unseen 1
perceptions
changing
May 2018
James Shirley N0749860 International Fashion Business Concepts & Innvoation
left: ellen opens up to us about her
mental
health
in
our
‘my
mind’s
eye’
feature,
we l co m e to the first issue of ‘Unseen’, a special edition of ASOS Magazine, dedicated to you, our customer. At the heart of our brand lies people, and with that, the products we create. Whether it be fashion, accessories, or homeware, we are always thinking about our diverse customers. One of our core values is that we want to make each person who buys into our brand not only look great, but to feel great. To help this, we have put together this issue to tackle the
growing problems that young people face with mental health issues. We want to give you a voice and a space where you can feel comfortable in your own skin, not just in the clothes you buy. So here you can find articles, interviews, and an array of apps which we hope will help you to alleviate anxiety and disarm depressions - all to be on your way to looking, feeling and being your best, so that you can achieve amazing things. figure one: author’s own (2018).
co ntents
pa g e
1
editor’s letter starting the conversation
5
2
3
about the editor
changing percpetions
9
13
(dis)connected
at the core of creativity
we shine the spotlight on apps to
we talk to Maison De Choup,
we tackle the percpetions of mental
help you disconnect from picture
a brand born from anxiety,
health by providing an honest and
perfect ideals, and reconnect with
now a celebrated collection of
raw view through the lens of a
your sense of self
creatives
camera
21
25
27
m i nd over m a tter
contacts for help
my
m i nd ’s
e ye
lis t of figures
below: we investigate the
meaning
of
identity and mental health in ‘my mind’s eye’
-
page
13.
starting the conversation Mental health is indeed a tricky subject. Once a little more taboo, the conversations are finally starting to flow, but we’ve still a long way to go. Throughout TV, radio and all other forms of media, depression and anxiety are becoming buzz words. With all forms of celebrity from pop stars to politicians featuring front cover with hints to their issues plastered across their figures, young people especially are starting to realise that there is no
shame in the struggle. The chilling truth is that mental health issues in Generation Z are on the rise, perhaps linked to the rise of social media anxiety and impending perfectionism. Unseen is a place to perhaps find serenity, through our honest and raw content: from interviews with our real-life customers, to finding a helping hand, we are aiming to bring the mental health issues of real people to the forefront, and keep the conversation alive.
figure two: author’s own (2018).
about the editor
“
My name is James, and I am a final year International Fashion Business student at Nottingham Trent University. I created this project to bring awareness and help to young people like myself suffering with mental health issues in an inspiring and creative way. I hope that this project will be a small taste of what is to come and what can happen in mainstream media and in the fashion industry.
this project is dedicated to my supportive family, my brilliant boyfriend, my flatmate & best friend, and most importantly, the beautiful souls we lost at Manchester Arena on May 22nd 2017.
02
changing percpetions
the main aim of the ‘unseen’ zine is to actively change the percpetion of mental health in the media output of brands.
With mental health being the buzz topic of the media at the current minute, why have we decided to focus this ASOS issue on a very personal issue? Fundamentally, within our brand, confidence of our customers is key. We want you to feel & look great. As part of this initiative, we have already made a commitment to say no to ‘photoshopping’ our models, and instead celebrating their own beauty, stretch marks, acne and all. They say that body & mind are of equal importance, so this seemed an obvious next step for us. In a recent study from Marketing Week, only 6% of UK consumers felt that mental health issues were well represented in the media. Yes, we may see the atypical image of a 30-something male with his hand in his hands plastered on a poster or on an episode of a prime-time soap, but we wondered: does this really represent the wider community of people suffering with these issues? At ASOS, we believe in inclusitivity, so ‘Unseen’ is our way of offering a helping hand to say that you are not alone, and that there will always be someone to talk to, friends or fashion brands alike.
03
figure three: Yuyi (2016).
photographer and ar tist john yuyi is a prime example of ‘changing percpetions’. she puts the subject of identity under the microscope in her beautifully experiemental series ‘Face Post’, harking to the obsession of perfection percieved on social media.
scan the qr code to see more of the series
Words:
James
Shirley
(dis)connected we shine the spotlight on apps to help you disconnect from picture perfect ideals, and reconnect with your sense of self
With the rapid rise of the smartphone, mobile apps are increasingly easy to access. They range from banking to gaming, with whimsical offerings in between. So, it comes as no surprise that there is an abundance of apps dedicated to mental health and wellbeing. Our customers use their smartphones for social networking and our very own ASOS app, but here we want to shine the spotlight on a few free options which can help you disconnect from the picture perfect ideals of Instagram, and connect with your true sense of self.
online, from celebrities and friends alike. Enter ‘Elefriends’, a supportive online community from the mental health charity Mind, where you can listen, share, and be heard about your own experiences. Interaction is required as much or as little as you prefer; you can post any updates you like, read posts both on and offline, and the platform is monitored until 10pm every night in case you encounter any problems or need help. The great thing about this app is you still get feeling we all yearn for of being heard and seen on social media, but you can
It’s no secret that young people love to socialise online, but too often do people report feelings of anxiety when trying to reach the unrealistic standards they see
express yourself freely with like-minded individuals who will understand you and your problems. Elefriends is available to download from the app & play stores.
figure four: St Francis Elevator Ride (2016)
05
figure five (opposite): The Mindfulness App (2017)
If your mental health issues lead you to self-harming, Calm Harm is an app suitable for helping you to manage and resist the urges to self-harm. Calm Halm does this through by providing time-consuming tasks which will occupy and distract you f rom the mindset which you’re in. There are four types of tasks available on Calm Halm, including: Distract, which helps to combat the urge by learning self-control; Comfort, helping to care rather than harm; Express, which helps you to express your feelings in a different way, and Release provides safe alternatives to self-injury. Calm Halm allows you
and run your way to 5k. Designed to take total beginners from walking to running for 30 minutes in just 9 weeks, the app is presented in association with the BBC, to further your physical exercise through a mix of running and walking. The latest offering of mental healthfocused apps comes from TV presenter Poppy Jamie, ‘Happy Not Perfect’ is dedicated to helping people feel happier, less stressed and more emotionally balanced. Through tools which carry out tasks such as asking how you’re feeling and providing a constructive response, mini games, or breathing techniques, this app
to add your own tasks, so you can occupy your mind with one of your own choices, and is fully password protected for your confidentiality. Like our cover star Ellen, who talks us through her coping mechanisms on page 21, you may prefer to combat your anxiety with exercise, through the release of adrenaline. There is a fast-growing number of apps which are designed with physical exercise in mind; ‘Couch to 5K’ helps you to walk
offers a customised experience which changes daily. When the situation triggering your issues cannot be changed, Happy Not Perfect asks you to write a ‘gratitude list’ to change your perspective on your current situation. Each and every person’s issues are different, but we no longer need to feel as though we aren’t seen, heard, or cared about; there’s always an app for it.
07
figure six: Yuyi (2016).
Words:
James
Shirley
at the core of creativity we talk to Maison De Choup, a brand born from anxiety, now a celebrated collection of creatives
In recent years, the fashion industry has become rife with creative collaboration – see Virgil Abloh and Off White’s growing number of unlikely collections, (recently Abloh has released a homeware range with Ikea) and Vetements’ tendency to team up with any brand willing. The unmissable message is that two heads indeed are better than one. With this in mind, we decided to invite George Hodgson of Maison De Choup to aid us in raising awareness of mental health issues. Maison De Choup anything but a regular fashion brand; of course
Hodgson birthed the brand, as a method of expressive creativity in response to a period of ‘crippling anxiety’. Creating beautiful garments with a charitable purpose, (the brand have worked with a number of mental health charities and regularly donate profits to them) Maison De Choup has evolved into a broad collective of creatives, working towards raising the awareness and eliminating the stigma of mental health issues. In between charity meetings, receiving awards, and running a business, George took the time out to speak to us
there is the offering of impeccable design and trendy tees, but the overarching value of the company is so much stronger. In 2014, the young artist George
about his work. “I haven’t seen any other fashion brands supporting mental health at all, certainly not as passionately and authentically as ‘Maison De Choup does”
09
George tells me during a telephone conversation a few weeks ago. “What we do is create designs which are all based around mental health and have a story, in a subtle non-triggering way as well as giving back to charity. They relate to all of us”. George’s pure passion for this topic is palpable, even over the phone; speaking to him you can truly understand that this brand is something special, set apart from many other brands, which is something we both agree on. The conversation opens up and we take a wider view of not just brands and business, but the fashion industry as a whole. The fashion and clothing industry is renowned for its ruthless race to the top and the pressure which it puts on those within, and we aren’t the only ones who have noticed. figures 7, 8, 9 (overleaf): Hodgson (2018).
In 2016, The Business of Fashion published an article raising the question ‘does fashion have a mental health problem?’, and George’s responses leave no room for speculation. “I don’t think there are brands talking about the subject as they will be seen as weak and incompetent and that really needs to change”. We wanted to know, how can we bring about this change? As someone who is a leading voice for this movement, George is definitely to one to ask. “Fashion is a hugely powerful influential tool in the world, if bigger brands started promoting positive mental health, we could see a big change in how it is approached within the industry”. It’s a huge hope to change
stands up strongly and proudly presents their take on mental health issues, will consumers follow suit? “If bigger fashion brands start promoting and encouraging people to talk about their mental health, I think we would see an increase in people opening up” says George. I thank George for an intensely interesting conversation and wish him well with Maison De Choup – however I’m not quite sure he will need my well-wishes, as the brand have already been spotlighted by Vanity Fair, Vogue, the BBC, and won numerous awards. Before we say goodbye, George has one final word on the matter of brands tackling this topic: “it would have to come from the heart”. With that, it becomes even
such a behemoth business such as fashion, as George suggests that tackling the problem entirely would require an industry-wide shift. However, we both value that this is a journey, and change has to have a starting point. George turns to the focus on perhaps starting from within: “I think brands could actively encourage their colleagues that if they are struggling, [they can talk about it] and will not be treated any differently to any other colleagues”. This seems wise – if fashion
clearer that amongst the accolades and success, at the core of Maison De Choup is a young creative who is passionate about the well-being of his peers.
g o t o w w w. m a i s o n d e c h o u p . co.uk to shop or scan the the qr code to go straight to the website! with great thanks to george f rom maison de choup.
Photography: james shirley
my
m ind’s
Model:
Ellen
e ye
we tackle the percpetions of mental health by providing an honest and raw view through the lens of a camera
With the rise of mental health issues, illnesses are increasingly becoming the topic of conversation. However, we wondered whether the current representations of those suffering is indeed inclusive? We are urged to ‘speak out’, but this, for the most part, seems to be a blanket message broadcast to all generations, races, and genders. People are recognising that this once taboo subject is difficult to discuss, however when encouraging people to use their voice, do we consider that individual? It’s rare that the full spectrum of mental health issues are represented; current buzzwords ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ are increasingly crowbarred into the media, accompanied by a classic stock image - but what do they mean? What does it mean to suffer with one of these illnesses, along with whatever issues you may face because of your race, gender, or sexual orientation? ASOS is a platform for the brave and confident, so we reached out to Ellen Caselaw to share her story in the hope of empowering others, (page 21). As well as leading the voice for her cohort, Ellen features in our photography series ‘my mind’s eye’, to change the representation of mental health issues - a true testament to the phrase ‘a picture speaks a thousand words.
figures 10-19: all author’s own (2018)
13
Caselaw
w h e n i ’ m a t m y w o r s t , i f e e l l i ke i ’ m not really here.
i just don’t want to face things
sometimes i wish i could pick a new identity
coping mechanisms
mental illness can steal your voice
i don’t really see myself in the mirror some days
i’ll rever t back to a child & hide
20
words by james shirley
m i nd over m a tter the star of our photography series opens up about mental health, meditation, and her hopes for the future
Sitting opposite my good friend and our cover star Ellen shortly after she posed for her shoot, she seemed in absolute comfort discussing her struggles with mental illness. Studying alongside myself and a valued member of our cohort on International Fashion Business, Ellen is indeed someone who lights up the room. However, she tells me that this beaming attitude can easily be dampened by her issues with depression and anxiety:
furthered last year during her textile studies, when she was asked to complete a mindmap of potential routes after graduation; ‘it was the whardest thing I’ve ever been asked to do, I didn’t have a concept of the future – my finances and social life suffered’. Indeed, to some, these feelings are all but familiar, and this is one of the most difficult things about mental health illnesses: they are intangible, sometimes only
‘Sometimes I feel like I’m in limbo...at my lowest points I feel numb and emotionless’. This state of ‘limbo’ was
rearing physical symptoms in the confines of one’s most personal moments. The ‘suck it up’ mentality which all too often
21
sometimes it’s hard not to see things one-sided.
“
I think that this will break the stigma around mental illness, and get more people talking about it.
occurs is an issue which Ellen spends some time pondering; she pinpoints a certain friend who expressed that they wouldn’t speak out if they were struggling with mental health issues, as people may not understand. We both begin to muse over this concept which seems alien to us both – we are both constantly surrounded by love and support from family, friends, and medical professionals; we determine that the approach of ‘just getting on with it’ acts as a way of burying one’s issues, only allowing them to further their roots in everyday life and grow uncontrollably. Ellen attributes her initial attitude to her own issues as perhaps the reason why she has struggled more over the past year. She acted as many people do, not fully comprehending the ramifications of
probably suffered with these issues for years prior to seeking help. ‘The medication prescribed by the doctor helped to pick me up out of my darkest points’ says Ellen, as we move on to discuss her coping mechanisms. As with most things, each individual is different, and should derive their own methods of combatting mental illness, as Ellen did after her diagnosis. ‘I try to meditate daily; it helps me to stop feeling so spaced out when I’m struggling’. On the other end of the spectrum, Ellen also actively exercises, which she says helps her to burn off the excess adrenaline caused by anxiety. Coupled together, these things have helped Ellen to feel the effects of her illness less. She encourages anybody struggling to seek help, whether it be through family, friends, or professional
how she felt, until her anxiety peaked and she chose to seek medical help: ‘after being diagnosed with depression, I recognised the symptoms’ – this helped Ellen to conclude that she had
aid; a year after her diagnosis, she seems content and in control, highlighting the immense power of standing up and speaking out.
23
Before I allow Ellen to leave and worry about her own impending deadlines, I ask her about her hopes for ‘Unseen’; ‘I think it will break the stigma around mental illness’, to which I enthusiastically nod, with her hitting home the target of this zine. She continues to say that these issues would be further talked about without the looming shame which some might feel. As Ellen leaves, she casts an extremely positive mood in her wake - perfect proof that these illnesses do not define us, but shape us into becoming stronger and leading a life more fulf illed life. With
special
thanks
to
Ellen Caselaw for being so open & honest (& lovely!)
but i think i’m star ting to see the bigger picture.
24
contacts for help contacts to reference if you need immediete or further help with your mental health issues
Anxiety UK Charity providing support if you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety condition. Phone: 03444 775 774 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm) Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk Bipolar UK A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder. Website: www.bipolaruk.org.uk CALM CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15-35. Website: www.thecalmzone.net Depression Alliance Charity for sufferers of depression. Has a network of self-help groups. Website: www.depressionalliance.org Men’s Health Forum 24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email. Website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk Mental Health Foundation Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities. Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk Mind Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems. Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)
25
Website: www.mind.org.uk No Panic Voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and OCD. Offers a course to help overcome your phobia/OCD. Includes a helpline. Phone: 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am-10pm) Website: www.nopanic.org.uk PAPYRUS Young suicide prevention society. Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (Mon-Fri,10am-5pm & 7-10pm. Weekends 2-5pm) Website: www.papyrus-uk.org Rethink Mental Illness Support and advice for people living with mental illness. Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm) Website: www.rethink.org Samaritans Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) Website: www.samaritans.org.uk SANE Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers. SANEline: 0300 304 7000 (daily, 4.30-10.30pm) Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: http://www.sane.org.uk/textcare Peer support forum: www.sane.org.uk/supportforum Website: www.sane.org.uk/support YoungMinds Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals. Phone: Parents’ helpline 0808 802 5544 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm) Website: www.youngminds.org.uk
26
list of figures Figure 1: Author’s Own (2018) Model Holding Tablets & Crystals Figure 2: Author’s Own (2018) iD Magazine Postcards Figure 3: John Yuyi (2016) ‘Face Post’ [Online] http://johnyuyi.tumblr.com Figure 4: St Francis Elevator Ride (2016) Gen Z Stereotype [Online] Available at: https:// www.wired.com/story/generation-z-stereotypes/ Figure 5: The Mindfulness App (2017) App Screenshot [Online] Available at: https://www. macworld.co.uk/feature/iosapps/best-meditation-mindfulness-apps-3658542/ Figure 6: John Yuyi (2016) ‘Face Post’ [Online] http://johnyuyi.tumblr.com Figures 7-9: Hodgson (2018) Maison De Choup [Online] https://maisondechoup.co.uk Figures 10-19: Author’s Own (2018) My Mind’s Eye Photoshoot
27
James Shirley N0749860 International Fashion Business Concepts & Innvoation