Fashion
Mental Health Awareness Gets a Hand From HBC
Fashion
Mental Health Awareness Gets a Hand From HBC
The Hudson’s Bay Company and conscious clothing line Wear Your Label partner up to create an exclusive t-shirt in support of mental health.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)—a global leader in mental health research and Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital—mental illness affects 1 in 5 Canadians every year. But, despite the stats, there's still so much stigma surrounding the issue. Not to mention insufficient resources to support those suffering from mental health issues. It’s time for a change—and to bring help with mental health awareness some brands are stepping up.
Case in point? Hudson’s Bay is introducing “The Future is Stigma Free Campaign”. As part of the initiative, the store collaborated with Canadian conscious-clothing brand, Wear Your Label, to create an exclusive graphic t-shirt that bears the campaign’s name. And get a load of this: 100% of the tee's proceeds will be donated to CAMH.
Founded in 2014, Wear Your Label advocates for people facing mental health obstacles through its merchandise, partnerships and storytelling. We had the lucky opportunity to learn more about the brand and its collaboration with HBC from the brand’s CEO and co-founder, Kyle MacNevin.
As someone who experiences depression, anxiety and ADHD himself, MacNevin revealed that he constantly faces self-doubt. “I thought I was alone in feeling this way, until I started sharing my story, and used the medium of fashion to engage with so many others who are impacted by mental health,” said MacNevin.
According to MacNevin, the inspiration for Wear Your Label designs comes from lived experience. He explained, “I try and ask myself: When I was at my lowest, would this help me feel better? If the answer is yes, we move forward.”
T-shirt, $33, thebay.com.
Using the brand as a platform for positive messaging, MacNevin was thrilled at the prospect of partnering up with Hudson's Bay—a department store with huge outreach potential. He also pointed out that the campaign is a component of the HBC Foundation's promise to donate $6 million (CAD) toward mental health services by 2020—giving us further hope that the stigma surrounding mental health issues is fading.
The $33 t-shirt will be available exclusively on thebay.com beginning Thursday, June 28th. Want to know more ways to get involved? Use #TheFutureIsStigmaFree on your next Instagram/Twitter post and the HBC Foundation will donate $5 to CAMH! Wear your support and show that lending help and support to those who need it never goes out of style.
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