The fashion world is associated with glamour, creativity and self-expression. However, everyone has watched the well-known film ‘The Devil Wears Parada’ which highlights that behind the glamour and glossy campaigns are a number of issues.
For a long time, conversations around mental health and addiction have not entered the fashion sphere. However, as times change, the fashion industry is changing with it and now the industry is starting to become more inclusive and healthy.
An industry that once relied on judgement, comparison and the pursuit of ‘perfectionism’ is now becoming more fair, less judgemental and more approachable when it comes to bringing up issues with mental health and addiction.
Today, fashion designers, models and brands are working together to change what “beauty” truly means. From digital detoxes to mindfulness retreats, sober fashion weeks to creative rehab programmes, the industry is beginning to embrace balance and authenticity like never before.
Addiction and the Fashion Industry
For decades, the fashion industry has faced criticism for a number of different issues including sustainability, body image and issues surrounding mental health. Like many other industries across the media, working in fashion often demands tight schedules, unrealistic body standards and sometimes toxic working environments. The expectation to look flawless and perform relentlessly led many professionals into cycles of exhaustion, anxiety and even addiction issues.
While issues surrounding burnout and stress have often brushed aside across the fashion industry, the global pandemic and social media transparency has now changed the way we view success. Models began sharing their mental health struggles openly; designers spoke candidly about needing breaks and brands started to rethink their campaigns and the messages they are sending out to customers and the general public.
By 2025, wellness and mental health initiatives are on the up and now have now become central to the way many industries and companies work.
For example, the London, Paris, and Milan Fashion Weeks across 2025 have included meditation pods, quiet zones and even access to onsite therapists and help. In addition to this, many companies now offer access to confidential counselling and recovery support, as they admit and recognise that creativity and success only works when people are healthy and happy.
Wellness Initiatives Off the Runway
It’s not just the runway that’s changing. In fact, behind the scenes mental health and wellness are becoming pillars of professional development across the fashion and media industry. Below are a number of different initiatives across the industry that help people with their mental health and even addiction issues should they exist.
For example, most casting and fashion agencies and companies are now creating their own model welfare policies, ensuring that their models are being well looked after. They now try to prioritise rest, nutrition, and access to therapy. Some agencies will also include free access to therapy and addiction support.
A number of brands, agencies and design companies also now hold wellness weeks. For example, brands such as Stella McCartney and Lululemon have launched dedicated wellness weeks for employees, offering yoga, nutrition workshops, and digital detox programmes.
Brands and agencies are also now investing in therapy partnerships, including mental health charities and recovery centres. This allows them to then educate staff about stress management, addiction prevention and the signs of burnout.
Those working in fashion often work in highly stressful environments, often working to tight deadlines. A number of workplaces across the fashion industries are now working hard to redesign their offices to include more natural light, plants, and quiet spaces. Whilst these might only seem like small changes, they can in fact be very impactful steps towards healthier working cultures and improved mental health.
Rehab Recovery and Creativity
Rehab is often misunderstood as a negative place to be. However, there are now numerous studies that prove that recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction and improving your mental health has a profound impact on creativity.
Artists, models, and photographers who have taken some time out for drug and alcohol addiction recovery describe it as a period of creative reset. Attending rehab allows you to gain access to a break from the media, substances and the relentless demand for perfection, which often plays a huge part of your life when you work in the fashion industry.
In interviews, several designers have spoken of the profound creativity that followed their recovery. The process of detoxing was proven to have opened up new levels of creativity and expression.
The Role of the Digital Detox
Social media remains both a blessing and a curse for many people across the world, including people who work in the fashion industry. While it helps to amplify brands and fashion campaigns, it also fuels comparison, anxiety and a culture of ‘perfectionism’ which can be awful for your mental health.
In response, a growing number of creatives are embracing the idea of the digital detox, which involves stepping back from online platforms to help with their mental clarity and to allow them to focus when it comes to their creativity.
Some modelling agencies and fashion brands have started encouraging social media breaks before major fashion weeks, which has been proven to help with levels of concentration and reduced anxiety whilst at work.
How to Improve Self-Care for Creatives
If you work in the fashion industry, then there are a number of ways that you can care for your mental health and wellness. Below are just some tips and advice that you might want to take on during your day to day work across the fast paced industry.
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Prioritise Your Rest
If you work in the fashion industry, then you should be trying to take breaks when you can. The fashion industry can be incredibly stressful and fast paced, which is why it is important to take breaks and avoid fatigue. It is also important to remember that rest helps with creativity, so the more rested you are then the better your work will be. -
Create Good Habits
If you work in fashion, then you are likely working long hours. When you work long hours, it is incredibly hard to stick to routines and healthy habits. Whether it’s reducing caffeine, setting phone-free hours, or journalling before bed, small daily detoxes prevent burnout and help regulate the nervous system. -
Recognise the Signs of Addiction Early
Addiction rarely begins dramatically. It often starts as coping. If you are working in the fashion industry, then you should try to notice patterns of dependency, whether on work, social validation, substances, or perfectionism. If you suspect that you or someone that you know is suffering from addiction or mental health issues, then you should reach out for professional help before a crisis hits. -
Try to Avoid Comparing Yourself to Others
Creative industries thrive on collaboration, not comparison. If you work in the fashion industry, then you should try to surround yourself with people who uplift you, rather than compete with you.
To Conclude
Fashion has always been a competitive industry to work in, with the industry often taking a mental toll on designers, models and workers. From improving harmful work cultures to integrating mental health awareness at every level, the fashion world is learning that the health of its employees and models must come first. In fact, fashion’s most powerful brands are paving the way for a healthier culture.
If you are struggling from an addiction or mental health issue, then it is important to seek help. You can start by talking to your local GP, or a rehab and recovery specialist. If you are suffering, then it is important to remember that you are not alone, and there is always someone to speak to. Start your recovery journey today by getting the help that you need and most importantly, the help you deserve.
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