobiety published a distribution of a magazine with portraits of people sobbing, “It immediately went viral,” Ms. Bennett said. She said the shoot was inspired by a TikTok Trend where users filmed videos of themselves creating makeup looks that mimicked tears streaming down their faces. The success of the shoot, she said, shows how social media has created more space to talk about mental health while dramatizing and having fun — and even making fun of it. “Fashion is such an outlet,” she said, adding that it makes sense that young people would want to use it as a way to express their mental health issues.
The trend is not without controversy. Ms. Oberg has been widely criticized by consumers for promoting out-of-touch ideas of wellness. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Ms Oberg reposted a chart comparing fast food to “real food”. in writing: “Stop making excuses!! Being healthy is not just for the privileged! Ms. Kelly has also received backlash from people who think her antidepressant-themed sweatshirts are insensitive; commenters on his social media posts accused her of exploiting serious problems for financial gain.
But Kelly says taking ownership of her diagnosis and medication use informally and publicly destigmatizes the issue and brings people together. “You don’t have to fight alone anymore,” she said. Ms Bennett echoed this sentiment. “Nowadays, it’s more acceptable to consider your mental health,” she said. “Style is just the natural next step.”
