Kelvin Vincent
CREATIVE DIRECTOR and Cultural Strategist Kelvin Vincent has paid tribute to the late fashion designer Sadia Sanusi, using her memory to spotlight the hidden emotional toll of the creative industry.
Speaking in a video on social media, Kelvin Vincent said creatives should prioritise their mental health because their minds are their primary tools for innovation.
He indicated that burnout, anxiety, and depression can stifle the “flow state” needed to produce great work.
“We sold out collections, trending creations, and we really talk about what it costs. There’s something we don’t talk about enough in the creative industry. We talk about success, luxury, sold-out collections, trendy creations, but we rarely talk about what it costs us emotionally and mentally” Vincent shared.
Vincent also revealed that Sanusi was his best friend in high school, long before clients, deadlines, and pressure.
“We sat on the same desk and talked about fashion and dreamt about our future till Sanusi moved to Accra Girls,” he recalled.
Kelvin Vincent stated that fast forward to their careers in fashion, one thing he always admired was her talent and resilience — something he made sure she knew.
He warned that empathy, a gift that makes creatives better at their work, can also become self-destruction. “Compassion fatigue is real, guys, and nobody really talks about it. You can genuinely love the work you do and still become exhausted by it.”
Drawing from his own experience of trying to be available to everyone, Vincent concluded with a hard truth for the industry: “The truth is, you cannot continuously pour from an empty cup. Yes, clients deserve excellence, and we definitely need to do our possible best for them.
But, contrary to what many of us believe, the world will continue with or without you when it’s convenient. The clients will replace you.”
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke