The Dark Side of Our Fashion Industry: Drug Abuse

The Dark Side of Our Fashion Industry: Drug Abuse

By Thanush Poulsen

The fashion industry is notorious for the atmosphere of glamour, rush, and partying that surrounds it. Designers, models, and stylists appear to have the lives that a lot of people dream about: fulfilling, vibrant, and gleaming. All the shine, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it are thousands of work hours, overwhelming stress, and pressure that only increase as we go deeper into the field.

It’s not surprising that many people try coping with such enormous load through means that are no less extreme. Drug abuse, in particular, is incredibly common in the fashion industry. The use of illicit drugs and the misuse of prescription medicines are often regarded with no judgment whatsoever. At the same time, it’s easy to get blinded by the sparkling facade and miss the massive normalization of drug abuse in the industry. Many people prefer focusing on the sterile beauty that fashion represents, rather than on the ugly truth. Such lack of concern promotes denial of the condition and makes a person less likely to seek treatment.

Those who do realize they have a problem and want to get help don’t have it easy either. Living in the spotlight, constantly followed by fans and cameras that record your every move, is stressing, even for those who don’t abuse drugs. The news about addiction goes viral extremely quickly and can inflict an avalanche of public humiliation on a celebrity. It makes finding the right facility to get treatment twice as hard due to concerns for confidentiality. For this reason, it’s hard to overestimate the impact a single private rehab center (navigate here) can have on a person’s life.

Gigi Hadid Is Alluring Rio Beach Beauty Covering ELLE US March 2019, Lensed By Chris Colls

Gigi Hadid Is Alluring Rio Beach Beauty Covering ELLE US March 2019, Lensed By Chris Colls

Supermodel Gigi Hadid appears in her first ever ELLE US cover triad, taking us to Rio de Janeiro in an issue that confronts the “allure of dangerous women”. Chris Colls captures the American all star posing in Cynthia Rowley pink, Balmain, Hermes, Valentino and more styled by Ilona Hamer.

In her interview ‘All Eyes on Gigi Hadid”, the supermodel responds to the ongoing attacks against the insta girls that she is a woman of privilege. In reality, these women are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, but Gigi does address her privilege in an honest and thoughtful way:

"I mean, I understand it. I come from privilege, and I recognize my privilege. But because my mom was on a TV show [Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills], people think that my whole childhood was fame. It absolutely was not. My mom was a model. She moved to the States when she was 16 to send money back to her family in Holland. My dad was a refugee and worked his way up in every way. I work hard to honor my parents."

Lineisy Montero Saturates Vogue Mexico February 2019 With Reserved, Nothouse Beauty By Stas Komarovski

Lineisy Montero Saturates Vogue Mexico February 2019 With Reserved, Nothouse Beauty By Stas Komarovski

Dominican model Lineisy Montero is styled by Maya Zepinic in ladylike, proper-woman, parfait-colors beauty for ‘Point of View: Lineisy Montero’. Photographer Stas Komarovski captures Lineisy at home in the greenhouse for Vogue Mexico February 2019./ Hair by Joey George; makeup by Cyndle Komarovski

Eye: Versace x Kith Collab Launches February 15th With Bella Hadid Starring In Campaign Lensed By Pierre Toussant

Kith partners with iconic fashion house Versace to launch a collaborative collection that channels the Italian label’s signature opulence through Kith’s trademark lens. Supermodel Bella Hadid is center stage, styled by Clare Byrne for images by Pierre Toussant./ Hair by Jen Atkin; makeup by Mary Philips

Kith x Versace releases Friday, February 15th, at all Kith shops and at 11AM EST on KithWomen.com. The collection will also release at select international Versace flagship stores.

Fran Summers Covers WSJ Magazine's March 2019 Women's Style Issue, Lensed By Mikael Jansson

Fran Summers Covers WSJ Magazine's March 2019 Women's Style Issue, Lensed By Mikael Jansson

Top model Fran Summers covers the March 2019 issue of WSJ Magazine’s Women Style Issue. Alex White styles Fran In pieces from Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Christopher Kane, Prada, Valentino, Miu Miu, Celine by Hedi Slimane, Burberry, Dior, and Chanel for images by Mikael Jansson. / Makeup by Mark Carrasquillo; hair by David Harborow

Kendall Jenner Fuels Fashionistas In 'Obsession' By Mert & Marcus For Vogue Italia February 2019

Supermodel Kendall Jenner covers the February 2019 issue of Vogue Italia for an editorial called ‘Osessione’ or ‘Obsession’ in English. Jenner morphs into multiple personas, styled by Jacob K in images by Mert & Marcus.

Arseny Jabiev Captures Jana Julius In Colorburst Finery For Vogue Russia February 2019

Model Jana Julius is styled by Vogue Russia’s executive fashion director Sveta Vashenyak in Evening Program’, lensed by Arseny Jabiev for the February 2019 issue. / Hair by Lucas Wilson; makeup by Ayami Nishimura

Birgit Kos + Irina Shayk Play At War Games For Dsquared2 Spring 2019 Campaign By Mert + Marcus

The urban warriors from Dsquared2 Spring/Summer 2019 fashion show are led by Birgit Kos and Irina Shayk in a new campaign shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott. Other models in the ‘romantization of combat’ campaign include Martijn Faaij, Barak Shamir, Paulo Spencer, Tommy Hackett, Janusz Kuhlmann, Deano Perona, Jordan Genidogan, Elliot Meeten and William Los./ Art direction by Giovanni Bianco; hair by Sam McKnight; make-up by Gordon Espinet.

Meeting in their city hangout, a disused railway station on the edge of the city, the urban pack appear in color-saturated scenes that mix the high energy of the collection and industrial elements of the setting of Milan’s Orobia Factory. Military codes and turn of the century style corsetry details on the accessories and ready-towear – including long, trailing laces – are captured in movement, flying when jumping a stair rail and riding bikes through the vast space.

Do not be fooled. The Dsquared team is not training to fight ISIS, like the brave Kurdish women soldiers. Attending a sneakers convention like the October 2018 one at Milan’s Orobia Factory is their next big priority. Unfortunately, these unbelievably brave Kurdish women are in serious danger of dying if the US pulls out 2000+ highly-trained military support staff working with the Kurds in Syria. Real life is so much more complicated — although I fully admit to liking and wearing utilitarian-inspired clothing inspired by the Kurdish women soldiers. And I use every fashion story opportunity to tell stories of brave women in military-related real life. ~ Anne

Edita Vilkeviciute Is Road-Trip Ready, Lensed By Lachlan Bailey For St. John Resort 2019 Campaign

Top model Edita Vilkeviciute fronts St. John Resort 2019, styled by George Cortina in sophisticated travel essentials. Photographer Lachlan Bailey captures Edita in her road-tripready, casual elegance St. John looks./ Hair by Teddy Charles; makeup by Fara Homidi

Ansolet Rossouw Poses In Modern Nomad Looks Lensed By Till Janz For Vogue Ukraine February 2019

Ansolet Rossouw hails from the lush plains of Bloemfontein, South Africa. Growing up, she would play “teacher” with her sister and help care for the animals on her family farm, dabbling in the dream of opening up a bed and breakfast on the serene grounds where she grew up. “ Rossouw has come a long way from her May 2018 interview with CR Fashion Book.

Ansolet covers the February 2019 issue of Vogue Ukraine, lensed by Till Janz with styling loves from Prada, Versace, Miu Miu, Jacquemus and more by Felicia Garcia-Rivera for ‘Gypsy Time’. Hair by Pawel Solis; makeup by Patrik Glatthaar

Helena Christensen Plays Feminine Seduction Game Lensed By Jan Walters For Tatler Russia February 2019

Supermodel Helena Christensen is styled by Renata Kharkova in bold, sexy, lot of leather looks from Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Max Mara and more. Photographer Jan Welters is behind the lens for Tatler Russia February 2019.

Hailey Baldwin Welcomes Us To Nantucket Style For Weekend Max Mara's Spring 2019 Collection

Hailey Baldwin Welcomes Us To Nantucket Style For Weekend Max Mara's Spring 2019 Collection

Hailey Baldwin fronts Weekend Max Mara’s new ‘Nantucket’ collection created in collaboration with American interior designer Anthony Baratta. Cape Cod beckons us in this ocean-breeze, fresh collection of breezy prints and girls’ prep school cuts.

Martha Hunt Is Lensed By Simone Falcetta In PINKO 'Rock 'N' Shine' Spring/Summer 2019 Campaign

Victoria’s Secret Angel Martha Hunt headlines PINKO’s Spring Summer 2019 ‘Rock ‘N’ Shine’ ad campaign, lensed by Simone Falcetta.

She is determined and curious, she believes in kindness and that the only way to highlight what she wears is to wear it with total ease and self-confidence. Martha Hunt is the perfect representation of the PINKO woman in the Spring Summer 2019 campaign: an allusion to the ‘80s beauty of glam-rock icon Jerry Hall. Martha’s personality intertwines naturally with the new PINKO collection: feminine, sensual, unexpected, always self-confident and with a gaze straight toward the future. The Spring Summer 2019 season presents an eclectic, sophisticated wardrobe, made up of garments to wear with ease and to mix boldly, iconic pieces for a woman with an instinctive and spontaneous elegance.