WHAT ADVOCATING FOR MENTAL HEALTH TAUGHT ME: IN FASHION AND BEYOND

When I first started advocating for mental health, I didn't know what to expect. What I didn't expect was how deeply this advocacy would shape not only my career but my sense of purpose, especially within two powerful yet often silenced spaces: the women's community and the fashion industry.

I've learned more than I ever expected - about the people I work with and about what real support looks like when the cameras stop flashing.

And it all started with two platforms I built: Raw Talk with Nikki Gal and The Model Memo with Nikki Gal.

Starting the Conversation and Refusing to Filter It

When I launched Raw Talk with Nikki Gal, my mission was simple: get real. No sugarcoating, no performance. I wanted to hold space for honest conversations around mental health disorders, burnout boundaries and body image.

I started interviewing women around the world including models, creatives, entrepreneurs, mothers, students all craving the same thing: comfortability to feel. That space of shared honesty became healing, not just for my audience, but for me too. It taught me that vulnerability isn't weakness. Its a bridge. A connector. And we need more of it, not less.

The Fashion Industry: Progress, but Still Work to Do

In fashion, mental health has often been buried under the surface. We're expected to show up composed and camera-read-even when we re silently unraveling inside. Creating The Model Memo with Nikki Gal was my way of calling that out and doing something about it. The platform offers guidance, mentorship, and support for models navigating the emotional challenges that come with the industry - rejection, pressure to conform, and burnout.

What I've learned through those conversations is that the more we speak up, the more we change the standard. I've watched brands shift. I've seen agencies start to listen. And I've seen models finally say no to what doesn't serve their mental wellbeing - which is powerful.

What Advocacy Has Taught Me

Here's what advocating for mental health has taught me - and continues to teach me;

Community matters more than image. The illusion of perfection is isolating. But honesty? That builds connection.

Women are strongest when they share, not compete.

When one woman speaks her truth, she gives silent permission for another to do the same.

Mental health isn't a niche topic - it's the topic.

Whether you're in fashion or finance, how we feel impacts how we show up.

Being honest won't make everyone comfortable - and that's okay.

My job isn't to appease. It's to advocate.

Where We Go From Here

I didn't create Raw Talk or The Model Memo to be the exert. I created them to be a voice. A voice that says: You're not alone. And you re allowed to talk about what hurts, what heals, and what you're still figuring out.

Mental health advocacy isn t a side mission for me - its embedded in everything I do. I carry that mission with me. And I'II keep carrying it - for every woman who's ever felt unseen, unheard, or unworthy of support.

Xo

Nikki

Author: NIKKI GAL