Gucci model to donate fee to mental health charities after catwalk protest
‘It felt contradictory for me to not speak out and use this platform’
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Your support makes all the difference.The Gucci model who protested against the brand’s use of straitjackets will be donating their fee to mental health charities.
On Sunday, Ayehsa Tan Jones, who uses “they”/”them” pronouns, wore one of the jackets on the Italian label’s runway but held up their hands to reveal the words “mental health is not fashion”.
Jones described it as “bad taste” for Gucci to “use the imagery of straitjackets and outfits alluding to mental patients, while being rolled out on a conveyor belt as if a piece of factory meat”.
In a statement posted on their Instagram page, Jones, who has previously suffered from mental health issues, continued: “Presenting these struggles as props for selling clothes in today’s capitalist climate is vulgar, unimaginative and offensive to the millions of people around the world affected by these issues”.
A spokesperson for Gucci confirmed the brand did not know about Jones’ intentions to protest prior to the show.
In a statement on Instagram, the brand revealed that the jackets will not be sold and were designed to represent “the most extreme version of a uniform dictated by society and those who control it”.
Now, speaking to BBC Newsbeat, Jones revealed they and other models from the show will be donating their fees to mental health charities.
“Models are not given the space to have a voice when it comes to what designers put them in, what clothes they have to wear,” they told the news outlet.
“One of the things that sparked this protest was that I’m just fed up. I’ve been modelling for 12 years now. It felt contradictory for me to not speak out and use this platform.”
Jones added that they felt a responsibility to support those suffering from mental health conditions “because they are the real heroes”.
If you have been affected by any issues mentioned in this article, you can contact The Samaritans for free on 116 123 or any of the following mental health organisations:
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