Designers share the wellness rituals that get them through fashion week

It's no secret that fashion week is a stressful time of year. Designers know this better than anyone else. Expected to create so many different looks from scratch and present entirely new ideas to the ones they presented mere months ago, the pressure is immense, particularly for young designers heading up their own independent brands. But the build up to fashion week doesn’t have to look like constant all-nighters and skipping meals to get a collection done.

While stressful days and occasional all-nighters are often inevitable, designers are increasingly integrating wellness rituals into their daily routines to mitigate stress all year round. Whether they’re lighting palo santo or drinking herbal tea, the current generation of London-based designers are prioritising their mental health even during their busiest periods.

Below, we ask Chet Lo, Priya Ahluwalia, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Kay Kwok and Eirinn Hayhow for the wellness rituals that help them manage stress. If these routines can help designers during their busiest time of year, then they’ll likely help you cope with stress in your day to day life too. Read on to discover the best wellness secrets of some of London's most exciting designers.

Chet Lo

"I always light palo santo every night before I go to bed with a crystal. It's very LA of me even though I'm not from LA. The smell is so nice so it just puts me to bed and makes all my clothes smell nice as well. It makes me feel very luxurious afterwards. It's quite calming. I always say a prayer just to keep my spirit up. I think that there's something to be said about changing your headspace. Sometimes you can wake up the next morning and be like, I feel so much more relaxed. I'm ready to take on the day."

Priya Ahluwalia

"I like to try and look after myself as much as possible, so I exercise, eat good food and spend time with people I love. I also write and read a lot which I love. Every so often I go out to a gallery or a play and I always find it's something that makes me switch off and enjoy something new."

Eirinn Hayhow

"In the morning, I always have a herbal tea. Then at night, I have a specific tea ritual because I always had troubles with insomnia and anxiety. I make a big pot of valerian, reishi mushroom and ashwaganda mixed with another herbal tea. I brew the pot and I have that before I go to bed. I also use a lot of products that are infused with crystals. I spray sleep spray on my pillow and light a candle. I have quite a ritual."

Sinéad O'Dwyer

"One wellness thing I do is I cycle everywhere. Cycling to and from work helps me get in a good headspace. It's nice to just get outside."

Kay Kwok of KWK by Kay Kwok

"Sometimes I listen to relaxation music before I sleep and do some stretching to relax any physical muscle stress."