WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred) will have a presence at New York Fashion Week this weekend in an effort to encourage designers across the industry to incorporate the color yellow and sunflowers into designs, as a part of the movement to rebrand depression in a positive light.
"The Fashion Industry is a proven agent of social change," said Kathryn Goetzke, President and Founder of iFred, "it is our hope that designers from across the industry will join iFred in partnership to eradicate the negative stigma associated with depression. Designers and celebrities have a unique ability to eradicate stigma through setting new trends in beauty, art, and creativity, so we hope to find additional ones to join our movement for hope."
iFred currently works in partnership with SkinnyJeans®, which has a custom pair of sunflower yellow jeans that gives 15% of proceeds to iFred when consumers use Hope at checkout. Sunflowers are being used as the international symbol of depression as seen in the Field for Hope campaign where NGOs around the world are accepting donations to plant sunflowers in honor of those with depression. Sunflowers the chosen symbol for depression as they represent the colors associated with depression successfully treated; hope, joy, and happiness. They also grow towards the sun, similar how we encourage those with depression to step out of the darkness and follow their light.
iFred is a 501(c)(3) organization whose primary purpose is to reduce and eventually eradicate the stigma associated with depression. Depression is treatable, yet fewer than 25 percent of those experiencing a major depressive episode receive treatment, primarily due to the stigma and negative perception of depression. By "shining a positive light" on depression, iFred seeks to positively "rebrand" and "reposition" with the sunflower, the color yellow, and the focus on Hope, to secure that someday 100 percent of depression patients are willing and able to get the help they need.
@ifredorg || @fieldforhope