International Interview Series: Kayley Reed of Canada, Co-Founder of Wear Your Label

International Interview Series Contributor from Canada:  Kayley Reed, Co-founder of Wear Your Label

1. What inspired you to become involved Canada’s mental health community?

Three years ago, I never would have ever anticipated being as involved with the mental health community as I am today. I was in my final year of university, and grappling with an eating disorder that I refused to admit I had.

Throughout university, I struggled with depression which I had kept relatively quiet between close friends, but my eating disorder seemed to come with another level of self-stigma that I wasn’t ready to fully accept and move past.

I was assigned a co-op placement for one of my courses, and began working with a local mental health organization to create the structure for a provincial youth council on mental health. Around the same time, my doctor suggested I attend group counseling with other women who were struggling with eating disorders, and I finally began to realize that what I was experiencing wasn’t isolating; it was actually somewhat common. Hearing the stories and experiences of other women my age who were going through the same thing was so refreshing – I finally felt like I wasn’t alone.

By working closely with a mental health organization at the same time, I began to learn so much about the landscape, services, and advocacy. I very quickly realized that this was a space I belonged in; this was a space I had a voice in. So, I started to open up, and share my own experiences with mental illness.

It was extremely intimidating and nerve-wracking to start doing so, because 99% of the people in my life had no idea what I was going through at the time, and I had no idea how they would react. But each time I shared my story, I would almost without doubt hear something similar in return – whether it was a personal story of depression, or a family member that someone had supported through PTSD or ADHD, I began to realize how every single person has a story.

That’s when my friend Kyle and I started Wear Your Label. We wanted to design something tangible that would help others create conversations about mental health that can be uncomfortable and awkward; something that would encourage individuals to take ownership over their labels, rather than fear them. We used inspiration from our own experiences, personal mantras and sayings that help got us through, and started a fashion brand called Wear Your Label designing clothing to end the stigma, in style. We haven’t looked back since.

2. What keeps you in this work, day after day?

The people. From our super passionate team, to the people I meet through speaking events and customers I’ve made friends with, people are absolutely the driving force behind what I do every day. It can be super hard to have my personal mental health story as a major conversation topic in my work, and being immersed in an industry that is so intimate with something that is still controversial – but the stories I hear, and the way I’ve been able to see change tangibly happen, is an amazing feeling I wouldn’t trade.

3. What role does Wear Your Label play in fighting the stigma against eating disorders and mental illness in general?

Wear Your Label designs positive products to encourage conversations about mental health in your daily life. We design things twofold:

• To be a statement piece, and a conversation starter
• To be a personal reminder of strength to the wearer

We partner with a number of mental health organizations, here in Canada, the USA, and even internationally, to co-create products, raise awareness about initiatives and give back to these amazing non-profits to support their work.

Being in the fashion industry is difficult, because fashion and mental health are typically contrasting: the fashion industry is notorious for making people’s mental health worse (specifically by perpetuating media that affects body image issues and eating disorders). What we’ve done with Wear Your Label is try to flip that notion on its head, and use fashion as a force to positively influence our mental health.

We cast Role Models instead of fashion models – with no size, height or weight restrictions to apply, but rather the only condition being that they must be willing and open to sharing their mental health story. We also removed gender categories from our website, because transgender and gender non-conforming youth are more likely to experience mental illness.

The little details have always been meaningful for me, so we package our online orders like a care package: with a handwritten note of encouragement, a Conversation Card with mental health facts or quotes, and often times resource information pertinent to the customer’s region/area. All of our garments also have tags that not only tell you how to wash and take care of your garment, but how to take care of yourself.

4. What encouragement do you have for someone actively struggling with an eating disorder?

The best quote I’ve ever heard that describes my struggles is: “It’s like fighting a war in which the opponent’s strategy is to convince you that the war isn’t happening.” Hearing that flicked a switch for me; as if I was finally able to separate the illness from myself. If you’re currently struggling, just know that whatever you’re going through does not define you – it will try to tear you down, and it will feel all-consuming, but it is not you. You are so much more than your eating disorder, and it is possible to turn your struggles into something that make you stronger. Don’t lose hope.

Learn more about eating disorder resources throughout Canada.

About the Author:  Kayley Reed is one of the co-founders of Wear Your Label, a Canada-based clothing line that is helping to fight mental health stigma. She graduated from University of New Brunswick in 2014 and has quickly become one of Canada’s leading mental health advocates and speakers. In being so open about her own mental health struggles, Kayley has started a conversation on mental health and supported others to come forward with their own stories.

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on September 21, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com

Eating Disorder Hope Staff

The EatingDisorderHope.com editorial team comprises experienced writers, editors, and medical reviewers specializing in eating disorders, treatment, and mental and behavioral health.