At the recent SS20 Paris Fashion Week, fashion brand Kimhekim used IV drips on the catwalk as part of the collection showcase, attracting international media headlines. Models sported IV bags and wore bandages on their arms; one model even wore a t-shirt that read “Sick”. With the headlines came a backlash as the brand faced criticism over the tasteless decision to use illness as a fashion statement.

This “sick” publicity stunt was both insensitive and insulting to individuals who are genuinely ill. IV treatments are administered to people for health and medical reasons. Designed to restore wellness, they are not a fashion accessory to be used as a pawn to attract media attention. It is entirely inappropriate to used IV drips to trivialise sickness.

Kimhekim’s catwalk show followed a similar stunt by Gucci, who faced controversy after their Milan Fashion Week show featured models parading a collection of straitjackets. This was also highly inappropriate and extremely offensive, especially for individuals living with or affected by mental health issues. Ayesha Tan Jones, a Gucci model who staged a protest about the (ab)use of mental health issues for a fashion moment, commented, “It is in bad taste for Gucci to use the imagery of straight jackets [sic] and outfits alluding to mental patients, while being rolled out on a conveyor belt as if a piece of factory meat.

“Presenting these struggles as props for selling clothes in today’s capitalist climate is vulgar, unimaginative and offensive to the millions of people around the world affected by these issues.”

At IV Boost UK we treat people for varying reasons, supporting the unique health needs of each individual. Our clients come to our clinic to boost their health and wellness, not to make a fashion statement. Our services address conditions ranging from low immunity, Lyme disease, infections, inflammation, fatigue, vitamin deficiency, performance recovery, autoimmune diseases and blood purification through to improving wellness, boosting immunity, migraine recovery and many more. Each treatment is medically-led with consultations before and after treatments. Each therapy is all tailored to the individual’s health needs and administered by a nurse.

We abhor the trivialising of IV therapy knowing from vast experience that people in real life opt for our therapies to help manage illnesses and diseases which are far from trivial. We take our work seriously and treat our clients with sensitivity: we would expect IV therapies and practitioners who deliver them to be treated with the respect they deserve.