Models, fashion industry heads and wellness experts came together at London's Corinthia Hotel on Tuesday to discuss model wellbeing ahead of London Fashion Week.
The event was run by the Be Well Collective, a non-profit set up by model and nutritionist Sarah Ann Macklin, who has used her own first hand experience working in the fashion industry to build a support network for models.
Macklin was joined on stage by a number of fashion industry leaders, including the British Fashion Council's Chief Executive Caroline Rush.
"I've met lots of individuals within the industry who want to be involved with programmes talking about mental health, either because they have had a troubling time themselves or they've seen a friend that's been really challenged and that might have had drastic consequences", she said, "I think we'll be more open than we have been in the past about [mental health]."
Rush acknowledged the high-pressure working environment of the fashion industry could hinder efforts to protect its workers.
"One of the biggest challenges of engaging the fashion community is just the pace that everybody works at" she said, "and finding the time to actually talk about this, [for leaders] to create the culture that makes time to engage in those conversations."
Other fashion industry speakers at the event included Rose Percy, Head of Production at Burberry, and Karen Diamond, owner and director of Models 1 - one of the biggest modelling agencies in Europe.
"The model industry is completely unregulated" said Diamond, "so there are no rules or regulations about how we run our businesses and what we have to do to look after [models] - so we self-regulate." She talked about her agency's role in the BFMA (British Fashion Model Agents Association) which was set up to safeguard the treatment of models.
"Model agents are kind of down there with estate agents and politicians as kind of the lowest form of life" she said, "I mean the press that we get is absolutely dreadful - especially during London Fashion Week because there's a huge spotlight on [models] there's always going to be a front page picture of a slim model who has been shot at an angle to look incredibly thin, which then becomes something which is being celebrated [...] the reality is you do have to be strong and healthy [to be a model]."
She added that there was a lot of "misinformation about how to achieve a [model physique]" and said working with the Be Well Collective has been invaluable in giving models a safe space to talk about their physical and mental health away from their agents - "[models] need to deal with [mental and physical health problems] early, before it becomes an extreme problem."
A number of health and wellness experts also joined Macklin on stage to discuss how models can deal with mental and physical overload, particularly during London Fashion Week when the schedules are often punishing.
Psychologist Kimberley Wilson discussed the damaging effects of "comparison theory", Professor Tim Spector debunked diet myths, while the founder of Bodhimaya Cornelius O'Shaughnessy led the audience in a meditation session.
To get involved or find out more about the Be We Collective, sign up to its newsletter here.
The Be Well Collective was supported by MEDA, Viridian, MSFF & Workshop Gymnasium, with flowers provided by Bloom & Wild, scents by Jo Malone and production by Electric Sunshine.
ES Insider is proud to be a media partner for the Be Well Collective.
Pictures by Helen Mulvaney Photography.
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