Mr Porter launches scheme encouraging men to speak about mental health

'Looking good on the outside doesn’t count for much if you don’t feel good on the inside, too'

Mr Jerry Lorenzo

Menswear retailer Mr Porter has launched a new initiative designed to create a safe space for men to discuss mental health.

The campaign, which is titled Health in Mind (HIM), has been created by the men’s style destination to help men “lead happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives”.

Mr Porter is making a commitment to raising awareness around physical and mental health via an ongoing programme of content in its online magazine, The Journal.

The initiative will include a series of features such as personal stories and advice from mental health experts on topics such as conflict and stress.

While the retailer admits it doesn’t “have all of the answers”, it has vowed to dedicate more time to talking about mental health, starting with a feature on what it calls one of the “foundational pillars of a fulfilling life”: friendship.

To mark the launch of HIM, Mr Porter asked a number of men in the fashion industry to explain what bonds them together in a bid to encourage more men to reach out to their friends.

Luke Day, editor of British GQ Style in the UK, said: “I love how things are changing. It shouldn’t be a shameful thing to show vulnerability. Or to be kind.

“And now that it’s seen as the right thing to do, it feels like we can all finally relax. Because it’s the easiest thing to do, too. It’s what comes naturally.”

The feature follows a recent survey on male friendships conducted by The Movember Foundation, which found that men have a tendency to drift apart from their friends as they get older.

The poll stated that while just seven per cent of men under the age of 24 said that they lacked a close friend, this figure rose to 19 per cent for men over the age of 55.

As well as encouraging men to discuss their emotions more freely, the initiative also plans to raise funds for a number of charities working to promote and support men’s health, including Mr Porter’s men’s health charity partner, The Movember Foundation.

The retailer states that consumers will be able to donate to the HIM fund when it launches later this year.

Speaking to The |ndependent, Justin Coghlan, co-founder of The Movember Foundation said: “Globally, every minute, a man dies by suicide. The keys to unlocking mental wellness often begins with a conversation, and we’re excited to be igniting this global conversation with Mr Porter and our shared audiences.

"We’re thrilled to be a part of Mr Porter’s integrated, multi-touch approach to supporting mental health and wellness, and furthering Movember’s mission to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health.”

According to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – a UK charity dedicated to preventing male suicide – men are three times more likely than women to end their own lives.

The organisation also reports that suicide is the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK and that in 2015, 75 per cent of all UK suicides were male.