The Relationship Between Depression and Creativity within Fashion

1.1 – Introduction

Society has always romanticised the idea of the tortured artist. From Vincent van Gogh to Lee Alexander McQueen, and many before, and many in between and many still to come, there has always existed the notion that a man must be mad to be a creative genius. But to what extent is this true? To what extent is creativity fuelled by mental illness, or to what extent is mental illness fuelled by creative pursuits? These are the questions that it is necessary to answer.

Throughout the research and writing of this dissertation, the goal has been to fully discuss the link between depression and creativity, and see scientifically, socially and physically why this relationship exists – whether it truly exists at all. Greenberger and Padesky (1995) state that “although emotions generally enrich our lives, too much emotion can be disruptive”. The cause of depression is still unclear to specialists, with there being constant debate as to whether people are born with a genetic predisposition to depression, or whether it is through a traumatic life event that it is triggered (Arieti, 1979).

It has been made evident through numerous contemporary articles that depression within the creative industries is on the rise, with the fashion industry suffering the most, due to the constant demand for perfection, whether that be aesthetically, socially or creatively speaking. This demand is pushing many designers over the edge, landing them in a state of mental illness. It has been shown that this is not all bad, that through these negative states artists are able to create things of real beauty, things they would not have been able to otherwise. Through an analysis of historical and contemporary literature on the topic, case studies and first hand research with artists in the fashion industry and professionals who specialise in mental health, it is hoped that this dissertation will aid the search for the answer to the question, ‘why are so many fashion designers depressed?’.

1.2 – Literature Review

The initial part of this article will consist of an analysis between contemporary and historical texts which focus on the establishment of a link between depression and creativity.

1.2.1 – Depression & Art – A History of Madness

Throughout time, there has been wide recognition of the link between mental illness and creativity. Some even praised madness; the philosopher Plato noted as early as 370 BC in the writings of Phaedrus, “Madness, provided it comes as the gift of heaven, is the channel by which we receive the greatest blessings … the men of old who gave things their names saw no disgrace or reproach in madness; otherwise they would not have connected it with the name of the noblest of arts, the art of discerning the future, and called it the manic art … So, according to the evidence provided by our ancestors, madness is a nobler thing than sober sense … madness comes from God, whereas sober sense is merely human.” (Plato. and Waterfield, 2009). This Dionysian way of thinking gives way to creativity, through means of the unpredictable; creativity, perhaps, in its truest of forms.

Descartes also praised the works of those haunted by madness, and suggested that sadness, deep sadness as of that experienced by the sufferers of depression, excites melancholy, passion and inspiration. Foucault (1999) discusses the role of inspiration within his book Madness and Civilisation, suggesting the idea that inspiration is the meeting ground between the body and the soul, and is brought about through the emotions of both. It was the understanding in historical times that geniuses were truly ‘mad’, that creativity gave way to this madness. This differs from modern day understanding, which could be argued to oppose this point with the view that madness gives way to creativity. The sensation of experiencing a different sense of reality allows sufferers to look upon a situation from a different point of view, which gives way to ‘outside of the box’ thinking. The novel Nausea (Sartre, 1983), proves to be a beneficial philosophical account of a creative plagued by depression. The book follows the internal thoughts of a writer, heavily affected by the pain of his own existence, brought about by the open mindedness and ponderings of a creative entrenched in their research. This book stands as evidence that having an open mind gives the self access to far greener pastures in which to wander, but far bleaker ones also. It is this plethora of pastures, both positive and negative, not accessible to the settled mind, that could be seen to bring about creativity. Henry Miller (1960) echoed the problem of the conscious artist saying, “This is the sublime, the a-moral state of the artist, he who lives only in the moment, the visionary moment of utter, far-seeing lucidity. Such clear icy sanity that it seems like madness”. It is clear that the acknowledgement of the relationship between mental illness and creativity has been around for many years, although many still misunderstand why this is the case. The are many contrasting sources, both academic and artistic, that argue whether it is creativity that gives way to mental illness, or madness, or whether it is the other way around. 

Foucault goes on further to say that it is this very depression felt by the artist that gives way to inspiration or, an altered way of perceiving the world around them. “The passions… cause certain movements in the humours… sadness excited melancholy”, and gives way to inspiration. Foucault uses an apt phrase that could be used as poetic representation for what happens at this point, “it is not unheard of that the passions, being very violent, generate a kind of tetanus or catalepsy such that the person then resembles a statue more than living being”. This is the point when depression takes over, and does little to aid the creative process of the artist, but instead, in some cases, leads to their unfortunate demise.

1.2.2 – Depression & Art: The Contemporary View

This point segues through to certain designers, or artists, whose ill mental health has forced them to feel that they live only through their creative work, and that when this creative productivity runs out, so does the artist’s life. Alexander McQueen is a poignant example of this. Along with the death of his mother, it can be argue that McQueen’s creative work began to slow leading up to his unfortunate suicide. In this way it can be seen that it was a combination of Alexander McQueen’s depression, and his dependency upon his creativity, that led to his death. A more in depth study of this important case will be discussed later on in the dissertation. Foucault’s points on the topic are deduced from the study of historical cases of madness, for this reason there is less sufficient scientific backing that allow his theories to be accepted when they stand alone. In order to fully agree with the work of Foucault, it is beneficial to back his findings with more contemporary sources and case studies.

Michel Foucault goes on to debate the link between depression and creativity, pondering as to whether one gives way to the other. Foucault argues that creativity gives way to madness, or depression, eventually being the sole reason for the presence of depression, stating “passion is no longer simply one of the causes… of madness, rather it forms the very basis for its possibility”. This idea could be seen to explain the prevalence of mental illness within the fashion industry today. In an article for Dazed and Confused, Emma Hope Allwood (2015) sheds light on the pressures faced by many young fashion designers. Allwood contrasts Focault’s argument and implies that it is due to the mounting pressure put on creatives that mental illnesses such as depression arise. Foucault discusses why this may be the case, discussing the strain put on mental fibres that leads to a weakening of the body and spirit, giving way to certain maladies. Where Foucault and Allwood differ is in their view of whether this is a positive or negative result. Foucault argues that it is through this that the body and soul are united, giving way to true inspiration. Allwood, with a more contemporary approach, discusses the negative connotations brought on by excess pressure and mental strain. Allwood highlights the shallowness of viewing creative inspiration as the be all and end all, giving examples such as John Galliano. Galliano discusses his dependency upon drugs and alcohol in order to maintain creative prowess and oversee 32 collections a year whilst working for Dior and his own fashion label simultaneously, as well as drug use being a way for Galliano to get rid of the voices in his head. Hunter S. Thompson (2000) describes a depressive’s motive for drug abuse perfectly in his book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, poetically stating “He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man”. A resounding point is made by Galliano when questioned about his creativity, specifically whether he would be able to top the previous collection, he said “That’s what makes us wake up in the morning”. This dependency upon creativity has been experience by many in the fashion industry who feel this depression and isolation. This view could show that creativity is a coping mechanism for those with depression, something that gives them reason to live. When this creativity runs out, so does the reason to live.

A brief diversion away from the world of fashion and into another art form will help to solidify the validity of this point. Ernest Hemingway experienced a similar fate towards the end of his life; deep depression and heavy drinking meant that madness began to take over as the writer’s talent crumbled. Orson Welles discusses this with Michael Parkinson (1974), saying “he was a sick man… he was not well, mentally… [and] not to be judged as himself”.

More contemporary sources help to see that there has been a recent surge in concern for the mental health issue within fashion. Fashion magazine i-D discusses the way in which being a young fashion designer can affect a person’s mental health (i-D, 2016). The article gives the opinion of one young fashion designer stating that it is due to fashion not being taken seriously as an art form that causes them to feel guilty about doing it, thus leading to depressive states. The articles falters as it does not go on to mention whether this has a negative or positive effect on the outcome of creative pursuits, although one panelist mentions that a brief patch of depression in 2015 led them to creating a collection that reflected this, with overwhelming notes of darkness and suicide, thus giving evidence to the argument that depression itself can be a means of inspiration. Stansfield (2017) writes a separate article that widely agrees with the article written by i-D. In his article, Stansfield interviews a representative from every part of the fashion industry; a designer, stylist, writer, PR worker, model and student, comparing and contrasting the differing views that they may have. The designer’s thoughts were most interesting and something that must be concentrated on further. The designer mentions that since working in fashion, the symptoms of the illness have been able to be managed more effectively, leading to the subsidence of the designer’s OCD, anxiety and depression. The designer mentions that is the neurosis brought on by the illness that leads to the self-motivation and the constant need to improve and do better. This relates well to a primary research interview conducted with a Savile Row tailor, who confirms this point. Helena Pike (2016) recently wrote an article for Business of Fashion which further discusses the contemporary issue of mental health in fashion. Pike brings in an apt quote by Aristotle to confirm the ancient theory of the mad genius. Emma Mamo, a worker for the MIND mental health charity notes that it is the stress and long hours that lead to the mental health issues faced by a lot of designers.

The issue with the articles produced by i-D, Dazed & Confused and Business of Fashion is that, although they highlight that the fashion industry is rife with depression, they do not go on to discuss the effect that this has on creativity, whether it positively or negatively correlates to the production of higher quality work.

1.2.3 – What Next?

It is obvious that in order to fully answer the particular topic at hand, further investigation is necessary. The contemporary sources state that there is a concern for mental health within the fashion industry, but do little to analyse the effect this has on the work produced by the designers and artists. More historical articles merely discuss madness, and talk about it as enlightenment and the sign of an inspired mind, but do little to discuss its role within the very act of creation, with fewer discussing fashion due to the contemporary nature of the art form. Many articles exist that discuss the relationship between depression and creativity with literature, namely verbal creativity. Post (1996) discusses the pathological personality traits possessed by visual artists and writers. The article argues against earlier findings, namely that there was no link between depressive states and creativity, stating that this contrasts much of traditional thinking. The article goes one step further than to merely judge a link between depression and creativity, the article breaks down different creative ventures and judges the artists in each of these to analyse whether there is a link between depression and a specific type of creativity, the majority of it being based on verbal creativity. Ludwig’s (1992) study of ‘creative achievement and psychopathology’ did a similar comparison of creatives across different fields – artists, architects, fiction writers, actors and poets – and found that, overall, differing professions have different psychopathological tendencies. The overall findings of the article were inconclusive, and produced only casual connections between creatives whose discipline was poetry and their inclination to attempt suicide, deducing that the mental state of a poet, compared to other styles of writers, is less stable. One interesting finding was that signs of psychoses are far more prominent in White Anglo-Saxon American males. This confirms the finding that, in terms of the fashion industry, far more white males have admitted to experiencing depressive tendencies; Alexander McQueen, Christopher Bailey and Tom Ford being examples of this. This could potentially be due to the fact that the industry predominantly consists of white males, skewing the data slightly. Another interesting article which may help to map the correlation between mental illness and creative pursuits is Holm-Hadulla, Roussel and Hofmann’s (2010) article written for the Journal of Affective Disorders. The article discusses the case of Goethe, a brilliant poet and scientist of his time, who work still lives on today. A phenomenological and hermeneutic analysis is performed upon Goethe’s writings in order to diagnose Goethe’s symptoms and assess how this affected his creative work. The article echoes the points of Foucault and discusses the melancholic nature of many artists and philosophers. The article also states that during the happy years of the poet’s life, when he was in love, he was relatively unproductive as a poet, and produced little work. This could be seen as evidence that creativity was used as a mechanism by which to cope in times of depression, also confirming that the very nature of his depression was inspiration for his creativity. Goethe mentions in his writings that following near-death experiences his creativity overflowed and the quality of his work reflected this. This, once again, confirms a first hand interview with a Savile Row tailor suffering from manic depression.

1.3 – Research Methods

1.3.1 – Case Studies: Suffering Artists

Primary research was performed through an in-depth interview between the researcher and a Savile Row tailor (see Appendix 1). Marcus currently works under Oswald Boateng as a tailor on London’s prestigious Savile Row. Marcus admitted to the researcher that he suffered from manic depression in the past, a mental illness for which he was hospitalised on more than one occasion. During the interview, it becomes clear that depression at its most primal form is a crushing feeling of hopelessness and discontent. In this particular case, it is obvious that the link between the creative and depression lies within their discontent for society and a wish to change it through creative endeavours. The example of Vivienne Westwood was raised, whereby societal change was brought about by the implementation of the Punk era, a revolution against the status quo. This could be seen as something that all creatives pursue. 

Solitude was discussed as a necessity for the creative process, but was also admitted as being a factor for the reason why depression can come about. It is when we are most alone, both mentally and physically, that the mind begins to wander into the depths of consciousness. This meditative state of being can be a great source of inspiration, motivating many designers and artists to create. The problem arrives with the vulnerability that many artists face. This solitude and need for emotional vulnerability, as discussed earlier, can cause the mind to enter into a state of discontent. Societal flaws, as well as personal flaws, become more obvious, and the artists is in a constant pursuit of perfection, perhaps both in their own work as well as in society. It is becoming clear through extensive research that the relationship between depression and creativity are so intertwined due to the fact that they are connected by a two-way channel, they are in constant communication with each other, feeding off of each other, as they both develop into dazzling beasts.

When questioned about when he has felt most creative, Marcus responded that it was in moments closest to death, such as in times following an attempted suicide, that he produced his most prideful masterpieces. This stands as evidence that negative experiences fuel our creativity in a more productive manner, when compared to positive ones. He also stated that in times of dire need, when he feels like he has nothing, his inspiration peaks and he is able to produce the best pieces of art, and the best quality garments. The overall interview was an inspiration, and this particular story was a pleasure to hear. It helped to put a positive spin on depression, and how truly great minds are able to utilise it. When compared with contemporary articles, all of the information received from Marcus was in agreement with recent studies being made; it is the neurosis brought on by depression that drives the constant need to do better creatively; the vulnerability necessary for artists to be open to inspiration can leave them susceptible to negative emotions, as much as positive emotions; and art and creativity exist as a double-edged sword, whereby they can be both the cause and the cure for depression. Art exists to comfort the disturbed artist and disturb the comfortable audience. A notable quote from the open interview is this; “that’s where beauty comes from isn’t it?.. If you’re pushing the boundaries of beauty in something creative, and you’re [messing] about in the depths of your consciousness, that not many people are brave enough to do, then the risk is that you are at some point going to end up topping yourself, because you can’t be in tune unless you’re in a… suppressed frame of mind… This is what’s making me alive right now”. Ingmar Bergman famously stated “I could always live in my art but never in my life”, a view that Marcus, as an artist, clearly agreed with, and saw this as a reason for the loss of designers such as Alexander McQueen.

Perhaps the most well recognised designer who suffered from depression, an ailment that eventually took his life, Alexander McQueen’s case is an important one to study, in order to best analyse the correlation between the artist’s hardest mental times and their most outstanding masterpieces. 

McQueen is well recognised as a designer who was able to ‘“make art out of fabric” (Mower, 2017), portraying his darkest emotions through the flawless, well tailored lines and details of his garments, a skill he learnt as an apprentice at Gieves & Hawkes, Savile Row. Whilst there, Alexander, formerly known as Lee, was known to possess a rebellious attitude, drawing phallic shapes on the patterns of royalty such as Prince Charles. It is obvious then that McQueen held a strong discontent for society and the world. According to Art Fund (2017), McQueen’s creative work was seen to peak in 2003, following his successful return to design. Meanwhile, in his personal life, he was seen to be battling demons inside his mind. This intense negative emotion may well have been the reason why his work received such high acclaim at the time, due to it affecting his creative process in a positive way. His work was described by Pilon (2017) as confessional poetry, it is clear to see that McQueen was the first of his kind, a designer willing to sew emotion into their garments . Few have been able to transcend from a mere designer to a true artist whose works reflect the equally tortured Vincent van Gogh. This is where fashion design changed from a way of making money for big corporations into a pure art form, full of emotion and virtue. 

The exhibition Savage Beauty, hosted by the V&A in London, was successful in shedding more light, posthumously, on the life of Alexander McQueen. His revered collection Voss, shown in the Spring/ Summer of 2001, featured models trapped inside padded cells (V&A, 2017). These padded cells are a clear representation of a Bedlam-like mental institution, evoking the viewer to look within the tormented mind of McQueen. Commenting on his designs, and in turn his internal thoughts, McQueen stated, “People find my things sometimes aggressive. But I don’t see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, dealing with a dark side of personality” (VAM, 2015).

The wonderful mind responsible for McQueen’s initial success, Isabella Blow, also suffered from her own mental ailments. Perhaps this can be seen as a reason why the two were so close. Blow’s battle with depression ended in a similar, unfortunate way. In Vanity Fair, Edward Helmore (2014), gives a thorough description of Blow’s life, and sheds light on the significant factors that contributed to her depression. The death of her brother at the age of 4 could be seen as the initial emotional blow to her psyche, but Isabella endured and made a name for herself and her remarkable eye for detail in the fashion industry. It was this experience with death that sparked a deeply romantic, Voltaire-esque relationship to it. This also influenced Blow to possess a slightly altered view of reality, something that benefitted her surrealist approach to the creative elements of fashion, even down to the details she wished to portray in her many grandiose portraits.

It is not merely through pre-existing mental torment that depression can be cast upon people, but also through the death of a loved one. Unresolved grief, pain and heartache can cause the mind to falter. Following the death of his mother, Kanye West fell into such a state of depression. Mr. West began his career as a musician, but transcended into an artist in every sense of the word. A now glorified designer, it can be seen that this pathway was wandered down, initially, because of his mother, Donda. He fell so deeply into depression, brought on by guilt and self blame regarding his mother’s death, he admitted that he, on occasion, contemplated suicide (Frith, 2012). As a form of catharsis, Kanye founded the designer brand Donda, taking his mother’s name as the ultimate tribute to the woman he so deeply loved. Through this design venture, Kanye was able to translate his negative emotions into beautiful pieces of art and apparel, and play out a process that guided him through his darkest times of depression, the artist still suffers from this mental ailment today (Berry, 2016).

Front man for Burberry, Christopher Bailey, experienced similar grief following the death of his partner Geert Cloet, former brand director at Miu Miu, to brain cancer (Edemariam, 2010). Bailey mentioned the deep pain he felt, and how he thought he would never love again. A pain so deep can affect the professional life of a person catastrophically, but Bailey soldiered on. He has been seen as solely responsible for the turnaround of Burberry since the brand faced a struggle with image and identity, effectively ruining its profits. It was around the time of Bailey’s struggle with depression that he was awarded Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards (Burberry, 2015). It could be deduced that the negative emotions that Bailey felt assisted him in being more productive, and producing work of a higher quality. This can be backed scientifically by the studies of Akinola and Mendes (2009) and Baas et al (2008). 

Some fashion designers have chosen to transcend into different mediums, such as the world of Cinema, in order to better portray the internal emotions that haunt them. Tom Ford is another example within the fashion industry of an artist who has been able to guide the materialisation of valuable work from the depths of his depression. A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford, discusses a professor’s state of depression following the loss of his partner. The film can be seen as an external representation of Tom Ford’s internal thoughts, even though the film is based upon a book written by Christopher Isherwood. Ford admitted in an interview with Stephen Galloway (2016) that he is in constant fear that something will go wrong, and that this anxiety has led him to unhappiness. This is a large theme within ‘A Single Man’, where the loss of a loved one is the thing that goes wrong, causing the protagonist to spiral. Tom Ford echoes the discontent with today’s culture that was discussed at length in the interview with Marcus. Ford even goes on to mention that his depression was the engine behind his drive, confirming the point once again that depression fuels artistic creativity and perfection. 

1.3.2 – Case Studies: Professional Opinion

In order to make for a well rounded discussion, it is important to include the studies and opinions of professionals within the field of mental health, specifically those who deal with mental illness related to mood. This will be comprised of contemporary primary and secondary sources in order to give a full, up to date analysis of the topic thus far studied.

Within the article, The Dark Side of Creativity by Akinola and Mendes (2009), the authors discuss the situational and emotional factors responsible for influencing creativity, carrying out experimentations upon 96 young adults and publishing their findings. The experiments began by establishing the baseline creativity level of each participant through the use of the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults, in order to set a standard level for each participant and allow the extrapolation of accurate data. Following this, participants undertook a series of tasks with the goal of affecting their moods, either negatively and positively. Those carrying out the experiment anticipated that negative emotions would increase artistic creativity proportionally. The results of the experiment confirmed this, noting that greater social rejection gave way to greater negative moods which directly gave way to greater artistic creativity. Another interesting finding from the experiment was related to emotional vulnerability. Participants who were seen to possess a higher level of emotional vulnerability, when exposed to high levels of social rejection were able to achieve greater artistic result, perhaps due to an increased level of introspection and clearer, more detailed thinking, however conscious the participant may have been to this going on. Although this experiment is helpful in giving reason as to why negative emotion gives way to greater artistic creativity, it is based on short term mood manipulation, and not on prolonged mental stress and illness, as well as being performed on participants who did not possess a mental illness. Further investigation into the link between depression and creativity is necessary. The article goes on further to discuss the differing result of creative artists suffering from depression and those suffering from bipolar disorder. The article contrasts the two conditions, stating that mania brought on bipolar disorder gives way to higher rates of productivity, meaning that more works would be produced, although their quality would be questionable. In this situation, quantity overtakes quality. The comparison of this situation to one of a depressed state is that deeper introspection and deliberation gives way to fewer, more creative, pieces of work. In this case, quality overtakes quantity. 

Baas et al (2008) oppose the view that negative emotions give way to greater artistic creativity in their article based around a 25 year analysis of mood and its affect on creativity. The findings of their experiment showed that positive moods produced more creative output than that of neutral or negative moods. The explanation given for their findings was that positive affect gave way to increased cognitive flexibility and a higher ability to solve problems. These findings can be explained through the referral of the earlier point made by Akinola and Mendes, that positive emotions allow for a higher level of productivity, although the outcome may be of a decreased quality. Furthermore, creativity itself is an unclear concept which begs a multitude of philosophical studies to answer the simple sounding question – ‘what is art?’. Without a clear scale by which to measure output, the result of studies will show different results, although, when applied to the fashion industry, it can be agreed that high quality work far outweighs a high quantity of work. It will baffle anyone how then John Galliano was able to successfully produce 32 collections a year. The man’s genius cannot be questioned, nor can the need for an artist to master his craft in order to be truly seen as a creative. Malcolm Gladwell and Plato would agree on that much. Another explanation for the differing view of a multitude of scientific articles could be that both mood and creativity are completely subjective, that the outcome of one individual with depression will be completely different to the outcome of another, no matter whether both are fashion designers by profession, or accountants or teachers or bankers or estate agents or waste disposal employees or a potato, the result will always differ.

Kyaga et al. (2012) found that depression is likely to be a hereditary disease felt by the family member of a creative, even if this particular ailment does not necessarily effect the creative themselves. In this situation, it could be speculated that a creative will be able to receive inspiration from the life experiences of those closest to them. The findings of the article found that there was no significant correlation between sufferers of depression and their likelihood to be in a creative field, apart from in the case of authors, a point that has been clearly made throughout the dissertation.

1.4 – Findings & Analysis

Creativity can also be viewed as a form of catharsis for those who suffer from depression. This mentally cleansing technique is one of the most well known contemporary treatments for sufferers. Patients are often implored to take part in art therapy sessions, both individually and as part of a group. Through this practice, professionals are able to gain an insight into the mind and emotions of the patients, as well as it being a beneficial activity for the patient, by means of them being able to express themselves more clearly. This of itself can begin the healing process for a lot of people who suffer from depression and other mood related mental illnesses.

Feder and Feder (1981) produced an insightful book on the topic of expressive art therapies. The book includes an in depth study on the benefit of art therapy as a cathartic technique, going back to Aristotle’s belief that “art releases unconscious tensions and purges the soul”. Feder and Feder state that “it would be highly inaccurate to suggest that the diagnostic function and therapeutic function [of art therapy] can be separated in clinical practice”, but go on to outline the therapeutic properties of the process. The primary reason for the success of art therapy is due to the theory that similar to the phrase ‘satisfaction is the death of desire’, expression of a problem provides relief, meaning that once an artist has created the piece that was fuelled by their emotion, they no longer feel the overwhelming emotion – the depression subsides. Feder and Feder offer case studies of patients suffering from depression who have felt more calm and relaxed once they have painted a picture, the patients also realise the emotions and feelings that are implied within their own artwork, helping them to communicate what they felt unable to beforehand. It makes no difference to the healing process of the sufferer whether these pieces of work are then psychologically analysed afterwards, or not. The process itself is enough to heal.

Liebmann (2001) makes the point that art therapy is about personal expression, rather than the pursuit of an aesthetically pleasing end product. Here lies the difference between the medical practice of art therapy and self-induced art therapy by which artists express themselves. Artists, as well as fashion designers, aim for both aesthetic and emotional beauty. Liebmann goes on to mention the benefits of art therapy performed within a group, stating that for patients who have trouble in social situations it can be a great source of learning, due to the fact that the environment is soothing and vacated of judgement. There is also benefit in the mutual support of a group who suffer from the same illness. The group is able to eradicate the feeling of isolation from a sufferer as it is clear to them that they are not alone, there are others that suffer too. The emotional empathy can be a great healer.

The emotional semiotics that can be portrayed through creative pursuits are vast. This once again can be used as a form of expression in order to rid the artist of a certain emotion. An example of this could be if a designer to inspiration for a collection from trees. The idea of a solitary tree can portray loneliness, but also strength. Although this form of inspiration could be said to have been taken from nature, it is really a form of self-inspiration – the portrayal of raw emotions into a concept which, in turn, is portrayed through the creation of garments. When this level of depth is applied to the fashion industry it is undeniable that fashion designers are true artists in their own right.

It would be impossible to research the link between depression and creativity without mentioning briefly the role that drugs can play. In a study by Gordon Claridge (1970), he noted that man has been searching for centuries to experience something beyond that of normal reality, this has led to the use of drugs in order to achieve this. Many fashion designers are known to have faced a battle with drugs, Alexander McQueen being an example of this. This escape of reality seems very appealing to a sufferer of depression, due to the fact that they do not very much like the reality in which they exist. For this reason, some sufferers may experiment with drugs, especially hallucinogenics, in order to transport themselves into another realm of consciousness, one in which they feel much safer. It is through this experimentation with drugs that other creative inspiration can come, due to the experience of something beyond the norm, as previously mentioned. This was again confirmed in the primary research phase when Marcus discussed with the researcher his experimentation with drugs in order to push away from reality and push for something more, creatively speaking. There have been many contemporary studies that show that through a technique known as micro-dosing of the drug psilocybin, one is able to sharpen their creative edge, as well as there being evidence to show that this same technique has proven successful in the eradication of depression.

1.5 – Conclusion

Although there is a link between depression and creativity, it is not clear that this direct links exist within the fashion industry. What is clear is that the constant high pressure that goes along with the industry can exacerbate depressive tendencies, which some artists use in their creative favour, producing some truly innovative masterpieces. The two exist in a constantly communicating two-way channel, as sources of fuel and inspiration for each other. It is down to the artist to gain control of their mind, so that they may use their mental ailments as a creative tool, without allowing it to take over their being. For those who suffer from depression, it is clear that they must endeavour to make the best of their situation, they must nurture their talent and their tortured soul and altered view on the world mould them into an artist. Through doing this, one may find that the very process of creating their art form – whether this be garments or anything else – is enough to cleanse their soul and heal their wounds.

A reason as to why those with depression can appear to be more creative, in terms of quality of work, deduced from the many findings, is this; artists, especially those with tormented souls and troubled hearts, paint from a different palette of emotion to the rest of humanity. It is through this that the indigo, turquoise, lilac and mauve of the world are portrayed, rather than the bland and primary emotions of red, yellow and blue. That is what we see to be art. It is also true that many turn to creativity as a means of catharsis for their mental illnesses. This is due to the fact that comfort can be found in creative endeavours, as the success of art therapy proves. It is down to the artist to possess the creativity to think outside of the norm, something that mental illness more easily allows. Tormented souls are coaxed into creating masterpieces through the comfort that this act brings, the comfort that mental solace is out there.

Whatever your creative endeavour may be, whatever mental struggle ails you, musical composer Tchaikovsky offered these words of comfort, “There are days, hours, weeks, aye, and months, in which everything looks black, when I am tormented by the thought that I am forsaken, that no one cares for me… [but] I assert that life is beautiful in spite of everything!… There are many thorns, but  the roses are there, too.”