5 Fashionistas Share Their Mental Health Tips – Essence

Black Mental Health Awareness isn’t limited to 1 month; it’s a every day priority and a commitment to yourself that extends beyond the calendar. As we move from Black Mental Health Awareness Month to the tip of summer and the whirlwind of fashion month, it’s necessary to hold the teachings we’ve learned about self-care, resilience, and wellness. For Black women on this industry, the pressure to be creative is immense, and success often, unfortunately, comes at the fee of our mental health.

Navigating New York’s rapidly evolving fashion scene has taught me that caring for my mental health takes real effort, even after living there for 10 years. While the energy of the town may be each exciting and overwhelming, I’ve found that slowing down is essential to staying grounded. Whether I start my day with a workout to clear my head or unplug by escaping to nature for the weekend, these little breaks have been monumental in helping me reset. As my life and work commitments have grown, I’ve found myself wanting to balance my work with the things that bring me joy—like a spontaneous trip out of town or simply spending the day doing absolutely nothing—much more so; they’re so necessary to my well-being. These aren’t just luxuries; they’re the things that keep me moving into an industry that never stops.

As the style industry begins to take mental health more seriously, it’s becoming clear that true innovation and excellence ought to be built on a foundation of well-being. In an industry where the pursuit of perfection can overshadow personal needs, Black women are finding ways to prioritize their mental health as a significant a part of their success—not only a side note. Here are insights into how five Black women in fashion are caring for their mental health.

Felita Harris, executive director of the nonprofit ELEVATE FASHION

Harris highlights the importance of maintaining mental health in the style industry to support creativity and productivity. Her key strategies include: prioritizing self-care through activities corresponding to running and using self-development apps; setting clear boundaries between work and private life to avoid burnout; staying connected to a supportive network of friends and colleagues; incorporating regular exercise, corresponding to running, to unwind and maintain physical health; and looking for skilled support, including therapy, to address the pressures of the industry. These practices have played a fundamental role in her personal and skilled well-being.

Nia Thomas, designer

Thomas talks concerning the importance of setting boundaries and managing energy to stop burnout in the style industry. She controls access to her time by putting her phone on airplane mode after work hours and managing expectations for response times. To avoid social burnout, she limits her attendance at events, recognizing the worth of claiming “no” to maintaining her well-being. Thomas also mentally inventories the things, people, and places that drain her energy, actively working to eliminate these “energy leaks” as a way to perform at her best.

Samira Ibrahim, CEO + Founder of AMALIA PR, a marketing and partnership agency

Ibrahim she shares that movement, whether through workouts or climbing, is important to her mental health since it calms her nervous system. Living in Los Angeles gives her easy accessibility to nature, which she finds crucial. She also relies on venting to a friend or partner to release frustration and negative energy, and even going to the beach to scream on the ocean as a therapeutic outlet.

Indya Brown, Fashion Editor

Brown stresses the importance of “separating yourself from social media and the business of it,” which may be difficult once you’re continually moving from one task to a different. To truly unwind amidst the chaos, she engages in completely unrelated activities, corresponding to exploring a garden, going to a museum, or working with clay or painting. She also finds that talking it out and catching up with friends, with a very good venting session, could make an enormous difference in coping with stress.

Tyler Okuns, Fashion Stylist

Okuns notes that, just like the mind, fashion is at all times in motion. She admits that mental health isn’t discussed in the style industry, but she believes learning to separate yourself out of your work is essential. “Taking time for yourself is what serves your mental well-being the most,” Okuns says, emphasizing that reconnecting with yourself and those that love and care about you is important.