Gender-fluid clothing brand Kontroversial is to launch Undressing Discrimination, a new campaign to coincide with International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on Tuesday, May 17 that focuses on mental health and features five Manchester-based stars of the stage and screen: Rebecca Holt, Reece Daniels, Denon James & Darnell Gledhill, and Toby Holt.
Kontroversial, which will donate 20% of profits from clothing sales throughout May and June to mental health charity Rainbow Mind, was created in 2019 by brother and sister Kate and Chris Friar. With a vision of a society where clothing is less gender-specific and focused more on creativity and freedom, Kontroversial aims to challenge the issues connected with identity and stereotypes, empowering all ages, genres, and sizes to feel comfortable with themselves and what they wear.
As part of the Undressing Discrimination campaign, Kontroversial has unveiled four diverse brand ambassadors, all Manchester-based stars of the stage and screen who challenge the ‘norm’ due to their gender, profession, sexuality or beliefs. Kontroversial asked this mix of non-binary models to style a Kontroversial clothing piece and create a look that truly represented themselves. This was followed up with exclusive interviews about culture, controversy, and discrimination revealing some startling experiences.
Kate Friar, Kontroversial’s designer and founder, said: “I’m so proud to work with our new brand ambassadors. They represent confidence and body positivity and are not afraid to be who they truly are, which is a message we fully support. Through sharing their experiences, we hope to encourage others to have the confidence to be their authentic selves.
“For us to show different genders wearing the same clothes but worn in totally different ways shows the variety of possibilities within the same product whilst also inspiring people to think outside the box of the gender norms and stereotypes associated with it.”
As part of the campaign, Kontroversial has teamed up with Rainbow Minds to donate 20% of profits from sales in May and June to the charity which helps young people navigate mental health challenges associated with being within the LGBTQ+ community.
Naomi Evans, strategic communications lead for Rainbow Mind, said: “Our Rainbow Mind project offers inclusive mental health support for LGBTQ+ people, providing a safe space for people to be their authentic selves free from judgement or discrimination.
“We’re incredibly grateful for Kontroversial’s generous support, as their exciting new launch celebrates self-expression and gender inclusivity, values that also reflect our ethos.”
To find out more about Kontroversial, CLICK HERE
For more info on Rainbow Mind, CLICK HERE