A single photo of pop star Harry Styles walking through London with a canvas tote bag has helped raise $40,000 for a small mental health initiative. The money has paid for more than 1,300 therapy sessions for people who cannot afford treatment. The bag belonged to the Other People Fund, an independent project started by Elena Kilgore. What began as a small personal idea quickly grew into a major charity effort after the singer was seen carrying it.
The idea started with a personal experience when Kilgore was 23. Therapy sessions in the United States usually cost between $100 and $200, according to People.
After a relationship ended and both people agreed to “see other people”, Kilgore decided to seek therapy. Knowing that many people cannot afford regular treatment, Kilgore decided to create clothing with a playful message: “I think that we should see other people, and by other people I mean therapists”. However, she soon learned how expensive private treatment could be. This made her realise that cost was a major barrier for many people who needed mental health support. In an interview with People, Kilgore explained that she first planned to keep the project small.
“My five year plan for Other People Fund was to get Harry Styles in my t-shirt,” Kilgore told Novel Magazine. Kilgore had Styles in mind as someone she hoped would support the project While creating the clothing line. “I designed it with him in mind. My exact direction to my shirt designer was, ‘something that Harry Styles would wear.'” Kilgore contacted the singer’s stylist through Instagram. The stylist bought both a shirt and a tote bag. A few weeks later, fans spotted Styles walking through London with the large canvas tote. Photos of the singer carrying the bag quickly spread across social media. This brought thousands of fans to the charity’s website.