John Skelton back in spotlight as EBIT cultural & creative director, launches collection on Mental Health Day

On World Mental Health Day comes news that John Skelton has joined EBIT (or Enjoy Being in Transition) as cultural & creative director of the “mental health culture brand”.

The LN-CC founder returns to fashion after a seven-year hiatus during which time he dealt with “mental health struggles and addiction recovery” and is working with EBIT founder Simon Whitehouse, the former CEO of JW Anderson.

The company said the announcement of his arrival is “entwined with” the release of the SS25 EBIT collection called ‘I LOVE YOU’ [E150] that Skelton co-created and in which he features in campaign imagery. 

Back in July, private showroom appointments were held in Milan and wholesale stockists when the collection drops next month will include Selfridges in the UK, multi-brand concept retailers Modes across Europe and Number 4 in the Middle East. 

Retail prices will range from €250 to €995.

Skelton said the collection is a “quest for purity, clean, stripped back” in which “protective, cocoon-like silhouettes wrap the body for one’s fragile, shaky days”, with details like raw edges and loose stitching “symbolising the trauma lines of life”.

It’s a 50-piece offer anchored by geometry with the octagon (called “a symbol of (re)birth and transition”) being used in a “unique branding concept” along with “patch-not-patch effects on denim”. 

The line is gender fluid with each item across denim, gabardine and jersey coming in organic cotton and having been made in Italy. 

Campaign images were shot by Italian photographers Mauro Maglione and Rosario Rex, with styling by Francesca Cisani.

Skelton’s new role comes on the back of him collaborating with the label since January this year and his return to the fashion spotlight is described as “a profoundly cathartic, emotional and artistic release after years dealing with mental health issues, addiction and recovery”.

Late last year, he also initiated a community social media-based project (called @_h_e_a_r_t_e_d_ ) where he describes his addiction problems and recovery. He added that he’s “found solace and creative freedom in the cocoon of EBIT and the release of ‘I LOVE YOU’ [E150]”.

Skelton explained further: “It feels extremely important for me to now tell my story as since I have started my work with @_h_e_a_r_t_e_d_ I am fully aware of how many people are struggling with life, mental health issues, addiction and suicidal ideation, just as I have been these past 12 years. 

“I am so grateful to be here and for this opportunity with EBIT as [founder] Simon [Whitehouse] and I are totally aligned on all of these points and issues. 

“Together, we are not creating a fashion brand. In fact, we are creating the absolute opposite. We are building a futuristic, multi-disciplinary platform that is rooted in freedom of feelings and emotions, openness and most importantly ‘change’, with clothing being just one of the mediums for our message.”