Essie is supporting the Foundation for Art & Healing, and is helping to address mental health concerns for Gen Z.

Through its philanthropic partnership in the U.S. with The Foundation for Art & Healing (FAH) and Project UnLonely, Essie  is dedicated to helping its community develop meaningful connections through color.   

This partnership will launch as a part of Hands All In, a holistic global initiative to support essie conscious brand values, starting with a commitment to its community. 

Essie aims to identify impactful methods to help diminish the effects of loneliness on the Gen Z community and has partnered with FAH to promote creative expression as an innovative approach to alleviate loneliness.

“At essie, we’re obsessed with color and its power to bring people together through storytelling,” said Isabelle Carramaschi, Vice President of essie. “We’ve never been more connected by technology, but an overwhelming amount of people are simultaneously struggling with a level of disconnection never seen before. As a brand that drives personal connections and has a large community of Gen Z cohorts, essie feels a responsibility to help create a positive change. Hands All In aims to create colorful connections to uplift those who feel lonely.”

Through Project UnLonely, which broadens public awareness for the negative physical and mental health consequences of loneliness, FAH works to explore creative arts-based approaches to address the impact of loneliness.

FAH developed an evidence-informed workshop through Project UnLonely called Colors & Connection to connect students and college communities through the use of color and art-making, and story-sharing. 

In partnership with essie, Colors & Connection has been implemented on college campuses across the country, including Harvard University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Emerson College.

The one-hour workshops are held in-person in group settings, and are rooted in color’s proven power of facilitating personal reflection, imagination, self-expression, and connection. They feature guided “connecting through colors” activities and thought-provoking exercises that stimulate rich conversations and authentic engagement with oneself and others in a comfortable and supportive environment.

Essie and Project UnLonely will continue to roll out additional Colors & Connection programs throughout college campuses in the U.S. in 2022.