Hollister Donates $1M, Enlists TikTok Stars to Support Teen Mental Health
Hollister wants to talk about mental health.
The teen apparel, accessories and footwear brand — which is owned by parent company Abercrombie & Fitch Co. — is raising awareness around Gen Z’s mental wellness by donating $1 million to select nonprofits and with the help of a few TikTok stars.
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“One of the many lessons learned throughout 2020 was how critical mental health is and that remains especially true for the teen demographic,” said Kristin Scott, global brand president at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. “At Hollister, we are passionate about supporting initiatives that improve our teen customers’ mental health, well-being, environments and more. We are honored to give back to these organizations and projects through the Hollister Confidence Project and to support those who are working to champion these causes day in and day out within our communities.”
On Tuesday, TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, along with Rebecca Black, Maggie Thurmon, Jack Wright and Zahra, will surprise roughly 300 U.S. high school students with virtual mental wellness pop-ups. The hourlong discussions, which take place over Zoom, will be a chance for both the TikTok stars and students to openly talk about their struggles with mental health.
“Ultimately, the sessions aim to remove the stigma around having these types of conversations,” according to a company representative.
The virtual heart-to-hearts coincide with Hollister’s second annual World Teen Mental Wellness Day, an event the retailer started last year in partnership with the National Day Calendar, a firm that tracks and registers U.S. holidays, to reduce stigmas around teen mental health.
In addition, the brand is donating $1 million to 20 nonprofits, winners of the 2021 Hollister Confidence Fund grant program, by way of The Hollister Confidence Project, a yearlong initiative that the company founded in 2020 to support teen mental health.
Grant recipients work to raise awareness of issues affecting teens, including mental health, equity for Black, indigenous and people of color, safety and inclusion of LGBTQ youth, anti-bullying and sustainability.
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